NewsWhore
10-04-2006, 06:40 PM
The Chamber of Deputies rejected the contract that would have conceded motor vehicle inspection services to a Spanish firm, Icasur. During the discussions, there was much questioning on the reasons Public Works Minister Freddy Perez had for resurrecting the agreement that had expired in the past administration. There is also questioning regarding why legal advisor to the President, Cesar Pina Toribio moved the slightly modified contract to Congress given the numerous clauses that clearly make it not in the interest of the nation. The full chamber accepted as valid the entire report from the special commission that was selected to study the controversial contract. The commission recommended that the contract be rejected because it was "harmful to the Dominican state."
A report in Clave Digital points out that engineer Miguel Vargas Maldonado, minister of Public Works under former President Hipolito Mejia had endorsed the contract, but during the Mejia administration the contract was only able to secure the approval of the Senate. Present Public Works Minister Freddy Perez dusted it off and it made its way back to Congress, but this time to the Chamber of Deputies.
Clave Digital points to some of the harmful clauses:
The contract establishes that the Dominican state would have to compensate Icasur with up to 60% of the prices established per year for non-revised vehicles. It also grants the company 20 years exclusive rights to inspect vehicles. In the case the state wanted to rescind the contract, it would have to compensate Icasur for what it would have charged the vehicles it would have inspected during this time frame. Icasur would collect RD$270 for each inspection and would pay the government RD$50. These prices would be adjusted.
True vehicle inspections are rare, and these primarily serve as an additional revenue-producer for the government.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#4)
A report in Clave Digital points out that engineer Miguel Vargas Maldonado, minister of Public Works under former President Hipolito Mejia had endorsed the contract, but during the Mejia administration the contract was only able to secure the approval of the Senate. Present Public Works Minister Freddy Perez dusted it off and it made its way back to Congress, but this time to the Chamber of Deputies.
Clave Digital points to some of the harmful clauses:
The contract establishes that the Dominican state would have to compensate Icasur with up to 60% of the prices established per year for non-revised vehicles. It also grants the company 20 years exclusive rights to inspect vehicles. In the case the state wanted to rescind the contract, it would have to compensate Icasur for what it would have charged the vehicles it would have inspected during this time frame. Icasur would collect RD$270 for each inspection and would pay the government RD$50. These prices would be adjusted.
True vehicle inspections are rare, and these primarily serve as an additional revenue-producer for the government.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#4)