Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez says that in September he canceled contracting with the Waterlux Enterprises catering company with ties to his nephew, Marcelo Guzmán. He said the company had been offering its services to the Ministry of Foreign Relations since 2018 and had sold RD$14 million to the ministry in services. He said the company was a supplier to 17 other government entities.
He said in 2018 the company sold RD$63,366 to Mirex, in 2019 RD$10 million 797,354 and in 2020, in the past management RD$2,919,173.00. He said in his current management, through 14 September, the company had supplied RD$1,199,181.00.
He said that as part of the administrative area’s strengthening, on 14 September, Roberto Rubio was hired as deputy financial manager and received the reports on all the purchases and hiring. He said after Rubio informed him of the contracting with the company with ties to his nephew, only a final contract for RD$139,000 was transacted.
He said that after being informed of the situation, he immediately ordered the cancellation of all processes involving Waterlux, despite his nephew having disassociated himself from Waterlux before 16 August.
“Even so, my position was that all relations should be canceled and that from now on this entity could not be a supplier to Mirex in compliance with our duty and commitment to be an institution that adheres to the rules of transparency, ethics and efficiency.”
He recalled that the Foreign Ministry has four suppliers that provide services in the same areas and Waterlux is not one.
22 October 2020