President Luis Abinader addressed the nation on Friday, 16 October 2020 to say that he will be donating his wages to a social cause. This is RD$450,000 a month, or around RD$5,850,000 including the 13th Christmas wage.
Abinader said he is also forgoing his expense account but did not detail the amount involved. Recently, the director of the Port Authority, Jean Luis Rodríguez announced he was giving up a US$10,000 a month credit card that came with the position.
On Friday, President Luis Abinader asked politicians to sacrifice millions budgeted to the political parties in the 2021 National Budget. Abinader argued 2021 is not an electoral year. The money would instead fund social programs.
Senate president Eduardo Estrella (DxC-Santiago) immediately backed the motion. His political party, Dominicanos por el Cambio approved the request by the President over the weekend. Estrella won the Senate seat with the backing of the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM).
President Abinader argues these are times “to exercise good politics.”
Yet, politicians in his own political party, and opposition parties did not agree with the proposal and are holding on to the funds allotted to them as per the Political Parties Law 33-18.
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18 October 2020