In 2013, Diario Libre and other Dominican media denounced major irregularities in the operation of the Omsa, then under director Manuel Rivas, appointed in 2012 by the Medina administration.
Previously, a 2010 Chamber of Account audit had produced evidence of irregularities in the department. The government did not act on the evidence and the case followed the usual track for corruption — media exposure and followed by prolonged silence from government officials. Media attention then waned and no actions were taken against the alleged corruption.
The Omsa once again made headlines when a lawyer who had been taking the Omsa directors to court was murdered.
The Medina administration carried out the usual response to such bad press – the Omsa director was removed and, in turn, top officers at the department were relieved of their duties. The new Omsa director, Hector Mojica, is familiar with the transport sector. He had been director of the OTTT, the government institution that was merged into the new National Transit and Transport Institute (Intrant). Spokesman for Omsa, Melvinson Almanzar. says 18 people have been fired at Omsa.
The Chamber of Accounts is now carrying out an audit that it says should be ready by the end of the year or beginning of 2018.
Read more in Spanish:
El Dia
30 October 2017
