Santiago de los Caballeros.–The President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, and the Vice President Raquel Peña led this Sunday the fifty-eighth Council of Ministers, held in the Botanical Garden of Santiago Professor Eugenio de Jesús Marcano Fondeur, in a work day in which the authorities reviewed the progress of the main projects and interventions promoted by the Government to strengthen the development of the province and the entire Northern region.

During the work session, where First Lady Raquel Arbaje was also present, more than 200 works and interventions carried out in Santiago were reviewed, which constitutes the largest investment made by a government in this city during a single management period.

This was the second Council of Ministers held in Santiago during the current administration. The first took place in 2020 and, six years later, the Government returned to the province to evaluate the progress made and verify compliance with the commitments made to the people of Santiago.

The work agenda included the presentation of progress in priority areas such as infrastructure, mobility, public services, health, housing, energy, drinking water, sanitation, education and territorial development, with the participation of different State institutions.

Among the main works reviewed, the first line of the Santiago Cable Car, the Navarrete aqueduct, multiple road projects developed in La Sierra and in different parts of the province, as well as various initiatives aimed at strengthening connectivity and the quality of life of citizens, stood out.

The meeting was attended by government authorities, representatives of different sectors of Santiago society, businessmen, community leaders and social organizations.

The authorities also highlighted the results of the comprehensive transformation project of Gurabo stream, one of the most important urban, social and environmental interventions carried out in Santiago.

The work has allowed the sanitation of the ravine, the recovery of public spaces, the reduction of risks for hundreds of families and the creation of new development opportunities for historically vulnerable communities, contributing significantly to the improvement of the quality of life and the environmental recovery of a large area of ​​the city.

One of the central topics was the progress of the Santiago Monorail, one of the main urban mobility works being developed in the country.

The authorities highlighted the accelerated pace of execution of this project, intended to revolutionize the city's transportation and significantly improve the mobility of thousands of citizens.

Likewise, the progress of the Navarrete bypass was evaluated, a strategic infrastructure that will contribute to streamlining traffic, strengthening connectivity and facilitating commercial exchange between Santiago and the provinces of the Northwest Line.

During the day, progress was also presented in the bidding process for the Ámbar highway, a work of great impact that will allow a faster, safer and more efficient connection between Santiago and Puerto Plata, strengthening the economic, productive and tourist integration of the entire Northern region.

A particularly relevant aspect of the Council was the review of the commitments assumed during the previous Council of Ministers held in Santiago, as well as the agreements arising from the Provincial Development Council. In this sense, the authorities evaluated the main demands raised by citizens and local governments, verifying that the Government has responded, through public policies, programs and investments, to practically all of the identified requirements.

During the day, the results and next steps of different institutions were also addressed, including the Ministry of Public Health, the National Health Service, the Ministry of Housing, Habitat and Buildings, Edenorte, the Santiago Aqueduct and Sewer Corporation (Coraasan), the National Institute of Drinking Water and Sewers (Inapa), the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Public Works and Communications, among other entities.

The celebration of the Council in the Botanical Garden of Santiago also allowed us to highlight the investments made by the Government in this emblematic natural space, exceeding RD 275 million, consolidating this ecological lung as a modern, safe and accessible space for recreation, environmental education and the enjoyment of families in the Northern region.

President Abinader reaffirmed his administration's commitment to an administration that is close to the territory, oriented toward results, and focused on transforming people's needs into concrete solutions that improve their quality of life.

The Council of Ministers concluded with the presentation of the progress achieved, the definition of next steps to continue promoting the economic, social and infrastructure development of Santiago, and the ratification of the Government's commitment to the sustainable progress of the province and the entire Northern region.

When offering a balance to the press about the results of the day, the Minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza, highlighted that the public investment executed in Santiago during the first five years of management exceeds RD 110,000 million, a figure that triples that made in a previous similar period. He pointed out that this is the largest public investment executed by a government in the province during the same management period and that it responds to the strategic role of Santiago as an economic, productive, educational and cultural engine of the Dominican Republic.

Paliza also highlighted that one of the main objectives of the Council was to review the commitments made during the meeting held in September 2020 together with representatives of the Council for the Strategic Development of Santiago, concluding that the Government has responded to practically all of the main demands raised by citizens and local authorities. “This is a government that plans, executes and returns to the territory to be accountable and build a future together with the people,” he expressed.

The official also assessed the impact of the Arroyo Gurabo sanitation project, executed with an investment of more than RD 3.2 billion, highlighting that the intervention has made it possible to transform a source of pollution for more than six decades into a green corridor, relocate more than 1,200 families and directly benefit more than 12,000 homes in Santiago.

"It has been a profitable and hopeful meeting. I am convinced that the coming years will be one of more well-being, more progress and more opportunities for Santiago, a province that will continue to be a priority for the government of President Luis Abinader," said Paliza.

The Minister of the Presidency concluded his speech by inviting all citizens of the country to visit and enjoy this Botanical Garden of Santiago, which, as he expressed, is everyone's heritage and a symbol of commitment to conservation and sustainable development.