NewsWhore
09-13-2010, 02:20 PM
Despite the fact that a Chamber of Accounts (CC) audit two years ago established serious irregularities in the General Administration of the National Assets department (Bienes Nacionales), ranging from improper payments and excessive expenses to nepotism, the results were never made public and no judicial proceedings were set in motion, as reported in Diario Libre.
A report released by investigative journalist Nuria Piera on her TV program shows the existence of several payrolls, including one for personal services that two years ago consumed RD$480 million. The investigation revealed the presence of 19 assistant administrators in the National Assets department (AGBN), of whom only three do any work, but all 19 have a yearly payroll of RD$13 million and privileges in the shape of per diems, fixed salaries and vehicle use expenses. It was also shown that about 12 people who never actually show up for work received monthly salaries of between RD$10,000 and RD$20,000.
"The situation commented upon above (in the audit) is indicative of the fact that the authorities of the AGBN do not place sufficient importance on the laws that regulate their operations, let alone protect the best interests of the institution since they do not value the possibility of not paying employees who do no work in benefit of the institution", says the accounting audit. According to the report on the expenses of the executives of the institution, general administrator Elias Wessin Chavez received a monthly salary of RD$75,000, plus RD$52,250 for expenses, RD$61,750 for the use of his vehicle, and per diem payments of RD$95,000 which total a monthly income of RD$295,000. Meanwhile, sub-directors Mercedes Ramirez, Lorenzo Valdez and Jacobo de Leon Garrido received, apart from their salaries, other compensations for RD$142,000 a month. The audit also reveals that members of the Central Committee of the Democratic Christian Quisqueyan Party (PQDC), of which Wessin Chavez is the president, have high-level jobs in the department.
On the issue of nepotism, the report by Piera indicates that research by the Chamber of Accounts found out that in 2008 the administrator general of National Assets had appointed his brother, Elias Narciso Wessin, as the director of the Security Department, with a salary of RD$44,500, his wife Angie Romero, a consultant to the administration, with a check for RD$25,000 each month, and Luisa Hernandez, a cousin, received RD$38,550. Likewise, the audit says that deputy-director De Leon Garrido, got his son, Jose Jacobo de Leon Contreras, appointed as a special inspector with a salary of RD$30,000, his daughter, Diana Margarita de Leon Contreras, and the deputy-director of programming, with a salary of RD$45,000, and his brother, Santiago Ernesto de Leon Garrido, appointed as a special inspector, earning RD$20,000, and another brother, Urbano Leonidas de Leon, as an assistant in the institution with a salary of RD$32,000. The audit shows that even the person in charge of the kitchen at the Wessin Chavez house received a check from the institution.
Wessin told reporters that the audit was carried out in 2008 and he had received verbal advice on the things that needed changing and had done so at the time. He said that he had not seen the audit and that he would provide an answer this week.
Ines Aizpun of Diario Libre points out that Wessin's PQD party received 10,659 votes in the past election, or 0.8% of the total votes.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#4)
A report released by investigative journalist Nuria Piera on her TV program shows the existence of several payrolls, including one for personal services that two years ago consumed RD$480 million. The investigation revealed the presence of 19 assistant administrators in the National Assets department (AGBN), of whom only three do any work, but all 19 have a yearly payroll of RD$13 million and privileges in the shape of per diems, fixed salaries and vehicle use expenses. It was also shown that about 12 people who never actually show up for work received monthly salaries of between RD$10,000 and RD$20,000.
"The situation commented upon above (in the audit) is indicative of the fact that the authorities of the AGBN do not place sufficient importance on the laws that regulate their operations, let alone protect the best interests of the institution since they do not value the possibility of not paying employees who do no work in benefit of the institution", says the accounting audit. According to the report on the expenses of the executives of the institution, general administrator Elias Wessin Chavez received a monthly salary of RD$75,000, plus RD$52,250 for expenses, RD$61,750 for the use of his vehicle, and per diem payments of RD$95,000 which total a monthly income of RD$295,000. Meanwhile, sub-directors Mercedes Ramirez, Lorenzo Valdez and Jacobo de Leon Garrido received, apart from their salaries, other compensations for RD$142,000 a month. The audit also reveals that members of the Central Committee of the Democratic Christian Quisqueyan Party (PQDC), of which Wessin Chavez is the president, have high-level jobs in the department.
On the issue of nepotism, the report by Piera indicates that research by the Chamber of Accounts found out that in 2008 the administrator general of National Assets had appointed his brother, Elias Narciso Wessin, as the director of the Security Department, with a salary of RD$44,500, his wife Angie Romero, a consultant to the administration, with a check for RD$25,000 each month, and Luisa Hernandez, a cousin, received RD$38,550. Likewise, the audit says that deputy-director De Leon Garrido, got his son, Jose Jacobo de Leon Contreras, appointed as a special inspector with a salary of RD$30,000, his daughter, Diana Margarita de Leon Contreras, and the deputy-director of programming, with a salary of RD$45,000, and his brother, Santiago Ernesto de Leon Garrido, appointed as a special inspector, earning RD$20,000, and another brother, Urbano Leonidas de Leon, as an assistant in the institution with a salary of RD$32,000. The audit shows that even the person in charge of the kitchen at the Wessin Chavez house received a check from the institution.
Wessin told reporters that the audit was carried out in 2008 and he had received verbal advice on the things that needed changing and had done so at the time. He said that he had not seen the audit and that he would provide an answer this week.
Ines Aizpun of Diario Libre points out that Wessin's PQD party received 10,659 votes in the past election, or 0.8% of the total votes.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#4)