Forget Panama Papers: Dominicans should look ‘within’

Santo Domingo.- The Institutionalism and Justice Foundation(FINJUS) on Friday said transparency "starts at home" in relation tothe Panama Papers corruption scandal, in which allegedly figure more than 400Dominican companies.

"The issue isn’t about papers. There are manycompanies here that don’t pay taxes and officials who’ve yet to file theirfinancial statement," said FINJUS executive vice president Servio TulioCastaños.

The prominent attorney noted however that the fact that acompany uses an offshore isn’t necessarily illegal, and lauded Justice ministerFrancisco Dominguez’s initiative to launch an investigation into Dominican "companies"located abroad.

Castaños spoke prior to heading the panel on the Law on Notariesin the Supreme Court.