Despite sustained macroeconomic growth over the past two decades and numerous institutional reforms undertaken over the last 50 years, poverty and inequality still remain high in the Dominican Republic. Public services, in the context of important demographic growth and budget constraints, strengthening the institutional foundation of service delivery appears to be a priority. The Dominican Republic should focus on avoiding duplication of roles and functions, strengthening whole-of-government co-ordination, pursuing the integration and use of shared information systems, and focus on capacity building at various levels for planning and evaluation. The report presents three key policy levers for better service delivery: digital government, public innovation and administrative simplification.

 

Regulation and administrative simplification can help deliver better public services in the Dominican Republic

The report includes key messages that focus on administrative simplification procedures, one-stop shops, centralised registries and the service charters’ programme. 

 

To do so, the report proposes short- to longer-term recommendations which stem from the following objectives:

• Broaden the scope of simplification efforts to include formalities and processes aimed at citizens and the public sector. Prioritise areas where the outcome improves the delivery and inclusiveness of public services. In order to do so, the government should assess administrative burdens (quantitatively and qualitatively) with efficiency in mind to better target resources and outcomes.

 

• Strengthen the institutional structures supporting burden reduction, including engaging with stakeholders; provide sufficient political support; and improve co-ordination, notably at the sub-national level.

 

• Develop an evaluation strategy for the simplification programme that can be used as input for the improvement of further simplification efforts and initiatives.

 

• Develop and implement a regulatory policy strategy so that the Dominican Republic can introduce other regulatory management tools, in addition to administrative simplification.

              

The report’s suggested recommendations aim to simplify the Dominican Republic’s current administrative framework and set foundations for a whole-of-government regulatory policy system. In addition, it highlights the scope of simplification efforts that could be broadened and aligned with other policy objectives. It recommends to reinforce institutional structures to engage with stakeholders and sub-national governments.

 

The full report and its chapter on regulation and administrative simplification (Chapter 3) can be accessed here.

 

CONTACT

For more information on the regulatory policy chapter please contact Guillermo Morales, Policy Analyst, OECD and/or Daniel Trnka, Senior Policy Analyst, OECD.

 

MORE INFORMATION

• Regulatory policy in Latin America
• Why is Administrative Simplification So Complicated?
• Regulatory policy