San Cristobal.- President Leonel Fernandez, participating in the second Popular Dialogue held here yesterday, called on the nation’s active forces to join and confront the financial and economic crisis on a planetary scale.

He said it’s necessary that the countries threatened by external crises unify intelligently, instead of disintegrating, dispersing and destabilizing themselves.

Fernandez said he’s confident that with determination, work and optimism, Dominican Republic will overcome all obstacles and "continue advancing and be able to say the country forges on ahead."

He cautioned that they are still around 8 months of the crisis and that the reduced demand for goods and services could continue to affect jobs in the country, and that international trade has fallen by 60%.

Popular dialogue

Fernandez pledged to prioritize the most necessary works for San Cristobal’s communities, including construction of streets, avenues, schools, fields, aqueducts, houses, treatment plants, the glass plant Favidrio, which would generate around 4,000 jobs, among others.

He said the Government awaits a US$80 million disbursement from Colombia to attend those and other demands.