PLD demands Government worker's kickback?

RonS

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Oct 18, 2004
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Does anyone have any more information about the PLD meeting, chaired by Leonel, where it was decided that government workers are to be levied 3%-5% of thier wages to be paid into the party coffers? Is this true?! Is this the traditional way of doing business?! Am I crazy or is Leonel?!
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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What is your source for that rumor???

Or are you trying to start one???

Even in the DR we are a little more sophisticated that to just order every worker to pay.
 

Lurch

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Aug 8, 2003
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I believe this was actually a DR1 reported topic, mostly likely from one of the local newspapers.

Should not be a suprise as this has been a common practice in previous administrations.

Did you really think the PLD was going to be less corrupt than the PRD? :tired:
 

Dolores1

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May 3, 2000
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Monday, 17 January, DR1 Daily News:

Old-style politics
The political committee of the ruling Dominican Liberation Party ordered that its members employed in the government and earning up to RD$20,000 a month pay a 3% contribution to the party. Those making more than RD$20,000 would pay a 5% contribution. Secretary General of the PLD, Reinaldo Pared Perez made the announcement after a five-hour committee meeting, headed by President Leonel Fernandez, who is also president of the PLD. Pared Perez said that the contribution would be made in accordance with the PLD statute that all members should contribute to party funds.
In a page two editorial today, executive editor of Diario Libre, Adriano Miguel Tejada, Executive Branch spokesman for President Leonel Fernandez during his past term, called the measure illegal. He said that Electoral Law No. 275-97, in its Art. 45, specifically prohibits political parties to impose or accept deductions in wages for government employees or private business, even when alleging that these are quotas or voluntary contributions. The law also prohibits that any government officer or employee, or of the municipalities, place these funds at the service of any political party or group.
He explains that the reasons are simple and there is a moral issue: "It does not reflect well either on the party or the administration; it is no more than a way of getting the state to fund the government party indirectly".
He says that it could be argued that it is a common practice in politics for such requests to be made, but then goes on to say that the PLD seems to be forgetting that the people voted the PRD out of government precisely to change these sort of practices.
Javier Cabreja, director of the civic group Participacion Ciudadana, warned that the imposition of the fee on government workers who are also PLD members violates workers' rights and could mask indirect government financing of a particular party. This, claimed Cabreja, goes against democracy and principles of equity amongst political parties, as reported in Hoy newspaper.
 

Conchman

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Jul 3, 2002
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Any proposals for foreign investment in the DR now require a 5% payment of proposed investment to Leonel's inner circle's back pockets. They were very open and direct about it, even cancelled our meeting with Leonel when we didn't agree (even though we had flown to SD for this meeting and were in the palace already). The project is in the millions so 5% is quite a substantial amount.
 

Pib

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Jan 1, 2002
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Conchman said:
Any proposals for foreign investment in the DR now require a 5% payment of proposed investment to Leonel's inner circle's back pockets. They were very open and direct about it, even cancelled our meeting with Leonel when we didn't agree (even though we had flown to SD for this meeting and were in the palace already). The project is in the millions so 5% is quite a substantial amount.
Who is "they"? I we may know, that is.
 

RonS

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Oct 18, 2004
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Criss Colon said:
Or are you trying to start one???

Even in the DR we are a little more sophisticated that to just order every worker to pay.

I have no interest in starting rumors! This was reported in DR1 News.
 

Lurch

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Aug 8, 2003
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Conchman said:
Any proposals for foreign investment in the DR now require a 5% payment of proposed investment to Leonel's inner circle's back pockets. They were very open and direct about it, even cancelled our meeting with Leonel when we didn't agree (even though we had flown to SD for this meeting and were in the palace already). The project is in the millions so 5% is quite a substantial amount.


Well they gave you the discount rate, during the last time the PLD was in power the first number that popped out was 10%. I just added 22% to the FOB price, guess the IMF is still paying that off :cross-eye .
 

RonS

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Oct 18, 2004
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Is it too much to ask of those who the overwhelming majority of Dominicans have elected to represent thier interests to actually provide them with the basics of a quality education and affordable health care! Is, "this is a rumor" any kind of response to two news articles published by reputable DR news organizations that the President has chaired a meeting of his party demanding government worker kickbacks, and that the legislature has authorized a 67% linning to thier pockets! When I was in the DR before and after the election the people expressed great hope in the new President and his government that the corruptive practices of the past would end and attention would finally be paid to the real issues affecting the Dominican people. In less than six months those hopes have been dashed! The people of the Dominican Republic deserve better!
 

project9

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May 29, 2004
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People it was just a rumor, what is really going to happen is that all members of the PLD party will have to make a contribution to the party, and that's not something new. Go easy on that rumor mill...
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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RonS said:
When I was in the DR before and after the election the people expressed great hope in the new President and his government that the corruptive practices of the past would end and attention would finally be paid to the real issues affecting the Dominican people. In less than six months those hopes have been dashed! The people of the Dominican Republic deserve better!

Pretty strong statements, RonS. What are they based on? Certainly not the recent Gallup Poll showing that a huge percentage of Dominicans were very optimistic about the future.

Only armchair quarterbacks expect that all the problems and practices of centuries will be reversed over night
 

RonS

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Oct 18, 2004
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Ken said:
Pretty strong statements, RonS. What are they based on? Certainly not the recent Gallup Poll showing that a huge percentage of Dominicans were very optimistic about the future.

Only armchair quarterbacks expect that all the problems and practices of centuries will be reversed over night

I accept the critism of armchair quarterbacking. From my frigid perch here in the Northeast US [it's 15F here with a foot of snow on the way :cry: ], it is indeed easy to respond negatively to practices that I would not hesitate to initiate a lawsuit against if perpetrated here. I certainly don't expect that centuries old practices can be reversed overnight. However, I didn't expect that a progressive, intelligent President, and a legislature looking at the result of the last election, would be so blatant in doing business in this way. I'm happy to hear that the people of the DR are optimistic in spite of what is going on. I simply wonder if that optimism is misplaced. I hope that it isn't, but, as you say, I've got centuries of history that suggests otherwise.

But, that's from my armchair. Fortunately, I can visit the DR three or four times a year and enjoy the people and the country without being affected by government workers kicking back 3%-5% of thier salary to political parties, and legislators adding 67% to thier pockets. Except for my tourist dollars, I won't be providing any foreign investment in the country any time soon. I just feel for the large majority of poor Dominicans.