According to James Goodsell’s Christian Science Monitor article of March 14, 1967, written from Santo Domingo, this seems to be what Balaguer sees as the hope for his country.
“President Balaguer would like to see the integration of the DR’s economy
with that of neighboring PR.’Our economies are complementary…A joint solution to common needs would be beneficial to both.’
The Balaguer concept of an economic link between the two islands, advanced previously in his inaugural address last July and again in a recent speech, sees the DR serving as the agricultural base in the arrangement, while the more developed P!1 would become the industrial base…
Dr. Balaguer says the closeness of the US to the two islands — in terms of geographic as well as political factors — is another reason of the integration of the two economies.
At present, PR, as a commonwealth within the US, enjoys preferential treatment in the US market. It is obvious that Dr. Balaguer would like for the DR to share in this treatment. ‘The one thing that the US could do that would help us the most…would be better treatment for our goods in the US market.’
At present, the DR is reaping a good deal of the economic benefit from PR’s inability to fill its annual sugar quota in the US market. In 1966, much of the shortfall in the PR harvest went to augment the DR quota.’
P.S. Maybe the DR and the Congo can integrate their economies…sugar for copper: El Tiempo (of NY) on March 19, 1967 carried two UPI cables confirming that the former Prime Minister of the Congo (recently condemned in absentia to death for his contributions to his country’s development), Moise Tshombe plans to make a trip within the next month to the DR and has obtained a visa for this purpose.
