Merchants, municipal authorities and legislators of the border zone This Friday they expressed their rejection of the proposal to build a “dry port” in the municipality of Jimaniconsidering that the initiative could affect the commercial dynamics that support thousands of jobs in the border provinces.
The position was raised during a meeting held in the Jimaní Town Hallwhere representatives from different sectors analyzed the possible economic and social implications that the project would have on the binational markets of Dajabón, Elias PiñaJimaní and Pedernales.
During the activity, the deputy for the San Juan province, Carlos Morillo, stated that the centralization of logistics operations in a dry port could reduce business opportunities for minorities and medium-sized companies. merchants that depend on the current commercial exchange scheme on the border.
On his side, the deputy for the province IndependenceLlanelis Matos, maintained that any development initiative must be evaluated taking into consideration the impact it may generate on the economic actors that operate in the main border markets of the country.
Traders also expressed concern about the project. Among them, Sócrates Méndez (Socratín), who stated that the proposal would directly affect those who for decades have supported the area’s economy through binational trade.
Daniel Pérez Pérez, Aurín Dotel and Marcos López joined this position, who agreed that the construction of the dry port could represent a threat to the livelihood of numerous families that depend on commercial activities on the border.
During his speech, López called for strengthening unity between the commercial sectors of the border provinces to defend the common interests of the region and preserve the existing spaces for economic exchange.
Local communicators also participated in the meeting, who supported the concerns raised by merchants and warned about the possible effects that, in their opinion, the initiative would have on the regional economy.
The mayor of Jimaní, Laureano Santana, expressed the municipal government’s support for merchants and reiterated his commitment to the defense of border markets.
“The city council cannot support initiatives that put at risk the livelihood of thousands of families that depend directly on binational trade in Jimaní, Dajabón, Elías Piña and Pedernales,” said the municipal executive.
The day concluded with a speech by merchant Juan Francisco González, who urged those present to maintain a firm position against the project and continue defending traditional border markets.
The meeting was called by the Merchants Association of Jimaní-Mal Paso, along with other organizations linked to the border commercial sector. The participants reported that the next meeting will take place in the province of Pedernales, where they will continue to analyze the implications of the project and the actions to follow.
