Tobías Crespo demands Congress prioritize technological laws over loans
Deputy Tobías Crespo, representative of the People’s Force (FP) for the second constituency of the National District, has made an urgent call to the Government and the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) bloc to leverage their legislative majority in order to promote fundamental projects for the country’s digital development. The legislator lamented that key initiatives regarding cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and municipal modernization have been forgotten, while other proposals, such as the approval of loans and bonds, advance rapidly under the urgency mechanism.
Just as the Government uses that overwhelming majority to approve loans, trusts, and bond placements quickly, we request that this Chamber of Deputies expedite the initiatives that the country is demanding in technological matters.
Tobías Crespo, deputy of the Fuerza del Pueblo party.
Key projects for digital transformation
Crespo announced the reintroduction of various projects he authored that expired in previous legislatures. Among the most notable proposals are:
- General ICT Law: A necessary update to the legal framework for telecommunications, replacing the obsolete Law 153-98.
- National Cybersecurity System: A vital response to the rise of cybercrime.
- Artificial Intelligence Regulation: To establish clear limits and standards in the face of the advancement of this technology.
- Smart Cities: A comprehensive project to equip municipalities with digital platforms and single-window service centers.
- Electrical waste management: Regulations for the proper handling of technological waste.
Towards modern municipal management
The legislator emphasized that the implementation of smart cities would allow local governments to optimize services through the use of Big Data, sensors, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things. According to Crespo, these tools are essential for improving urban planning, street lighting, waste collection, and emergency management.
The proposal also seeks to guarantee internet access as a fundamental right, establishing a National Digital Transformation Strategy that links the central government with the Dominican Municipal League and the city councils. For the deputy, the gap between technological evolution and current regulation is becoming a social risk that Congress can no longer ignore.
Finally, Crespo called on all parliamentary groups, and especially the ruling majority, to give the same priority treatment to these laws as they do to the State’s financial commitments, thus ensuring a Dominican Republic prepared for the challenges of the 21st century.
