Wave of shame grips Dominican government officials

Santo Domingo.- Four ex Electoral Board (JCE) judges who currently hold government posts on Tuesday requested the suspension of their pension until they cease their current functions.

The unprecedented request also comes in the heels of ruling PLD party deputies spokesman Gustavo Sanchez’s announcement to renounce to two of the four tax waivers for luxury vehicles assigned by the Chamber of Deputies, as a way to support president Danilo Medina’s announced austerity plan.

JCE president Roberto Rosario said his former colleagues’ request was processed and immediately suspended.

The first to give up the double paycheck was former JCE president Julio Cesar Castaños, who currently holds the vice-presidency of the Supreme Court.

Current Superior Electoral Court president Mariano Rodriguez, Constitutional Court Judge Carmen Piña, and Internal Taxes Agency Legal Adviser Roberto Rodriguez also renounced their pensions.

The number of officials who’ll renounce embarrassing pensions or perks is expected to grow, in the wake of Medina’s firing of Haivanjoe Ng as Comptroller Genera last week.

Crusade

A group of deputies of the various parties on Tuesday launched a “legislative crusade” for transparency in the pension plans of all government agencies.