Identifier
Created
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04SANTODOMINGO2294
2004-04-13 21:43:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Santo Domingo
Cable title:  

DOMINICAN ELECTIONS #36: THE PLD PLATFORM, IN

Tags:  PGOV DR 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 SANTO DOMINGO 002294 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR WHA AND DRL
NSC FOR SHANNON AND MADISON
LABOR FOR ILAB
TREASURY FOR OASIA-LAMONICA
USDOC FOR 4322/ITA/MAC/WH/CARIBBEAN BASIN DIVISION
USDOC FOR 3134/ITA/USFCS/RD/WH
DHS FOR CIS-CARLOS ITURREGUI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV DR
SUBJECT: DOMINICAN ELECTIONS #36: THE PLD PLATFORM, IN
BRIEF


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 SANTO DOMINGO 002294

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR WHA AND DRL
NSC FOR SHANNON AND MADISON
LABOR FOR ILAB
TREASURY FOR OASIA-LAMONICA
USDOC FOR 4322/ITA/MAC/WH/CARIBBEAN BASIN DIVISION
USDOC FOR 3134/ITA/USFCS/RD/WH
DHS FOR CIS-CARLOS ITURREGUI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV DR
SUBJECT: DOMINICAN ELECTIONS #36: THE PLD PLATFORM, IN
BRIEF



1. (SBU) Following is no. 36 in our series on the Dominican
elections.

Dominican Elections #36: The PLD Platform, in Brief

Leonel Fernandez's Partido de Liberacion Dominicana is the
only one of three parties to have produced a formal election
platform. The full text in Spanish is available either on
the PLD website
(http://www.pld.org.do/02-documentos/programa 2004.pdf) or on
our SIPRNET site
(http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/santodomingo/ ). Following
is our precis in English of the 150-page document. A precis
of the precis: the PLD takes a socially conscious
market-friendly approach to government, trusting in rational
analysis and moral values. And though the cover is in
vibrant PLD gold-and-purple, the major chapters are headed by
warm pencil-drawn graphics.


2. (U) Begin precis:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - -

THE PLD PLATFORM

PLD PROGRAM

Presentation by Leonel Fernandez
My administration sought to reduce unemployment and poverty
while improving institutions, respect for civil rights and a
nation of laws. We persevered despite the systematic and
irrational efforts of the opposition and the
opposition-dominated Congress. History since 2000 shows that
our orientation was correct. Logic and analysis demonstrate
this; we should thank God that the past four years of PRD
permit us to make the comparison.

The PLD has grown and matured in the interval; unlike other
parties, it has carried out its internal processes in model
fashion, with no crisis. Members of the party showed
themselves capable in the first PLD administration; and we
have obtained a level of organization and coherency that sets
us apart from others. We offer, humbly, our experience and
our desire to serve.

The PLD when elected will reinitiate the process of
institutionalization and modernization. In the midst of
crisis we will represent the people with dignity and decorum,
confident that they and the country still have moral fiber
and the ability to renew themselves.

Hundreds of individuals have collaborated on this party
platform, conscious of their responsibilities. Taken

together, it is a work strategy and the formal presentation
of an engagement for which we seek the support of all
Dominicans concerned in the future of their children and of
the country.

General Lines

The Dominican Republic is currently in the most difficult
moment of its history. Since 2000 the PRD has initiated a
process of progressive deterioration causing crisis,
uncertainty, despair and discouragement. The PRD government
was inept in handling public expenditure, prejudicing
savings, and showed ineffective management and
administration. Comparative statistics bear this out.

Public finances are under pressure because of high levels of
public debt taken on by the PRD; the impact of the
quasi-fiscal (Central Bank) debt on fiscal goals; and
excessive public employment, which will absorb more than 30
percent of revenue in 2004. The PLD says that public debt is
57 percent of GDP. Despite tax increases, the PRD government
has not restrained expenditures and so has not increased
savings. The PRD opted for a policy of increasing public
debt. The planned fiscal reform must include both tax
changes and expenditure reductions.

The financial &hole8 was created by rumors, a banking
liquidity crisis, &profound and serious irregularities in
Baninter,8 other banks with administrative and accounting
problems, disrespect for banking norms, excessive advances
and rediscounts by the Central Bank beyond the legal limits.
Central Bank debt has grown to unsustainable levels. Banking
supervision is insufficient and non-transparent, creating
vulnerability to bank fraud.

Exchange rate policy has been erratic and often misguided.
The peso has lost much of its value, reflecting a crisis of
confidence and excessive monetary issue.

The cost of living rose 88 percent over 3 years of PRD
administration.

Management of the electricity sector was irresponsible,
complicated by devaluation and plagued by payment delays and
a $450 debt to generators at the end of 2003. The
government,s contradictory role as regulator and actor in
the market for generation, transmission and distribution has
caused distortions.

These factors have raised the poverty level and reduced the
level of human development. Public services have
deteriorated, particularly in education, due to the PRD,s
clientism and waste of state resources, including through
corruption. Institutions have been greatly weakened.

IMF negotiations are outlined, as well as macroeconomic
externalities. The post-September 11 global emphasis on
security reduced the role of the international community in
seeking solutions and protecting international norms such as
sovereign equality and non-intervention. Multilateralism is
still active, however. Third world groupings such as the
&Group of 218 led by Brazil, India, South Africa and China,
constitute an emerging new axis of political and economic
power. The &Washington consensus8 of the 1990,s on
orthodox economic management was insufficient in itself to
create sufficient growth. The PLD and others are meditating
on the need for more inclusive global policies, with a human
face and development-oriented. The fight against world
poverty isa priority.

Challenges

Four principal ones exist:

1. Recovering macroeconomic stability and resumption of
growth;

2. Consolidate democratic governability by strengthening
basic institutions

3. Improving competitiveness nationallhy and
internationally; and

4. Achieving a better level of social equity for Dominican
society.
Aims include:
- - Renegotiating internal and external debt through dialogue
so as to make government finances viable.
- - Strengthening institutions
- - Modernizing productive sectors, industrial and
agricultural
- - Achieving financial sustainability of the electricity
sector
- - Creation of jobs through growth, aided by correct
policies.
- - Consolidation of business conditions favorable to
entrepreneurship.
- - Carrying out social policies to protect individuals and
provide opportunity for all ) employment creation,
strengthening production, bettering education and training
- - Restructuring government expenditure toward social
programs, with changes to make them more effective.
- - Improving education, including through public-private
partnerships and stressing excellence.
- - Following social policy with a long-term vision that
rises above the current administration and allows a gradual
weaning from clientism and electoral populism.
- - Achieving transparent government, limiting discretion in
interpreting laws and regulations, and acting honestly

Vision of a Development Model

The PLD advocates a social model of the marketplace, with
greater solidarity for the least developed Dominicans and a
defined, clear and focused fight against poverty.

"A democratic and social state of laws will not be an
opponent of the market, but will move alongside the market,
joining the private sector and civil society in promoting the
changes needed to confront the challenges of the present and
future . . . which requires modern management with qualified
personnel and agile, transparent administrative procedures to
prevent corruption, inefficiency and theft."

Politics of the State and Institutions

Reform and modernization of the state and society is the
general goal. The fragile democracy developed since the
death of Trujillo in 1961 tends to be more authoritarian than
participatory, based charismatic leadership, social
inequality, and weak values. Further democratization, a
central role for civil society, greater institutionalization
and respect for citizens, rights, and more citizen
participation are in order. The state must plan a strategy
leading toward a society that is dignified, equitable, and
democratic.

Political Reform

Needed strengthening of democratic institutions and
participation will depend on creating a new
legal-institutional framework and encouraging a new mode of
citizen behavior.

Political Parties

- - Improve citizen representation and participation
- - Encourage internal democratization and better
qualification of personnel
- - Encourage more responsible behavior by leaders to propose
solutions to the country,s problems
Electoral System

- - Strengthen the electoral system to eliminate partisan
bias and ensure elections that follow the rules and
democratic procedures
- - Select the judges and staff of the Central Electoral
Tribunal (JCE) with the active participation of political
parties and civil society

Constitutional Reform

- - Through a Constituent Assembly, thoroughly revise the
constitution to be modern, developmentalist, democratic, and
participatory, reaffirming the rule of law
- - Include institutional, economic, social, and political
changes demanded by society

Reform of Public Administration

- - Change from a bureaucratic model to a management model of
providing public services to citizens
- - Reorganize public administration to eliminate duplication
and waste
- - Train and professionalize public employees
- - Instill transparency and ethics according to
international norms
- - Strengthen development planning to ensure efficiency and
citizen input
- - Develop an improvement program for public services to
guarantee their quality, low cost, and continuity

Reform of the Presidency of the Republic

- - Redefine the functions of the Presidency to eliminate
excessively centralized power and adopt a more modern
collective decision model for the government
- - Create technical support capability for programming and
management functions
- - Encourage creation of permanent coordination mechanisms
with other government agencies, the business sector, and
civil society organizations

Reform of the Legislative Branch

- - Institutionally strengthen the Congress to serve as an
effective counterweight to the over-powerful executive
- - Stimulate legislators, accountability to society and
transparency in their actions
- - Promote more effective dialogue, representation, and
oversight by the National Congress

Reform of the Judicial Branch

- - Deepen the reforms since 1996, to make the judicial
system democratic and efficient and judges, prosecutors, and
other officials more independent and conscious of their role
in society, and to provide full access to all citizens

Municipal Reform

- - Promote gradual territorial and administrative
decentralization, with political, economic, and social
effects on local communities
- - Promote political, financial, fiscal, and administrative
autonomy for local governments, in line with the needs of
local development
- -Consolidate decentralized public institutions establishing
new relations between citizens, social groups, and their
local territories

Reform of the Private Sector

- - Promote cooperative and complementary relations between
Government and Marketplace
- - Stimulate social and environmental responsibility on the
part of businesses
- - Encourage competitive practices that allow equal
opportunities for all
- - Facilitate via the government access for the private
sector to technology, modern administrative practices, and
information sources useful for development

Reform of Civil Society

- -Promote the habit of responsible participation by civil
society organizations to deepen democratization of the State
and society
- - Establish regulations that permit development of civil
society activities

Management of Government Reform

- - Prepare an "integral reform plan" during the transition
period with detailed proposals for the four-year term
- - Establish priorities through dialogue, emphasizing
demands for betterpublic services, more transparency, and
more citizen participation in public affiars
- -Establish a single agency to coordinate reform and
appropriate communications mechanisms and strategies to
improve effectiveness of reforms
- - Submit to Congress a package of necessary legal reforms
- - Make the budget process, in particular for 2005, an
instrument of reform, adopting mechanisms such as management
contracts and assessment of results
- -Organize dialogue with international institutions to raise
the effectiveness of external assistance to the Dominican
Republic to promote reforms


International Relations

The platform aims in general terms to return to an active,
efficient and systematic approach to foreign policy. It
criticizes the current government for a "significant
deterioration" in foreign policy. The over-reaching goals
include defense of territorial integrity and identity;
defense and consolidation of "national sovereignty" in the
face of globalization; and reintegration into the
international scene with the objective of strengthening
democratic governance and economic and social development of
the country. Objectives and strategies are provided, in
order, for foreign relations with: 1) Haiti, 2) the United
States, 3) Latin America and the Caribbean, 4) Europe, 5)
Spain, and 6) the rest of the world.

Specific Aims:

Haiti:
To work towards permanent and strong diplomatic
relations with Haiti characterized by mutual responsibility,
respect, and efficiency;
To continue the policy of encouraging the international
community to support and stand with Haiti;

United States:
To sustain a policy of mutual respect and continuing
collaboration in the areas of economics, politics,
environment, culture, among various other themes.
To continue negotiating a U.S.-Dominican bilateral free
trade agreement.
To comply with and strengthen various bilateral
treaties and accords in order to improve security in the
hemisphere and encourage cultural, scientific, technological
and sports exchanges.

Latin America and the Caribbean:
To improve political, economic, commercial and cultural
relations, especially in the Caribbean and Central America.
To foster the development of the possibility of a
commercial accord between the Dominican Republic and CARICOM,
strengthening the ties of the states in the region through
commercial and cultural exchanges.

Europe
To increase relations with the European Union,
especially in the areas of international policy, tourism,
investment, commerce, technical cooperation, training and
cultural exchanges.

Spain
To strengthen bilateral ties in the areas of commerce,
cooperation and technological and academic exchanges.

Over-reaching goals

To return to an active, efficient and systematic
foreign policy.
To defend and consolidate the National Sovereignty in
the face of a globalized new world order.
Defend territorial integrity and identity and respect
international treaties, accords and conventions.
To reinsert the DR on the international scene.

Economic Policies

The PLD introduces its economic platform by blaming the PRD
for losing the economic stability and sustained growth
achieved during the Fernandez government -- under the PRD
unemployment has risen, government spending has accelerated
with an unchecked policy of internal and external borrowing,
and the PRD mismanaged the banking crisis, all of which led
to "negative performance during these last years." The
platform lists broad, ambitious objectives and delineates
strategies. Strategies generally are broad objectives, most
of them without specifics. Topics are macroeconomic policy,
the industrial sector, tourism, agriculture, and sugar.

Macroeconomics

The macroeconomic policy calls for fiscal austerity, tax
reform, sustainable debt, strict monetary policy, and a
market-based exchange rate --but makes only veiled reference
to the IMF standby agreement.

Trade
On trade, the PLD calls for increased competitiveness and
continuation of the competitiveness program initiated under
Mejia. Similarly, on tariffs, the platform sets an objective
of establishing a regimen of tariffs &adjusted to the
situation of openness.8 The PLD proposes to reintegrate the
country into CARICOM,s ®ional negotiating machinery8
while renewing strategic alliances and guarding the interests
of small economies in all trade negotiating forums.

Other Aims of the Economic Platform:

Implement policies that encourage the return of capital
and investment;
Apply monetary and fiscal policies conducive to stable
internal prices, a stable exchange rate and stable interest
rates;
Increase tax collections;
Establish a system of efficiency indicators for social
spending -- especially in health and education;
Limit the growth of debt stock to the level of GDP
growth;
Authorize issuance of new sovereign bonds so as to roll
over current bond issues;
Strengthen the office of the Technical Secretary to
manage international resources;
Improve the efficiency of the National Office of
Industrial Property (ONAPI) in issuance of"trademarks,
commercial names, and inventions";
Diversify free trade zones and initiate links with the
domestic productive sector to increase competitiveness of
domestic industries;
Improve quality, infrastructure, and environmental
safeguards to become a leader in the tourism sector;
For agriculture, establish information exchange
mechanism on prices and production; assure domestic
production of food staples, improve technology, and remove
barriers that create distortions (except for those that
protect certain products under commercial agreements); and
revamp outdated sugar laws and exclude sugar from all
trade negotiations for sufficient time to rehabilitate the
sector

Environment

The PLD environment platform notes that the country has
largely moved from a rural society to an urban one, so
previous economic development models don,t meet the needs of
a continually growing population. The PLD asserts its modern
vision for administering the State is based on the
government,s ethical contract with the people and a social
obligation to identify a development model that meets the
country,s capacity and potential as a society. PLD
proposals cover deforestation, destruction of coastal marine
ecosystems, loss of biodiversity, the contamination of water
resources and general environmental degradation. The PLD
criticizes the current administration for failing to
implement or abide by (environmental) Law 64-00, passed
during the Fernandez Administration. The PLD will seek the
rational use of resources and the development and
strengthening of the national system of protected areas. The
PLD says it will also reduce environmental pollution and
establish an institutional framework of participative
management.

Other Aims:
Urge decentralization of environmental measures, toward
local municipalities through establishment and development of
a National System of Environmental Management and of natural
resources;
Reform the Constitution to require sustainable
management of natural resources and the environment;
Promote establishment of a right to enjoy a healthy
natural environment;
Take the necessary measures to organize the Secretariat
of the Environment and Natural resources in a manner that
complies with Law 64-00 -- and adhere to other provisions in
the law;
Abide by international conventions and other
commitments undertaken by the state and urge passage of
legislation where necessary;
Engage civil society in environmental management;
Promote the reduction and recycling of solid wastes;
Adopt clean productive technologies;
Establish a framework to monitor the environment in
selected areas of the largest population centers by 2006;
Develop alternatives to reduce the use of
agrochemicals; and
Implement soil and water management technologies;

Energy

The PLD,s energy platform consists of three sub-sectors:
electricity, fuel and alternative energy.

The PLD introduces its energy platform by asserting that
during its tenure, it confronted the grave problems of the
electrical sub-sector by working simultaneously in two areas:
meeting inherited short-term problems by adding 1000
megawatts of new and rehabilitated generating capacity; and
seeking private sector participation in the generation and
distribution of electricity. The PLD says the PRD
politicized the privatization ("capitalization") process;
instead of making necessary adjustments, the Mejia
administration undertook "counter-reform," by signing the
Madrid Accords (under which the GODR guaranteed negotiated
tariff rates to the generators),and through the re-purchase
of shares in national electricity distribution companies
held by Spanish company Union Fenosa. The PLD alleges that
bad PRD energy policy and currency depreciation (due to PRD
policies) have brought the sector to the point of collapse.
The PLD lists re-privatization of the distribution companies
as an objective.

Infrastructure

The infrastructure platform addresses public works, transit
and transportation and telecommunications.

In the area of public works, the PLD promises to eliminate
political irregularities, define priorities and elicit
private sector participation. In transportation the PLD
assures the rights of citizens to have access to a system of
transport that is efficient, safe, and reliable. For
telecommunications, the PLD asserts that the current
regulatory body is inadequate and unrepresentative -- it
lacks balance and the multi-disciplinary knowledge required
to regulate a sector in need of innovation and legal,
financial, technical decisions.

Aims:
Strengthen the role of the electricity regulator;
Strive to repay the debt in the sector;
Conclude the process of converting the independent
power producers to merchant plants that sell on the spot
market;
Establish a cost-based tariff;
Guarantee just treatment of users of electrical
services;
Create a Fuels Superintendency;
Encourage the use of alternative energy resources;
Define a policy for priorities in infrastructure
development based on development plans;
Resolve the institutional disorder created by the
dispersion of many institutions with similar functions and
the same level of hierarchy; and
Redesign the telecom regulatory body so that its
composition reflects the many disciplines required to take
decisions in a sector of this nature.




Social Policies

The PLD says that civil society,s "intervention"in the
democratic process is a fairly recent phenomenon,
demonstrating mistrust and questioning of excessive and
exclusionary behavior by political parties and the state.
There is no clear differentiation between corporate interest
organizations (national or international) and the civic
organizations representing communities and society at large.

Aims:

Promote responsible civil society participation in
order to deepen democratization of the state and of society
in general;
Stimulate a regulatory system that allows for the
development and consolidation of civil society actions;
Encourage discussion of a Law on Social Participation
to assure the widest participation possible of civil society
organizations;
Regulate NGO activities by establishing mechanisms for
accounting for the origin and use of funds;
Promote financial support for NGO social programs as
part of the fight against poverty; and
Support programs that encourage institutional capacity
of NGOs.


Human Rights and Public Security

The centrist and bureaucratic Dominican government provides
inadequate security because responsibilities are divided and
uncoordinated. The government has traditionally relied on
the police force principally for control and social/political
discipline. The history of human rights abuses demonstrates
the inability of the police as currently managed to protect
and serve. State institutions and the people should be
committed to ensuring quality of life for all and a
functioning democracy.

Aims:

Encourage the transformation of the National Police
into a public security force with moral authority to protect
society, to develop professionalism and to overcome negative
perceptions of incompetence and repressive force;
Provide protection and public security to reduce
criminality without putting at risk individual rights, due
process or rule of law;
Support the application of the new Criminal Procedures
Code and the Public Ministry Career Statute;
Promote the application of the new Police Reform Law;
Create a National Institute for Security and Criminal
Policy dedicated to studies and analyses of the Dominican
public security situation;
Establish an information system to keep track of
offenses committed in various police stations, poor
neighborhoods and provinces; and
Centralize authority and control of prisons into one
institution by creating a Police Penitentiary Agency.

Social Policies

Poverty and the unequal distribution of wealth are the
principle threats to social integration.. The indicators of
societal downturn are evident, including but not limited to
malnutrition, an increase in endemic diseases, high infant
and maternal mortality rates and rising illiteracy rates.
Current social conditions require better government policies.
The government,s main instrument the budget; increasing
social expenditures will improve conditions. The
platform,s social policies are broad in scope and cover the
following themes: population and development, vulnerable
populations (the disabled, children and adolescents, the
elderly),women,s issues, Dominicans living abroad, social
security, education and health.

Aims:

Assure the efficiency, rationale and focus of public
spending for social programs;
Increase international funding for programs on
education, health and sanitation;
Promote access to a quality education for all
Dominicans regardless of socio-economic class and geographic
regions;
Guarantee basic social services to children and
adolescents, especially those in vulnerable situations;
Promote women,s employment in nontraditional
occupations;
Reduce domestic violence and improve application of the
Law Against Domestic Violence;
Launch a national campaign targeting women about
HIV/AIDS and prevention;
Establish and strengthen implementation mechanisms for
the new Law Against Trafficking and Alien Smuggling and other
laws protecting women;
Create the necessary conditions for better access to
low-cost health care;
Develop a pension system that will prevent the loss or
reduction in wages in retirement.

Defense and National Security

There is no National Security law and the existing Armed
Forces Law is inadequate. With no national defense policy it
is difficult to elaborate doctrine and strategies, the size
of the armed forces, or the participation in international
events. The society has no discussed reform and
modernization of the forces or influenced them about their
role in defense and democracy. Training is inadequate for
duties and functions. Military education has little to do
with national needs. Benefits are granted on a personal
rather than an inistitutional basis. Budgeting is improvised
and heavily influenced by the personal interest of
administrators and financial managers. Supply is deficient.
The military apply rules of engagement for war when called on
to deal with street disturbances. There is no planning but
rather constant improvisation.

Aims:

Definie a defense and national security policy,
establish a legal format and engage all sectors in a national
defense community.
Improve coordination with foreign policy, coordinating
with international organizations
Prepare the military for this new environment, improve
training, establish education and training oriented to
support of democracy; improve mobility and efficiency
Realize substantial savings in the defense budget,
adjusting expenditures to instititutional needs ) with
active coordination between the military and the Congress
through existing channels
Improving living conditions, interest personnel in good
moral and social conduct including with a Code of Military
Ethics

Strategies:

Define a defense policy, draft and submit a Law on
Security and Defense, study the threats to the nation and the
Caribbean
Strengthen participation in regional defense and
security mechanisms to increase mutual understanding and
transparency
Create a National Security Council
Revise the Basic Law of the Armed Forces along with
internal regulations for the branches
Draft a Code of Ethics and Morals for the military;
strengthen this with education
Establish a classification of military positions and
their functions and procedures
Redistribute and relocate units according to current
threats
Establish a smaller hierarchy with greater operational
effectivenessx
Inventory and review property and real estate belonging
to the military
Establish a program for personal loans, define social
security policies and health programs
Implement disciplinary regulations for corruption and
means to separate those bringing discredit to the institution
Establish a budget more closely aligned to reality

(END PRECIS)


3. (U) Drafted by Santo Domingo EcoPol officers.




HERTELL