SANTO DOMINGO.- The contractors resumed work in the construction of Santo Domingo’s Central Wholesalers Market (Merca Santo Domingo), with a US$45 million loan from Spain’s Deutsche Bank to the Dominican Government, which plans to conclude the facility by September.

The tenders for the market’s construction began in March, 2003 and was expected to conclude by April 2004, but lack of planning to disburse the RD$950 million required to complete the project‘s first stage on time halted the work seven times.

In April 2004 the first stage’s completion was announced for May that year, but in July 2005 it was said to be ready for mid 2006, when again it was postponed, reportedly for 2007.

Agriculture vice minister Eusebio Guzmán made another “categorical” prediction, noting that the Deutsche Bank’s US$45 million disbursed last month allowed construction to resume. "What now gives us confidence in a categorical manner that it will be concluded in the indicated time is that the money isn’t something that depends on Government revenue, it’s bank money already secured for the Market’s construction."