Dominican grassroots group demands probe of Odebrecht

Santo Domingo.- The grassroots political group Nueva Democracia (New Democracy) on Thursday demanded a probe by the Office of the Prosecutor into all operations of the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht in Dominican Republic, especially the Punta Catalina coal-fired power plant, “as the government’s duty to safeguard public property of the Dominican State.”

"It should be of great concern for the national public opinion that a private company of the magnitude of Odebrecht is involved in a huge corruption scandal in the Dominican Republic and nothing happens about it, especially when this and other governments have had close links with the Brazilian construction company, whose CEO is now detained for embezzlement of public funds," the organization said.

In a statement, New Democracy says the revelation of embezzlement must lead to requesting, in compliance the access to public information law, all documents that link the Dominican government to Odebrecht. "The Dominican government should clarify why and what was contracted with Odebrecht…).