NewsWhore
10-26-2007, 02:50 PM
After weeks of silence surrounding the controversy over the recently disclosed Sun Land financing of Dominican public works, President Leonel Fernandez invited a selection of media directors to lunch and defended the legality and transparency of the contracts. He stressed that these were commitments to pay, not loans, and thus did not have to go before Congress, as the PRD opposition party has been demanding. Huchi Lora and Miguel Guerrero, the two radio media program directors that have been most critical of the borrowing, were not invited to the luncheon.
Fernandez stressed that they had consulted former Attorney General Virgilio Bello Rosa, who said that according to number 10 of Article 55 of the Constitution, Congressional approval is not required on those contracts signed by the President, acting as head of the public administration. Fernandez also cited lawyer Marino Elsevif Pineda who explained that according to Article 37 number 15 of the Constitution, the contract did not have to be approved by Congress because it was representative of an unregulated act that isn't on the list of things that require congressional approval. "None of the legal experts consulted said that the contract was illegal, or that it had to be sent to Congress because the contract doesn't affect national revenues considering that the repayment of the loan will be included in the national budget and general law of revenues and public costs," said the President. Fernandez added that the government didn't have the money to start those five projects at the UASD since the IMF had capped the borrowing level.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#1)
Fernandez stressed that they had consulted former Attorney General Virgilio Bello Rosa, who said that according to number 10 of Article 55 of the Constitution, Congressional approval is not required on those contracts signed by the President, acting as head of the public administration. Fernandez also cited lawyer Marino Elsevif Pineda who explained that according to Article 37 number 15 of the Constitution, the contract did not have to be approved by Congress because it was representative of an unregulated act that isn't on the list of things that require congressional approval. "None of the legal experts consulted said that the contract was illegal, or that it had to be sent to Congress because the contract doesn't affect national revenues considering that the repayment of the loan will be included in the national budget and general law of revenues and public costs," said the President. Fernandez added that the government didn't have the money to start those five projects at the UASD since the IMF had capped the borrowing level.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#1)