Military chief warns members on unjustified “bonanzas”

Santo Domingo.- Armed Forces minister Sigfrido Pared warned Tuesday that any of its members who can’t justify their properties will be drummed out of the service.

"We will remove any officers who cannot justify their economic bonanza compared to Dominican society," the admiral said. He noted however military salaries are lower than desired that all over the world.

The official revealed that the members of the military who serve at the border with Haiti will be paid the extra money "to motivate them with better salaries and living conditions."

Zero extortion

Pared also warned that those military which extort money from Haitians crossing the border illegally, will be discharged.

Suppliers

"One and a half months ago we held the first fair of Armed Forces suppliers, where anyone who had a company that traditionally sells to the institution can showcase their products at a fair which was staged as a form of transparency throughout this process of buying and selling services," Pared said, interviewed by Marino Zapete and Edith Febles.

Response to Jesuit priest

The senior military officer refuted the priest Regino Martinez’s allegation that border guards charge a sort of toll to let pass illegal Haitians.

"What happens is that Regino is still under a previous time code. We had 72 checkpoints and 32 have been removed, and now there are only 40 points.