SantoDomingo.- The new overseas deputies elected on May 20th held a meeting Wednesdaywith Lower Chamber president Abel Martínez. The seven legislators, who will besworn in on August 16th will have the same work schedule as anyother member of the chamber, for the same remuneration.
Althoughthey will remain as residents in the countries in which they were elected, theymust attend the Chamber of Deputies on a regular basis to comply with thecommittee agenda and participate in at least three legislative sessions a week.
Martínez told them that the Constitution of the Republic does not make anydistinction between deputies, and internal regulations do not allow anypreferential remuneration for anyone. A deputy receives a monthly salary ofRD$330,974. Overseas deputies will have one special assignation to cover aonce-monthly overseas trip. Any change would have to be made by resolution.
Theseven new offices are being prepared in the Palace of Congress to accommodatethe deputies representing the Dominican émigré community in the US, Europe, theCaribbean and Latin America. The new legislators will attend a four-day courseon the Legislative Branch rules and procedures before starting work.
The new deputies representing the Dominican community in US and Canada are JoséMorel Santana and Rubén Darío Luna (PRD) and Alfredo Rodríguez Azcona (PLD). Representingthe DR community in Latin America, the Caribbean and Miami: Levys Suriel (PLD) andArelis de Jesús Olivares (PRD). Dominicans in Europe are represented by MarcosCross Sánchez (PLD) and Aurelio Mercedes Moscat (PRD).
