Creation of new entities clashes with austerity measures

Despite the government's repeated announcements of austerity measures, legislators are pushing to expand the state's size by creating new institutions. Over 30 bills are currently before Congress, proposing the establishment of new ministries, institutes, directorates, superintendencies, and corporations.

This surge in legislative proposals, identified through a review of the legislative information systems of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, spans a wide range of sectors. The proposed bodies include entities for productive sectors, new regulatory agencies, and specialized ministries. This legislative push stands in stark contrast to the executive branch's ongoing administrative reform, which aims to streamline the state apparatus, eliminate redundancies, and enhance the efficiency of public spending.

Among the proposed new entities are a National Directorate of Firefighters, a Superintendency of Firefighters, a National Road Maintenance Superintendency, a Superintendency of Condominiums, and a National Directorate for Inspection and Evaluation of Public and Private Infrastructure. Other proposals include a General Directorate of Crafts and Visual Arts, a Directorate of Social Integration in Municipalities, and a General Directorate of Lotteries. The legislative agenda also features proposals for new ministries such as a Ministry of Man, a Ministry of Family, a Ministry of Border, a Ministry of Transportation, and a Ministry of Social Protection and Assistance.

Further initiatives include the creation of specialized institutes like the National Apiculture Institute, the Regional Institute for Integral Development of the East, the National Institute for Bilateral Relations between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, and the Dominican Casabe Institute, among others. The list also encompasses bodies like the National Council for Health Tourism Development and a Border Development Fund Bank. These proposals, submitted by legislators from various political parties, highlight a significant disconnect between the executive's austerity drive and the legislative branch's expansionist agenda.