Dominican Republic lawmakers waddle in ‘sweet beans’ scandal

Santo Domingo.- The Chamber of Deputies on Friday confirmed allocating more than RD$14.0 million (US$325,000) for its 185 members to hand out the ingredients to cook the traditional Easter dish ‘habichuelas con dulce’ (sweet beans), first aid kits, inflatable swimming pools, domino games and other items, in what it called: "expenditures for the Easter operation 2014 and to assist relief agencies in each province."

The “sweet beans” scandal further hobbles the image of the Chamber of Deputies, which also admitted to managing a slush fund dubbed the “little barrel.”

Based on the free access to public information at the request of diariolibre.com, the lower Chamber confirmed handing out RD$100,000 to each of the four spokesmen for the lawmakers of the political parties, including Rubén Maldonado (ruling PLD); Radhames Gonzalez (opposition PRD), and Ramón Rogelio Genao (pro-government PRSC), and Miguel A. Peguero Mendez (pro-govenment PPC-BIS).