Senate president Cristina Lizardo says that the Central Electoral Board (JCE) recommendation to suspend the so-called “barillito” slush fund will be reviewed by senators in March. Speaking yesterday, Thursday 18 February 2016 Lizardo stated that only Congress has the faculty to decide whether the funds go or not during the remaining three-and-a-half-month election campaign period. The discretionary funds are disbursed to the legislators for social services in their constituency, but it is widely believed that they are used for political patronage purposes instead.
During President Medina’s conversation with media directors on Wednesday 17 February 2016, he did not concur with the JCE’s recommendation against the legislators’ use of the slush funds. The ruling PLD party is majority in both houses of Congress.
Read more in Spanish: http://www.metrord.do/noticias/quienes-manejan-fondos-publicos-no-admiten-control-de-la-jce/ftwpbs—X3DdsNV4WRDMI/
