Former President Leonel Fernandez accused President Hipolito Mejias economic
policies as the cause of increased unemployment in the country. Fernandez says
that since he left office there has been a loss of 250,000 jobs a rise from
13.8% unemployment rate to 16.3%. Fernandez also stated that during his
government 500,000 new jobs were created. He said that the government in the
past two years has instead created 40,000 _botellas,_ or government jobs for
people who just have to go to collect their checks.
Central Bank reports that unemployment was up 0.5% during the first January-June
of this year, compared to the same period in 2001. Unemployment increased during
this period from 15.6% to 16.1%, but the number of government employees was up
6.5%, or 24,689 new positions.
Business group spokesmen say that if the government insists on keeping the 1.5%
tax on gross sales and impeding businesses to deduct the value-added tax on
service purchases, more jobs will be lost.