The Association of Merchants and Industrialists of Santiago (ACIS) defended its handling of the funds that enter the private sector Santiago city board to support the fire department. During a press conference, Sandy Filpo, the president of the leading Santiago business board, told reporters that RD$600,000 that is received by the board each month from government subsidies and the proceeds from refilling fire extinguishers is used to feed the firemen and repair the fire trucks.
Filpo provided a detailed list of monthly expenditures that he says is not enough to improve the situation of the firemen. He said the lack of support has lead to widespread desertions from the department.
In an attempt to explain the recent questioning regarding the expenditures of the money received by the board, Filpo explained that this is probably because the municipal delegate has not been participating in the board meetings. Filpo noted that recent fundraising activities have enabled them to purchase a new fire truck.
Read more in Spanish:
El Caribe
8 July 2019