Bus agency’s US$44.0M in direct purchases and one murder

Santo Domingo.-  45 days after the Accounts Chamber revealed that the Metropolitan Bus Services Office (OMSA) spent over RD$2.0 billion in direct purchases, Public Procurement repealed resolution 15-08 that allowed direct contracting and purchases of airfares, fuel and repairs of motor vehicles.

Former OMSA director, Manuel Rivas, who’s being held with other former members of the agency charged with the murder of university professor Yuniol Ramírez, said the purchases totaling RD$2.2 billion (US$44.0 million) were made in accordance with the resolution issued in November 2008.

Procurement on Mon. said resolution 02-2018 aims to include a tender for three items in provision 15-08 as is being done with everything that the institutions buys, so that there is distribution of public resources destined for them, and offer equal opportunities to those who have the capacity.

To enforce the new provision, -that will take effect on August 23- the overseer establishes a period of 90 days for the institutions to design, convene and adjudicate the procedures for contracting those items of goods and services.