Culture Minister Pedro Verges and the Office of Supervising Engineers of State Projects (OISOE) director Francisco Pagan have agreed to the immediate start on the remodeling of five buildings that belong to the Ministry of Culture and are among the priorities of the institution. These are the Conservatorio Nacional de Música and the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Santo Domingo. There will also be work carried out at the music academy in San Cristóbal, the Historical Archives in Santiago and the Cultural House in Hato Mayor.
The remodeling includes changes of furnishings, repairs to roofs and structures, as needed.
In 2008, investigative journalist, Alicia Ortega, turned a spotlight on irregularities at the billion peso remodeling of the Palacio de Bellas Artes by a predecessor of Pagan at the OISOE. Taxpayers contributed a staggering total of RD$1,330.4 million for that remodeling project. At the time, the cost of RD$600,000 per parking space in the underground parking garage built during the remodeling was considered scandalous. The works were carried out under the supervision of Felix Bautista. Despite the remarkable depth and extent of the scandal, no corruption charges were brought against any government official.
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Z101
Diario Libre
9 March 2017
