2019News

Government officers campaign for Gonzalo Castillo

The Medina cabinet seems to be going all out to back former Public Works Minister Gonzalo Castillo as he seeks to defeat former President Leonel Fernández. Both aspire to be the presidential candidate in the 2020 election for the ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD). Both Castillo and Fernández want to motivate Dominicans to turn out to vote for them in the 6 October 2019 primary. In the PLD primary, anyone eligible to vote can vote for the pre-candidates.

This is the first time practically an entire cabinet goes all out to campaign for a pre-candidate. The campaign is to encourage all to vote for Castillo, who represents those loyal to President Danilo Medina. Castillo has promised to continue the government of President Danilo Medina.

The action, though, violates Political Parties Law 33-18, as reported in El Nacional. The law that governs public officials (Law 41-08) also bans the campaigning. But Public Administration Minister Ramon Ventura Camejo says that Law 41-08 refers to campaigning in the workplaces and using government resources. He says that the government officers can campaign “in their free time.” That is, after 4pm.

The civic movement Participacion Ciudadana says the government officers should take a leave of absence to carry out their political campaigning responsibilities.

A report in Diario Libre says that the campaign leaders are:
Deputy Miriam Cabral is named National District coordinator. Others on that team are Culture Minister Eduardo Selman; Industry & Commerce Minister Nelson Toca; Economy Minister Juan Ariel Jiménez. Also mentioned as part of the team is Minister of Public Works Ramón Pepín; the director of the Santo Domingo Water & Sewage Corporation (CAASD), Alejandro Montas and the director of the National Bus Office (OMSA), Hector Mojica. Others joining the effort in the National District are Claudia Franchesca de los Santos, who is the director of the National Transit and Ground Transport Institute (Intrant).
Diario Libre says that Simón Lizardo, who is the administrator of the Banco de Reservas, is named the coordinator for the province of Santo Domingo. The director of the Dominican Postal Institute (Inposdom) Modesto Guzmán, the director of the National Children and Adolescent Council (Conani), Kenia Lora and the spokesman for the Presidency, Roberto Rodríguez Marchena are part of the team.

In Santiago, leading the effort is Interior & Police Minister José Ramón Fadul; Education Minister Antonio Peña Mirabal, Public Administration Minister Ramón Ventura Camejo; and the director of the Customs Agency, Enrique Ramírez.
For Azua, San Juan de la Maguana ane Elías Piña the team is made up of Carlos Segura Foster, who is the administrator of the Agriculture Banco; Agriculture Minister Osmar Benítez; the director of the Tax Agency Magín Díaz, among others.

Former Education Minister Andrés Navarro and Environment Minister Angel Estévez are the coordinators for Duarte (San Francisco de Macorís), Sánchez Ramírez (Cotuí), Monseñor Nouel (Bonao), Hermanas Mirabal (Salcedo) provinces. Working with them is Youth Minister Robianny Balcácer; the director of the Budget Luis Reyes; the director of the National Health Service, Chanel Rosa; and the director of the National Institute of Water Resources, Olgo Fernández.

Radhamés Segura is in charge of San Cristóbal, Peravia (Baní) and San José de Ocoa. He is working with Manuel Saleta, director of the Metro Office; Horacio Mazara, director of the National Institute of Potable Water and Sewage (Inapa), and the president of the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (Indotel), Nelson Guillén.

The president of the Chamber of Deputies Radhamés Camacho is the coordinator for Barahona, Bahoruco, Independencia and Pedernales provinces. He is working with the Hacienda Minister Donald Guerrero; Public Health Minister Rafael Sánchez Cardenas, the director of the Provincial Development Commission Frank del Valle; the director of the National Lottery, Miguel Mercedes, among others.

Administrative Minister of the Presidency José Ramón Peralta is coordinating the provinces of Monte Plata, San Pedro de Macorís, Hato Mayor, El Seibo, La Romana and La Altagracia. He is working with Labor Minister Winston Santos; the director of the Office of Supervisory Public Works of the Presidency (Oisoe) Francisco Pagán; the National Treasurer Luis Perdomo; the director of the State Sugar Council (CEA), Luis Piccirillo. Also joining his team is Mercedes Rodríguez, director of the National Health Plan (Senasa), Deputy Minister of Education Luis de Leon, among others.

In the North, Tourism Minister Francisco Javier García is coordinating the Puerto Plata, María Trinidad Sánchez and Samaná. He is working with National Controller Nelson Sánchez, the director of Migration Ramón Rivas and others.

Superintendent of Stock Market Gabriel Castro was named coordinator for Valverde, Santiago Rodríguez, Dajabón and Montecristi in the northwest. He is working with the director of the National Housing Institute, Mayobanex Escoto; the director of the National Statistics Office Alexandra Izquierdo; the director of the government Social Plan, Iris Guaba. Also, the director of Passport Agency, Aura Toribio; the director of the National Council of Free Zones Luisa Fernández, among others.

Read more in Spanish:
Diario Libre
Listin Diario
El Nacional
El Caribe
Hoy

16 September 2019