Santo Domingo.– President Leonel Fernandez asked today to annul the suspension and restore second hand imports from the United States.

Fernandez said the Public Health and Customs may discuss the matter and may activate the hygiene mechanism, since we know of people who earn their bread from that business.

He explained that the government purpose is rather protecting than affecting the consumers; however, his statement contradict other authorities who define this business an unlawful contender for the local textile industry.

Antonio Ramos, president of Organización Nacional de Empresas Comerciales, said the flea market moved an average of $29 million.

The Caribbean Island received until 2005 1,887t of the product, and the figure jumped in seven years to 22,515t.

Customs Director Rafael Camilo reminds the ban affects shipments for commercial purpose not private shipments with food and clothes to relatives and exposed the poor coordination between the Customs and other institutions dealing with this problem for the large batches still circulate through the free trade zones.

Dominican media says many ship owners protested the measure in New York, for the practice is common place among Dominican immigrants from the 1960s of the 20th Century, period of boom of emigration flow towards the US.