Dominican Republic opposition party blames nixed audit on its strife

Santo Domingo.- Dominican Republic’s main opposition party (PRD) on Wednesday said the January 27, 2013 assault on its National Headquarters by a rival group "left it with no receipts to verify spending from 2009 to 2012.”

The lack of papers to conduct an audit prompted the Accounts Chamber to submit the result of its “special investigation” to the Central Electoral Board (JCE) and the Government Ethics Commission "to proceed with appropriate action. "

During the 2009-2012 period the PRD received RD$1.24 billion (US$27.6 million) and spent RD$1.21 billon.

On Monday Accounts Chamber president Licelott Marte said the PRD could not supply physical and original documents for that period, so it couldn’t conduct any audit.

In August last year PRD president Miguel Vargas sent a letter accusing "unscrupulous political groups which destroyed furniture, equipment and documents from organization archives and income and spending in party transactions until 2013."

On January 27, immersed in turmoil, the PRD offices turned into a battleground with gunfire, chairs flying and desks smashed, as a splinter group headed by former president Hipolito Mejia challenged Vargas’ presidency.