President Leonel Fernandez, speaking to an audience of followers and community leaders in Cotui, the capital of Sanchez Ramirez province, said that he was sick and tired of the government’s public works contractors doing slipshod work. He said that many contractors would finish a job and within a short time the highway, bridge or other structure would need important repair work or total reconstruction and the same contractor would be hired to re-do the same poor work.
El Caribe newspaper reports that Fernandez did not name any particular construction firms, but he did say that the government would be much more vigilant in awarding future contracts. He called the situation a “vicious circle.”
The newspaper pointed out that the President’s chief assistant, Danilo Perez, was busy handing out little yellow envelopes with RD$500 inside, to the throngs of people outside the small sports complex where the event took place. The same scene was repeated in the five provinces the President visited. First a medical brigade held public checkups and carried out primary health care, then food was distributed and finally school supplies were handed out. Then, the President made his appearance, while his associates distributed funds, and the local development boards were sworn in. Work brigades from the electricity company worked on the transmission lines wherever the President was scheduled to visit and electrical power was restored, according to the paper, where there had been no power.