President Luis Abinader is taking steps so that transparency be the best weapon to fight corruption. Likewise, the President announced on Wednesday, 9 December 2020 new actions to improve government legislation to recover assets stolen from the state and to reduce the possibility of corruption in his own government. The announcements coincide with the International Anti-Corruption Day.
The President named a new Cabinet of Transparency, Prevention and Control of Public Expenditure to oversee the initiatives to combat corruption and strengthen ethics in public administration.
The new initiatives are part of the Abinader administration’s Comprehensive Plan for Institutional Reform, a broad package that seeks to make government more democratic, efficient and responsible.
“As you can see, the purpose of this plan is to change our country now and forever,” he emphasized. He said the measures seek to radically reverse the country’s institutional deterioration so that the future of the country not depend on the whim or interests of a leader or a specific political party.
The initiatives include:
A team of lawyers to reinforce the work of Justice Department prosecutors to penalize corruption and recover stolen assets.
Bills for modern and coherent criminal legislation that incorporate new articles to penalize complex criminal actions associated with administrative corruption. The procedures of the government procurement office will be revised for transparency, standardization and efficiency.
Restructuring social programs. A committee is appointed to review and restructure the social assistance programs and in 90 days draft a bill for the consolidating, management and supervision of all programs. All citizens will be given access to who receives social program assistance.
Application of the law on wages in the Dominican state.
The creating of the Cabinet of Transparency, Prevention and Control of Public Expenditure presided by the director of the Ethics and Government Integrity, former Vice President Milagros Ortiz Bosch. Carlos Pimentel, director of the Procurement Agency, is appointed the executive director of the new Cabinet of Transparency. Other members are representatives of the Ministry of Hacienda, the National Controller, National Treasurer, National Budget Office. The new government entity will integrate civil society to promote an agenda of changes, best practices and technological advances to fight administrative corruption.
The creating of a single transparency portal that will gather all information related to government transactions with unlimited access available to all citizens. It will include names and wages of government officials, details on government procurement, wealth statements of government officials, among other details.
Draft a State Advertising Bill to establish the criteria for the use of government resources.
Implement the General Law of Free Access to Public Information so that its provisions are in line with regional standards, with the purpose of providing citizens with greater access to information as a constitutional guarantee of social control and democratic stability.
The creation of a Anti-Government Fraud Agency, dependent on the General Controller of the Republic, entrusted with permanent inspections in all areas of government.
Promote the amendment of Chamber of Accounts Law 10-04 to adapt it to the current constitutional framework and to grant it greater budgetary and control autonomy. The goal is that periodic audits be carried out and the results be made known within 60 days of their completion.
Promote the amendment of National System of Internal Control and the General Control of the Republic Law 10-07, so that internal audits are carried out at least once a year to all public institutions.
Promote the redirecting of the present discretionary allocation of public funds by legislators.
Promote legislation to establish clear and transparent rules to compete in elections, with a control over the origin of the campaign funds.
Promote amendments to the 2015 Constitution to guarantee the independence of the Justice Department and that it becomes a lasting institutional legacy. He said the appointing of an independent Attorney General is a first step in this direction.
Read more in Spanish:
Presidency
El Dia
Listin Diario
N Digital
El Nuevo Diario
Diario Libre
10 December 2020