The president of the Dominican Federation of Merchants (FDC), Iván García, described as tremendous and political statements made by the Federation of Retail Merchants of the Dominican Republic (Fecoderd), and the Dominican Council of Retailers in Provisions (Codepro), regarding the increase in crime in the country.
He said that they handle real statistics that show a significant decrease in criminal acts in the country in the first five months of the year, compared to the same period in 2022.
García indicated that today more than ever businesses feel protected by the National Police, and gave as an example that they have 61 boards of trustees throughout the Dominican Republic, which make daily reports on the situation in their surroundings, without it being present deeds to regret for their affiliates.
“Politics has to be removed from the issue of citizen security, because we all have to keep in mind that we are a country that aspires to have 10 million tourists visit us a year and the only thing they try to bring is politically influenced news. the restlessness to the citizens throughout the country”, said the union leader.
The FDC, the top organization of organized commerce in the Dominican Republic, with representation in all the provinces and municipalities of the country, reiterated that they have the numbers very clear and defined by a company completely unrelated to the National Police, which reflects the reduction of crime in the country.
significant reduction
García stressed that in these first months the decrease in crime has been very significant, after pointing out that they have an organized structure at the national level, so when they issue any consideration they do so based on real statistics.
“Commerce feels completely safe, and that is why businesses that were closing at 8:00 at night are closing at 10:00 at night and many supermarkets are closing at 12:00 at night, offering you a important service at the level of food, pharmacies, gas stations throughout the country”, said the representative of organized merchants.
He urged to be careful with the tremendous statements of the business without having the evidence to support unfounded judgments, and to differentiate what are criminal acts with acts of social violence.
Recently, a group of merchants from Villa Consuelo also rejected the version of Fecoderd and Codepro, and assured that there is a significant increase in patrols in that commercial artery, which has helped to a marked decrease in robberies in the area.
“Insecurity and crime in Villa Consuelo is not an epidemic, nor are local factors that affect it. It is totally false, if there is an interested attitude in that sense, it is false and captious”, said the merchant Héctor Pachecho, being aware that some events are recorded, like any other point in the country, but that they are not factors typical of situations of the sector.
While Alejandro Geraldino branded the statements made by the groups as bad propaganda, and gave as an example that in the time he has worked as a businessman in the place he has never observed that they have dismantled any camera for the purpose of committing criminal acts.