LatinNews Daily - 18 September 2023

*The Dominican Republic’s minister of industry, trade and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Víctor Bisonó, has announced that the government led by President Luis Abinader is seeking to implement an initiative enabling those Dominican traders affected by the recent closure of the border with Haiti as recently ordered by Abinader, to sell their products on the national market. A press release by the ministry states that the government is carrying out an “exhaustive” revision of goods sold on the binational market with a view to seeing how these might be resold on the national market. He also said that the government is looking at possible solutions to help these traders affected, with the assistance of the national council for the promotion and support of SMEs (Promipyme), Samuel Pereyra, the general administrator of the country’s reserve bank, and Agriculture Minister Limbert Cruz. Bisonó added that the institute of price stabilisation (Inespre), a government agency, state-run soup kitchens and the national institute of student welfare (Inabie) had begun to buy their products. He made the comments during a visit to the border market in the northern Dajabón province where he met representatives of local traders such as president of the Dajabón traders’ association, Abigail Bueno and president of the association of merchants’ association, Noel Fernández as well as Dajabón mayor, Santiago Riverón.