Focus on the slush funds in Congress

Dolores

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Feb 20, 2019
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It’s best known as the “barrilito” or the little barrel. Despite it being a diminutive word, the “barrilito” is quite generous. Officially known as the Social Compensation Fund, the barrilito allocates senators an extra RD$1 million a month to use at their discretion. The side bonus is in addition to their base wage of RD$320,000 a month. The senators also receive RD$50,000 in representation expenses, RD$25,000 for meals and RD$3,500 for each session they attend. And there are extras for Mother’s Day, Christmas, etc

After the Abinader administration presented the 2021 National Budget Bill and included new taxes that would further empty the pockets of the middle class, thousands rejected the taxes and called for belt-tightening to include legislators and other government officials. The Abinader government has announced it is ridding the government of...

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