Deputies pass law limits government largess, pompous titles

Santo Domingo.- The Chamber of Deputies approved legislation on civil service Administration, which limits the number of deputy ministers for each Government agency to “no more than six.”

The chief executive is expected to sign the initiative into law, after the deputies agreed to the Senate’s changes to the bill aimed at clearer rules on the administrative functions of Government agencies.

It notes that for the first time in the country’s history, there’ll be neither deputy ministers “without portfolio” nor vice ministries that don’t have specific functions.

It doesn’t however specify whether the President can designate a “Minister without portfolio,” an appointment often used to pay political favors.