Poverty Strikes Hard in DR
by Prensa Latina
Posted: Dec 22, 2005 17:10 UTC
SANTO DOMINGO (PL) - The government of the Dominican Republic reports more than 3.6 million people are living in poverty, accounting for 42.24 percent of the total population of 8.5 million.That information is based on a research conducted by the National Planning Office, sponsored by several international bodies, said President´s Technical Secretary Temistocles Montas.
According to the General Report on Poverty in the Dominican Republic, which was released Thursday, the poverty indicator decreased from 1993 to 2002 by 21 percent.
However, economy experts described the increase since 2002 as catastrophic, because they believe over half of the Dominican population lives below the poverty line.It climbed as inflation drove middle class families to the basement of the social pyramid, and propelled the poor to abject poverty, said the specialists.
They believe that the acute economic crisis, loss of income, huge unemployment and deterioration of public services and high cost of transport, as well as the collapse of health services are the main causes of poverty.
The United Nations Development Program and the World Bank collaborated in the elaboration of the report.
by Prensa Latina
Posted: Dec 22, 2005 17:10 UTC
SANTO DOMINGO (PL) - The government of the Dominican Republic reports more than 3.6 million people are living in poverty, accounting for 42.24 percent of the total population of 8.5 million.That information is based on a research conducted by the National Planning Office, sponsored by several international bodies, said President´s Technical Secretary Temistocles Montas.
According to the General Report on Poverty in the Dominican Republic, which was released Thursday, the poverty indicator decreased from 1993 to 2002 by 21 percent.
However, economy experts described the increase since 2002 as catastrophic, because they believe over half of the Dominican population lives below the poverty line.It climbed as inflation drove middle class families to the basement of the social pyramid, and propelled the poor to abject poverty, said the specialists.
They believe that the acute economic crisis, loss of income, huge unemployment and deterioration of public services and high cost of transport, as well as the collapse of health services are the main causes of poverty.
The United Nations Development Program and the World Bank collaborated in the elaboration of the report.
