DR: How government creates jobs

The government payroll during 2003, and particularly in the last quarter of 2003, included some 25,000 new names, despite the fact that in August it had signed an agreement with the IMF to exercise a strict control on public spending. In human figures, this represented the hiring of 24,974 people, with total salaries equalling RD$1.182 billion, or a 4.7% increase over 2002.

The business of government is not job creation. Instead, it is removing stifling regulations that would prevent the private sector from thriving. It is about getting the hell out of the way so that individuals can start up business ventures.