NewsWhore
03-11-2008, 03:10 PM
The government is denying that it is using state funds of between RD$3,000 and RD$4,000 per month to pay thousands of unemployed PLD party members, as TV journalist Nuria Piera recently revealed. She shows numerous women standing in line to collect the checks but not being aware of where they supposedly "worked" in government. According to Piera, the government pays out this money through "special CB (base committee) payrolls". In order to qualify for a monthly check, all a person has to do is present a letter from their Intermediate Committee, and swear that they do not have a job. According to Piera's investigation, the Ministry of Agriculture has a special payroll of 4,252 people with a budget of RD$9.7 million a month; the Dominican Agrarian Institute has 3,000 lucky folks on its lists and RD$9.44 million per month; and the Dominican Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INDRHI) distributes RD$26 million to 8,731 people each month. But it doesn't end there. The National Potable Water Institute (INAPA) hands out RD$20.1 million to some 6,700 unemployed PLD loyalists, and according to sources, the Ministry of Public Works has even more people on its CB payrolls, but the figures were not forthcoming.
In response to these accusations the government explained that at the beginning of their current term of office payrolls were established at all the public administrations in the areas of cleaning, road maintenance and walkways, rain system maintenance, agricultural operations and environmental protection. Government officials said that these payrolls could be increased or decreased at any point, according to the need of the public institutions. Officials pointed to the needs that arose from Tropical Storms Noel and Olga. Luis Manuel Bonetti, Administrative Minister to the Presidency, speaking on behalf of the government, was accompanied by Victor Diaz Rua, Minister of Public Works, Salvador Jimenez, Minister of Agriculture, Frank Rodriguez from INAPA and Quilvio Cabrera, Minister of the Dominican Agrarian Institute (IAD). PLD campaign coordinator Francisco Javier Garcia full out denied any knowledge of the supposed payments to unemployed PLD members and asked Central Electoral Judge Eddy Olivares to investigate the accusations.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#3)
In response to these accusations the government explained that at the beginning of their current term of office payrolls were established at all the public administrations in the areas of cleaning, road maintenance and walkways, rain system maintenance, agricultural operations and environmental protection. Government officials said that these payrolls could be increased or decreased at any point, according to the need of the public institutions. Officials pointed to the needs that arose from Tropical Storms Noel and Olga. Luis Manuel Bonetti, Administrative Minister to the Presidency, speaking on behalf of the government, was accompanied by Victor Diaz Rua, Minister of Public Works, Salvador Jimenez, Minister of Agriculture, Frank Rodriguez from INAPA and Quilvio Cabrera, Minister of the Dominican Agrarian Institute (IAD). PLD campaign coordinator Francisco Javier Garcia full out denied any knowledge of the supposed payments to unemployed PLD members and asked Central Electoral Judge Eddy Olivares to investigate the accusations.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#3)