Today, (23.01.2007), at 09:35 am, urban grassroots organisations in Santo Domingo had a press conference at Club Manoto Tavarez Justo, a local culture and sport club located just next to the Francisco del Rosario Sánchez Bridge on Ozoma River.
The place has consciously chosen, as the current extension project of the bridge poses a great risk of forced eviction to many houses and businesses. The construction of metro, also, is a great concern of Dominican social movements. Massive amount of resources are allocated for the 14 km long construction project, just before the coming elections. Rightly so, social organisations raise their concerns about various political, social and economic dimensions of the project.
One of the major fears is if the (new) president will continue to show political commitment to finish the project after the election. The corruption due to lack of transparency is another crucial concern. While poverty is widespread and lack of investment in health, education and housing sectors make the life of many poor people further difficult, the speed and amount of resources allocated for the construction of metro raises the suspicions.
Thus, social and community organisations working at various barrios and on different urban concerns such as education, health, housing, community development etc. had a press conference to raise these concerns and call the president to include their views and demands into the current projects in particular, and to follow more participatory and democratic urban planning and development in general.
The press conference, as it would be expected, was attended by only one TV channel, TeleSistema, and later, Michael Miguel, a famous TV presenter joined and had a meeting with community leaders.
The place has consciously chosen, as the current extension project of the bridge poses a great risk of forced eviction to many houses and businesses. The construction of metro, also, is a great concern of Dominican social movements. Massive amount of resources are allocated for the 14 km long construction project, just before the coming elections. Rightly so, social organisations raise their concerns about various political, social and economic dimensions of the project.
One of the major fears is if the (new) president will continue to show political commitment to finish the project after the election. The corruption due to lack of transparency is another crucial concern. While poverty is widespread and lack of investment in health, education and housing sectors make the life of many poor people further difficult, the speed and amount of resources allocated for the construction of metro raises the suspicions.
Thus, social and community organisations working at various barrios and on different urban concerns such as education, health, housing, community development etc. had a press conference to raise these concerns and call the president to include their views and demands into the current projects in particular, and to follow more participatory and democratic urban planning and development in general.
The press conference, as it would be expected, was attended by only one TV channel, TeleSistema, and later, Michael Miguel, a famous TV presenter joined and had a meeting with community leaders.
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