Dominican Politicians Debate Subway’s Worth

It didn’t open on schedule in February, but now the Caribbean’s first soon-to-open subway system in the Dominican Republic may have votes riding on it.

National elections are set for May 16, and the debut of the $720 million project –a day or so before the elections- has supporters and critics duking it out in debates, ads and local media.

President Lionel Fernandez, who is seeking re-election to his third term, champions the subway as the centerpiece of the country’s modernization push and as the vital catalyst to ease congestion in the crowded capital city of Santo Domingo. Critics contend that the money should have gone to fight poverty, help in storm recovery and shore up the country’s electrical grid.

Fare on the nine-mile, 16-station subway is approximately 70 cents per person, per ride, similar to the current bus fares in the capital.