PRD presidential candidate Hipólito Medina said that he will hold President Leonel Fernández, former Secretary of the Presidency Danilo Medina and the president of the privatization commission, Antonio Isa Conde responsible for the irregularities in the capitalization process of the State Sugar Council (CEA). He said there have been irregularities in the dealings with the sugar mill lands, and in the dealings to liquidate employees, as well as settle with the sugar plantation owners. "Our position is that all capitalization that requires the partial or total concession of the national patrimony should be done in a transparent matter, based on public tenders and with the participation of the civic society through the interested sectors and with the due arbitrage and observation of the state, taking into account that it is the state’s duty to preserve the national interest over the interest of individuals," said Mejía, a farming businessman himself and a former Minister of Agriculture. Mejía said last week while on campaign in Barahona that he is in favor of rescuing the CEA, but by injecting it with resources while keeping it in government hands. Marino Zapete, spokesman for the governmental enterprise privatization commission (CREP), that the PRD legislators voted for the privatization law, and that if Mejía reaches the presidency he must abide by the law. Zapete said that all politicians have been invited to be present at the key activities of the privatization process, and that until now Mejía had not shown an interest.
