NewsWhore
08-28-2012, 04:30 PM
The high cost of government officials to taxpayers is again evident with a story released in El Dia on the luxury vehicles for the judges of the newly created Constitutional Court. The new entity is said to have purchased 13 Nissan Patrol 2012 SUVs valued at US$95,000 each. The purchase meant RD$50 million for taxpayers. The story breaks at a time when the government is embarking on discussions to increase taxation. Interestingly, the budget of the institution in its first year is RD$150 million pesos.
The Medina administration recently announced austerity measures in government, but many bodies were exempt from this, as is apparent in the purchase of the SUVs. El Dia comments that the Central Bank, the power distributors, the Superintendence of Banks, the departments of Taxes and Customs, the Banco de Reservas, National Housing Bank (BNV) and many others continue to have discretion over spending. Likewise, legislators have kept their "barrilito," a discretional slush fund. El Dia concludes that wasteful spending is widespread in the public administration.
The Fernandez administration that preceded the new government was ranked No. 1 in wasteful spending by the World Economic Forum.
In his column today, Tuesday 28 August, El Dia editor Rafael Molina Morillo also comments that if the government wants to be austere, it should take a look at the excess personnel being appointed to Dominican diplomatic missions abroad, most without specific job roles.
http://eldia.com.do/nacionales/2012/8/27/91997/TC-gasta-millonada-en-yipetas-para-jueces
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#9)
The Medina administration recently announced austerity measures in government, but many bodies were exempt from this, as is apparent in the purchase of the SUVs. El Dia comments that the Central Bank, the power distributors, the Superintendence of Banks, the departments of Taxes and Customs, the Banco de Reservas, National Housing Bank (BNV) and many others continue to have discretion over spending. Likewise, legislators have kept their "barrilito," a discretional slush fund. El Dia concludes that wasteful spending is widespread in the public administration.
The Fernandez administration that preceded the new government was ranked No. 1 in wasteful spending by the World Economic Forum.
In his column today, Tuesday 28 August, El Dia editor Rafael Molina Morillo also comments that if the government wants to be austere, it should take a look at the excess personnel being appointed to Dominican diplomatic missions abroad, most without specific job roles.
http://eldia.com.do/nacionales/2012/8/27/91997/TC-gasta-millonada-en-yipetas-para-jueces
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#9)