NewsWhore
09-25-2008, 04:30 PM
Lawyer Marisol Vicens Bello writes today that the selection of new judges for the Chamber of Accounts, the body in charge of auditing the government, is evidence of the lack of political will to integrate a body that would truly hold the government accountable. Vicens says that the selection of members for the chamber sent to the Senate makes it clear that the government is interested in a custom-tailored suit. She recalls that despite the failure of the previous board, which ended in the resignation of all but one of its members in the wake of a series of scandals, the expectation was that the government would take special care with the new selection of members. She writes that after reviewing the President's choices, with few exceptions she is aware that the list includes people who do not have the required moral authority or credibility. "It would appear that the only motive for choosing them was to please political allies by placing them in well-paid positions." Most of the recommended judges are from the PRSC party that allied with the PLD into the 2008 presidential election.
She also criticizes the fact that despite the Constitution indicating that there should only be five judges, President Leonel Fernandez again sent choices for the appointment of nine. A Presidential commission appointed to study the Constitution had recommended returning to the original five members.
"In the light of all these events, we can only conclude that there is no intention of strengthening it so that it can become a true controller of the public accounts and each President will continue to appoint friends and allies to the posts at their convenience," she writes. She advised the Senate not to commit the same mistake of appointing a Chamber of Accounts custom-tailored by the Executive Branch.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#9)
She also criticizes the fact that despite the Constitution indicating that there should only be five judges, President Leonel Fernandez again sent choices for the appointment of nine. A Presidential commission appointed to study the Constitution had recommended returning to the original five members.
"In the light of all these events, we can only conclude that there is no intention of strengthening it so that it can become a true controller of the public accounts and each President will continue to appoint friends and allies to the posts at their convenience," she writes. She advised the Senate not to commit the same mistake of appointing a Chamber of Accounts custom-tailored by the Executive Branch.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#9)