Investigative TV journalist Nuria Piera denounces that the National Institute of Transit and Ground Transport (Intrant) awarded a multi-million concession to three companies that are new to market, including one chaired by a man sought by Interpol and accused of fraud in Venezuela. In the Saturday, 13 June report, Piera explained that Leopoldo Castillo Bozo is the chairman of Castillo Holding company that registers assets of RD$280 million and liabilities of RD$227 million. Castillo is accused of fraud by the Venezuelan Attorney General’s Office, for banking and insurance fraud. The US government removed his US visa, according to media reports of the time.
Nevertheless, Castillo won a tender for the concession for implementing, equipping and managing vehicle inspections in the Dominican Republic, or the issuance of the so-called “revista” sticker that certifies a vehicle is fit to circulate safely on Dominican streets. The company commits to build 50 vehicle inspection stations nationwide and to acquire sophisticated equipment to test the adequate functioning of the vehicles. The concession is for 10 years and the company commits to invest around RD$3 billion.
Piera estimates that the company is authorized to charge US$15-US$25 for motorcycles, US$60-US$80 for buses, US$90 for freight trailers, and US$35-US$50 for cars and SUVs. There are around 865,186 of these vehicles or the revenues would be about US$26 million a year. If matters went as planned, the company would recover its investment in three years time.
Piera reports that the company that the bid was published on 28 November 2019 and granted on 30 April 2020 to the company that was registered just 10 days before it presented its offer.
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N Digital
14 June 2020