Legislators incensed over Puig

[NewsWhore]

When Minister of the Environment Max Puig told reporters that legislators were fronting for special interest groups interested in obtaining over 35 square kilometers of beachfront property in La Altagracia Province, he apparently touched on some nerves. In yesterday's Diario Libre, Puig told reporters that legislators were involved. Today's edition of the paper says that that the news hit the Chamber of Deputies like "a bombshell", and chamber president Julio Cesar Valentin has asked Puig to reveal the names of the legislators involved in this attempt to appropriate part of the National Park of the East. Valentin said that, "we ask the Minister of the Environment to be responsible and identify those legislators, because his statements are in the press, and failing to clear this up would be an act of great irresponsibility." The legislator said that if Puig does not identify the legislators, he will "use his constitutional powers and summon the minister to his office in order to question him about the legislators' identity, in the presence of reporters." While admitting that the minister's statements were very serious, Valentin said that he did not know of any legislation currently before Congress that was addressing the issue of changes in the Protected Areas Act. Senate president Reinaldo Pared Perez called the statements "irresponsible and reckless." Pared Perez said that it would have been better to identify the individuals concerned in a more responsible manner.
According to Diario Libre, Puig said that he was prepared to present proof of the intentions to modify the Law on Protected Areas. "I would be happy to inform the president of the Senate if he invites me," said Puig.

More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#10)