On Sunday, 22 March 2021, José Sanchez announced he was resigning his position as rector at the Instituto Técnico Superior Comunitario (ITSC). The announcement comes after TV journalist Addis Burgos aired two parts of an investigative report into how Sánchez has politicized the community college to benefit his family and ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) members. Previously, TV journalist Priena Almonte had presented a report on irregularities in actions by the new rector on her Luz y Sombra program. The community college overall had a reputation of being professionally run in the past, despite its already high cost to taxpayers.
“Festin de la nómina pública,” is the two-part CDN/Channel 37 TV documentary on the bulging of the payroll and many irregularities in the ITSC. The first part of the series aired the week before Sánchez resigned.
José Sánchez has also been accused of sexual harassment. TV journalist Addis Burgos says Sánchez resigned to ensure that his family and relatives and those named to the ITSC keep their jobs.
Sánchez is an active member of the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) and campaigned intensely as part of the Abinader presidential team. He is also a former city councilor for Santo Domingo East. Previously, he was an elementary school teacher for more than 25 years.
Upon announcing his resignation on his Instagram account, Sánchez said he did so seeking the tranquility at the Instituto Técnico Superior Comunitario, its teachers and students. The ITSC is a community college located in San Luis, in eastern Santo Domingo. It has 7,000 students. It has an allotment of RD$600 million in the National Budget.
On “Desclasificado” (CDN/Channel 37) Addis Burgos said that the ITSC is now an example of the spoils system in Dominican politics. After the change of government in August 2020, numerous jobs have been created to benefit supporters, friends (cronyism) and relatives (nepotism) as a reward for working toward victory, and as an incentive to keep working for the party and supporting Sánchez in his efforts to continue escalating in the PRM.
Burgos presented evidence of the bulging of the payroll and other irregularities at the ITSC. For the report, she looked into cronyism and nepotism related to the Jimenez, Sanchez and De los Santos families at the Ministry of Youth and the ITSC.
Burgos found out that the mother, husband and other relatives of the today Minister of Youth Luz del Alba Jimenez Ramirez are employed at the ITSC. Jimenez Ramírez’s mother, Iris Ramirez was named advisor to the rector (Jose Sanchez) for human resources, making a wage of RD$200,000. Ramirez is also the director of a private school in eastern Santo Domingo.
Burgos says the ITSC is now run as a family business. Luz del Alba Jimenez’s Ramírez’s sister-in-law, Alba Iris Contreras Jimenez is the legal advisor to rector Sanchez, making a wage of RD$110,000. The ITSC Procurement director is the husband of the Minister of Youth, Kelvin Fidel Mendez Cuevas, who has a wage of RD$80,000. Her brother-in-law, Jesus Rodriguez de Jesús was appointed to the position of butler with a wage of RD$40,000.
Burgos mentions several other positions that were created to employ persons close to the former rector. The report says that the bulging payroll will sooner than later affect the finances of the institution.
At the ITSC, the former rector Sanchez’s niece, Onelys Antonia Moya Sanchez, serves as secretary in his office, making RD$75,000; his son-in-law, Eddy Raymundo Díaz Sánchez is in charge of general services making RD$80,000. His daughter-in-law, Miosotis Beltre makes RD$60,000 in general services; another family member, Claneudy Morla makes RD$75,000.
In the “Festin de la nómina pública” TV report, employees give their testimonies on harassment and humiliations by the politicians who now run the ITSC. The employees say that unqualified personnel has been appointed. Burgos presented evidence the payroll is bloated.
Journalist Priena Almonte first broke the story on sexual harassment accusations against Sánchez on the Luz y Sombra TV program on Super Canal, Channel 33.
In 2018, Nuria Piera had already denounced irregularities in the payroll at the ITSC and the high cost to the Dominican state of its operation compared to that of private universities. As reported, Sanchez removed the PLD-political appointees to appoint his own and more.
Follow the story in Spanish:
Listin Diario
ITSC
Festin de Nomina Publica Part I
Festin de Nomina Publica Part II
N Digital
23 March 2021