The Listin Diario publishes today an extensive report on the wealth and multiple businesses that are traced to Quirino Paulino primarily in the southwestern provinces of Elias Pina and San Juan de la Maguana. These include gasoline stations, propane gas stations, hotels, motels, night clubs, restaurants, rice and soya oil processing factories, cattle and pig farms, milk processing plant, bus terminal, a fleet of buses and luxury residences, among other assets linked to him.
The newspaper says that Quirino Paulino began his military career in the army in 1978 and soon after discovered the profits to be made in illegal trading over the border with Haiti. The newspaper points out that eventually Quirino Paulino was the only drug smuggler left in Elias Pina. The newspaper reports that the others “disappeared.”
“Under the eyes of all and under the protection of civilians and military, Quirino increased his wealth and assets, and immersed himself in politics, commerce, banking, agriculture, exports and military activities, reaching the rank of captain of the army in 2002,” reports the Listin. Quirino Paulino was promoted to captain by then President Hipolito Mejia on 15 August 2004, the last day of the Mejia administration.
The newspaper says that in addition to the RD$2 million donated to the PRD for the construction of the gate of the school and high school in Comendador, capital of Elias Pina province, he also donated a vehicle to the municipal committee of the PLD and also is known to have made donations to PRSC politicians in the area.
The report points out that Quirino Paulino employed engineer Henry Duval, a PLD director, who was director of the INDRHI in San Juan during the 1996-2000 Fernandez administration as chief of irrigation in one of his farms in 2000 when the latter was fired from his government post with the change of government. Duval, after working four years for Quirino, was appointed again to his previous government post by the present government. The newspaper also mentions that Quirino appointed as chief of his veterinarian staff Esvelti Edmond, another PLD activist and former director of cattle ranching for the government in San Juan de la Maguana, once he was fired with the change of government in 2000. Edmond was reinstated in his former post when Fernandez returned to government.
These appointments have given ground to the statements that “The Don” was not only a friend of the PPH (Proyecto Presidencial Hipolito) but also of the PLD and other parties.
The Listin Diario reports that people in Elias Pina and San Juan de la Maguana veneered Quirino Paulino such as Pablo Escobar was much loved in Medellin, Colombia. And several lament that their benefactor has been arrested. They tell the story of how the most generous Don built very nice homes for the women who worked in his domestic service.
One street vendor told reporter Ramon Urbaez of the Listin, “No one who went to the Don with a problem and didn’t leave with a solution.”