Constitutional Reform to be Submitted to Congress on August 16

Dominican President Leonel Fernández announced that he would submit the Constitutional Reform Project to the National Congress on August 16. The reform measures were prepared by a commission of jurists then submitted to popular vote. President Fernández then suggested that the reforms should undergo Assembly Revision as a way of initiating constitutional reform in that the Dominican Republic is not intending to break from its current political system such as has happened in Europe and Latin America where reforms were decided upon through a National Assembly. This information was released from the Presidential Office of Information, Press and Publicity.

The president contends that constitutional reform in the DR seeks to fulfill issues left undone in reforms in the past, such as those from 1994 and the modifications from 2002.

The president contends that constitutional reform in the DR seeks to fulfill issues left undone in reforms in the past, such as those from 1994 and the modifications from 2002.

President Fernández understands that the Dominican Constitution should define the country’s democracy, social standards and rights such as was the case with recent constitutional reforms.

“Our constitution should establish the State of Rights, reaffirming fundamental rights that reflect the profile of a modern and democratic state,” said the president.

The concepts were put forward by the president this past Friday in his main speech given at the presentation of the final report titled “Popular Consultation for Constitutional Reform.” In addition, the text “Constitutional Reforms in Latin America and the Caribbean” was also put into circulation in the conference hall of the Foreign Ministry.

Carlos Dore Cabral, Director of Information, Analysis, Planning and Strategy of the President’s Office and member of the Executive Committee responsible for writing the project for constitutional reform, gave the opening remarks at the political activity.

In addition, the text “Constitutional Reforms in Latin America and the Caribbean” was also put into circulation in the conference hall of the Foreign Ministry.

President Fernández sat at the head table of the event along with his wife Margarita Cedeño de Fernández, Monsignor Agripino Núñez Collado, Marcos Villamán, Director of the National Commission for State Reform, Carlos Dore Cabral and José Manuel Trullols, Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

The launching of “Popular Consultation for Constitutional Reform” was attended by government officials, the president of the Election Board Julio César Castaños Guzmán and three other electoral judges, the Vice President of the Supreme Court Rafael Luciano Pichardo, other judges and magistrates, the president of the Chamber of Deputies Julio César Valentín, numerous lawmakers, social, civil and political leaders, the Papal Emissary and other important members of society.

The activity was broadcast live all over the country on Corporación de Empresas de Radio y Televisión (CERTV), channel 4.