She had promised to do things right after the legal advisor of the Ministry of Youth told on an attempt to rig contracting in her personal favor at the Ministry. But on 6 December 2021, President Luis Abinader got around to signing the decree where Luz del Alba Jiménez Ramírez was removed from the position, making her the second head of the Ministry of Youth since August 2020 that has been removed. Jimenez Ramirez was removed three days before completing a year in the position. She had been named on 9 December 2020. The government has not announced her replacement.
Luz del Alba Jimenez Ramirez is under investigation by the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for the Prosecution of Administrative Corruption (Pepca) for alleged irregularities in a procurement process for electronic equipment.
Jimenez Ramirez was the deputy minister when the first choice for Minister of Youth, Kinsberly Taveras was removed after her abundance in wealth was questioned. Despite her known employment as mayor of small townships, Kinsberly Taveras was under investigation by the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecution (Pepca) division of the Attorney General for accumulating a fortune of more than RD$100 million as she reported in her declaration of assets before the Chamber of Accounts.
When the new scandal broke involving irregularities in contracting by Luz del Alba Jimenez at the Ministry of Youth, the media recalled that TV investigative journalist Addis Burgos had shared details of how relatives of Jimenez Ramirez held many of the generous paying positions in the Instituto Tecnico Superior Comunitario (ITSC). CDN aired the report that explained how the ITSC was given as a political spoils to PRM activists who had worked in the political campaign in favor of President Luis Abinader.
In its coverage on the firing of Luz del Alba Jimenez Ramirez, N Digital makes the point that since its creation, the Ministry of Youth has been more in the media for scandals than for achievements.
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7 December 2021