Five senators defend the questioned slush fund

Santo Domingo.- Five senators of Dominican Republic’s ruling PLD party on Wednesday said they are in favor of maintaining the "little barrel” slush fund, or the taxpayers money they receive , and which has drawn society’s wide rebuke.

The senators from the provinces Duarte, Amilcar Romero; Puerto Plata, Francis Vargas; Monseñor Noel, Felix Nova; Elias Piña, Adriano Sanchez Roa and Aristides Victoria Yeb, of Maria Trinidad Sanchez, defended the slush fund, calling the use the money “correct.”

They said there’s a misperception that the "barrel’s" funds are used to the legislators personal benefit.

Interviewed separately, the lawmakers say the "barrel" plays its role in each community, solving problems such as medical care, as well as educational and social shortcomings, the elderly, poor children and single mothers.

Romero said the "barrel" has been managed with transparency since 2006, and would welcome any audit.

Sanchez Roa said "some insensitive people have demonized (the "barrel") from air conditioned offices, without asking if it reaches the communities."

"Those sectors that question the Social Fund I invite you to ask the provinces to the thousands of unfortunates who benefit from the grants, scholarships, payment of doctors, prescriptions and training courses if they agree with removing this collaboration which the Senate facilitates," Sanchez Roa said.

While Nova, "would like for the Social Fund’s opponents do a survey in Bonao and I’m sure that more than 90% of the population is more than satisfied with the way I cleanly manage with those resources."