First Joint Press Conference, Senator Luis Sepulveda (New York State Senate) and Senator Victoria Yeb (Senate of the Dominican Republic); Announcement of progress

Today, Senator Victoria Yeb of the Dominican Republic, NYS Senator Kevin Parker, Assemblymembers Al Taylor and Monique Chandler-Waterman, and I held what would be the first press conference in history between members of the Senate of the Dominican Republic and the State Senate of New York.

Senator Victoria Yeb, in the framework of the visit of the first delegation of New York State Senators to the Dominican Republic, made important announcements about the joint efforts so far:

- A permanent working group has been formed for the first time between New York State Senators and the Dominican Republic to have quick access to information, to offer assistance to our constituents and to have a permanent and direct link between government officials.

- Arrangements are being made to connect for the first time the Dominican Civil Defense with its counterpart in New York State, the Office of Emergency Management.

- The Instituto Nacional de Formación Técnico Profesional (INFOTEP) will be assisted with facilities for Dominican students in New York, as well as for the first time, New York State elected officials will give motivational talks to students in the Dominican Republic virtually.

- A press release has been issued in conjunction with my office, seven senators and 13 New York State Assemblymen to call for support for President Luis Abinader in his effort to establish more and better air routes between the Dominican Republic and New York.  This press release was supported by 20 members of the New York legislature and is the first of its kind, following the delegation's conversation with the President of the Republic, Luis Abinader.

- A press release has been issued supporting CONEP's vision for the Dominican Republic to be the leader in the new Caribbean trade relations with the State of New York, due to the formation of a new office for that purpose in NY and where four Senators and three Assemblymembers of the State of New York, call on the State Government to take into account the privileged position of the Dominican Republic in terms of "nearshoring", political, democratic, economic stability and legal security, so that the Dominican Republic can be at the forefront of this expansion of business and commercial exchange.

Simultaneously, at our press conference in Brooklyn, we called on the international community and the U.S. government not to leave the Dominican Republic alone in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Haiti. 

These relationships that have been established between the Dominican and New York State Senators are extremely important to exchange ideas and to better assist our constituents.