Santo Domingo.- President Leonel Fernandez on Wednesday called on the members of the Armed Forces and the National Police to place their dignity above any threat or attempted bribe by drug traffickers, and announced that on February 27, will submit to Congress two bills on a statutory law to modernize them.

The chief executive said he’s aware the government cannot pay police agents and soldiers the salaries they deserve, but promised to make a permanent effort to modernize the entities by preparing them technically and to achieve adequate wages.

Fernandez, speaking in the National Palace before dozens of military and police officers who graduated from the academies as long as 35 years ago and who were recognized for their good service to the country, reiterated that since drug trafficking is the main threat, the Police department and the military branches must remain actively firm to fight it. “Beyond wealth there’s a human factor called pride.”