Opposition leaders kiss-and-make-up against handout of posts

Santo Domingo.- Dominican Republic’s twomajor opposition leaders on Thursday ‘buried the hatchet, let bygones be bygones,and kissed and made up by reiterating a commitment to fight to defend democracy,decency and transparency in political practice.

The announcement by PRM party nationalleaders Hipolito Mejia and Luis Abinader comes after days of a reported rift inthe opposition organization.

In a statement document Mejia and Abinader say their efforts inrecent months "have had such a positive balance creating a broad nationalconsensus" in the process to select the members of the Central ElectoralBoard (JCE) and of the Accounts Chamber (CC), and the justices of the ElectoralSuperior Court (TSE).

"Impartial, upright and credible arbitersmust be elected, who are able to act always adhered to the mandate of theConstitution and laws," the statement says.

They said there’s a conviction among civilsociety, business leaders, the churches, as well as the population, that in the split of those senior posts amongthe political parties "lies the origin of the violations andirregularities that have affected the electoral system, diminishing thecredibility and trust."

"The PRM and its national leadershipratifies to the country that it will not be part of any integration in thedistribution of electoral entities, nor accepts a unilaterally named JCE, TSEand CC biased and without a consensus."