The civic watchdog organization, Participación Ciudadana (PC), is calling for public hearings to review the recent wage increases for members of the Chamber of Accounts. The Chamber of Accounts is in charge of auditing government entities.
PC says that the recent wage increase that raised the monthly salary of the president of the Chamber of Accounts from RD$350,000 to RD$423,500 and that of the other members to RD$379,097 is in violation to Art. 140 of the Constitution. Article 140 on Regulation on Pay Increases establishes that no public institution or autonomous entity that handles public funds shall provide an increase in compensation or benefits received by their incumbents or executives, except for a period following the one for which they were elected or appointed.
PC says the wage increases also violate Law 105-13 on Regulation of Wages in the Dominican Government. PC says that the wage increases affect the legitimacy and moral quality of the members in charge of the government’s leading fiscal control and audit body.
PC highlights that not too long ago the members of the Chamber of Accounts had complained of insufficient funds at the entity to carry out the auditing work. The members said the insufficiency of funds affected their auditing in controversial cases, including the government bus company OMSA and others.
Read more in Spanish:
21 March 2018
