The director of the Consejo Estatal del Azucar (CEA), the state sugar council, said he is available for any investigations that the Attorney General may require. The Listín Diario publicized on 24 February that 60 officers of the CEA reported to President Leonel Fernández irregularities in the present director’s administration. The officers request that the government investigate the use of the RD$682 million that were received for future sales of raw sugar and molasses. Also requested is information on the sale of property in Cumayasa, in the province of La Romana. Pedro Rodríguez Chiappini said that those who have made the denouncement to the press are persons whose interests have been affected by his administration. Rodríguez said that if there has been corruption, the administrators of the sugar mills are involved as they handle 90% of the resources in question. He said the moneys were used primarily to repair the mills, plant 40,000 tareas, pay more than RD$15 million in severance payments to workers, and to pay banking interests.
