Abinader urges transparency and honesty

Santo Domingo, DR
Heading yesterday the presentation of the “Observatory of Good Practices” together with Tourism Minister David Collado, President Luis Abinader focused his speech on the need to “be transparent and honest” because this new project is aimed at complying with Law number 340-06 on Purchases and Contracting of Goods, Services and Works.

Although he did not refer to any institution, the insistence on these two characteristics was the main theme of his speech. Moreover, he pronounced them right in the middle of a scandal of alleged irregularities involving the General Directorate of Strategic and Special Projects of the Presidency of the Republic (Propeep) headed by Minister Jose Leonel Cabrera Abud (Neney).

The entity tendered specific paint units and received others with a lower economic value. These were used in the “Pinta tu Barrio” program in December last year and invested some 155 million pesos.

Abinader expressed that the country still needs to develop a culture of transparency and honesty in the procurement processes of public entities.

“We need in this country a culture of transparency and honesty. I have to recognize that we are in a time of transition to a government that we want to do the right things but we are not all going at the same speed,” said the governor.

He expressed that “investments will not come to a corrupt country nor to a country where the constitution is not respected. Investments will come to a country where there is respect, care and justice, where every penny is invested in a rational, transparent and efficient way”.

In addition, he indicated that he intends that “everyone walks at the same time without competing” in terms of transparency and highlighted that they have advanced “too much” in this matter; however, he considers that they must “advance more.”

Good Practices
The Minister of Tourism, David Collado, announced yesterday the creation of an “Observatory of Good Practices” for the bidding processes of the works to be developed by the Executing Committee of Tourist Infrastructures (CEIZTUR) to guarantee compliance with Law no. 340-06 on Purchases and Contracting of Goods, Services and Works.