NewsWhore
04-30-2008, 02:30 PM
President Leonel Fernandez says that the creation of the Department for Prevention of Administrative Corruption (DEPRECO) during his first 1996-2000 government and the National Commission for Ethics and Fight against Corruption during his second term (2004-2008) are his major achievements in fighting corruption in government. He was addressing the Foundation for Justice and Institutionalism (FINJUS) at the UNPHU yesterday.
Furthermore, Fernandez highlighted that in 2005, his government launched the National Plan for Ethics and Prevention of Corruption (2005-2008) and the Code for Ethics of the Government Employee. In his words, there have been in-depth changes aimed at making government activities transparent and efficient. He also highlighted the advances in the application of the Law of Free Access to Public Information. He said that corruption is a worldwide phenomenon.
Fernandez spoke of how he was in favor of creating another structure to combat corruption by upgrading the National Office of Public Administration (ONAP) to a government ministry. As reported in El Caribe, Fernandez believes it is a priority to decentralize government so that the President is not responsible for public institutions, and that instead all ministers would be responsible for their actions and would be able to take decisions without Presidential authorization. Fernandez feels that is the trend of modern government and has been pushing his government in that direction.
During the event, FINJUS vice president Rafael del Toro Gomez said that there has been a lack of political will to fight corruption in the Dominican Republic. As reported in El Caribe, he said that despite the conversion of DEPRECO into the Department for Prevention of Administrative Corruption (DPCA) during the 2004-2008 Fernandez administration, there are still difficulties for those bodies to act on the will of the President to eradicate corruption in government. He advocated for change in the way politics is carried out and the way government funds are handled so that every person who has made corruption their modus vivendi should be punished. He said the eradication of corruption would provide all Dominicans with more opportunities for economic development, business and progress.
Del Toro added that surveys carried out by Finjus and other institutions show that the National Commission for Ethics and Fight against Corruption has not met expectations.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)
Furthermore, Fernandez highlighted that in 2005, his government launched the National Plan for Ethics and Prevention of Corruption (2005-2008) and the Code for Ethics of the Government Employee. In his words, there have been in-depth changes aimed at making government activities transparent and efficient. He also highlighted the advances in the application of the Law of Free Access to Public Information. He said that corruption is a worldwide phenomenon.
Fernandez spoke of how he was in favor of creating another structure to combat corruption by upgrading the National Office of Public Administration (ONAP) to a government ministry. As reported in El Caribe, Fernandez believes it is a priority to decentralize government so that the President is not responsible for public institutions, and that instead all ministers would be responsible for their actions and would be able to take decisions without Presidential authorization. Fernandez feels that is the trend of modern government and has been pushing his government in that direction.
During the event, FINJUS vice president Rafael del Toro Gomez said that there has been a lack of political will to fight corruption in the Dominican Republic. As reported in El Caribe, he said that despite the conversion of DEPRECO into the Department for Prevention of Administrative Corruption (DPCA) during the 2004-2008 Fernandez administration, there are still difficulties for those bodies to act on the will of the President to eradicate corruption in government. He advocated for change in the way politics is carried out and the way government funds are handled so that every person who has made corruption their modus vivendi should be punished. He said the eradication of corruption would provide all Dominicans with more opportunities for economic development, business and progress.
Del Toro added that surveys carried out by Finjus and other institutions show that the National Commission for Ethics and Fight against Corruption has not met expectations.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)