LatinNews Daily - 17 June 2020

* The Dominican Republic’s government has announced that the conditions are still not there to begin phase three of the reopening of the economy, which had been shut down to stop the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19). Minister for the presidency Gustavo Montalvo told reporters that since 3 June, the start of the second phase, there had been a significant increase in the daily number of new cases – from 350 in the first phase, which began on 20 May to 500 currently. Under phase one of the plan, public transport resumed, curfew hours were reduced, barber shops, beauty salons, and medical offices resumed activities, working only by appointment, and workers returned to their duties (up to a half of the workforce in micro, small and medium sized businesses, and up to 25% in large firms). The next phases will see more employees allowed to return to work, with all companies to resume operations with 100% of staff by final phase (four) estimated for 5 July, at which point the tourism sector – hotels, airports, gyms, and restaurants – would also open. The United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (Eclac) expects that the Dominican Republic will register zero growth in 2020, the highest in the Caribbean region, bar Guyana.

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