Industrial Alliance: Proindustria and the Business Council of North Santo Domingo (CESDN) signed a collaboration to boost industrial development, productivity, and value chains, with a focus on technical training and stronger MSMEs in Santo Domingo Norte. Free Zones Expansion: The National Council of Export Free Zones approved 10 new free zone companies, projecting over US$14M in investment and more than 480 direct jobs, plus agreements for three new free zone parks to reinforce investor confidence. Tourism Workforce Training: INFOTEP and Asonahores launched talks on a strategic alliance to modernize training for tourism and gastronomy, including pilot training centers, hotel/restaurant involvement for instructor retraining, and a proposed culinary benchmark center. Energy & Environment: Eco-Bahia Foundation showcased the Cayo Levantado restoration project, highlighting a shift to native, resilient landscaping and reporting 308 plant species identified (67% native). Aviation Connectivity: The Dominican Republic and Trinidad and Tobago signed an Air Services Agreement to expand overflight/landing rights and support trade, tourism, and investment. Infrastructure Push: President Abinader announced a RD$20B+ public-private transformation plan for Boca Chica, targeting sanitation, roads, housing, and public spaces to position the area as a logistics and tourism hub. Business Finance: AM Best upgraded Reaseguradora Santo Domingo (REASANTO) ratings to “B+” and “bbb-” with a stable outlook, citing stronger capitalization and risk management. Food & Retail Pressure: Mother’s Day is set to drive a major retail surge across the country, but also brings heavy traffic and gridlock on key commercial corridors. Controversy Watch: A report alleges a long-running food-stamp/charity fraud pipeline involving shipping food to the Dominican Republic for resale.