Electoral Board has become a ´one-man agency´

Santo Domingo.- USambassador James W. Brewster´s recent visit to Central Electoral Board (JCE) presidentRoberto Rosario peeved one of his colleagues who asserted that all members hadto be present given the issues discussed with the diplomat.

JCE member EddyOlivares noted that discussed during the visit were the staging of the next elections,tenders and campaign funding, among other topics, which could only be addressedwith the plenary present.

"I express onceagain my disagreement with your habitual manner to meet alone with politicalparties, international organizations and heads of diplomatic missions, toaddress issues that are of interest to the plenary," Olivares tells Rosarioin a letter dated September 21.

He notes that the JCEhas gone from a panel entity to a one-man agency, which he affirms forms partof a delicate attack on its institutionalism and therefore the integrity of theupcoming elections.

"For the reasonsoutlined above, I kindly ask you to include in the agenda of the next plenaryadministrative session, a point to discuss regarding the exclusion of themembers from all activities which fall within its jurisdiction," says Olivaresin his letter.