The Senate of the Republic and the Chamber of Deputies, the two institutions that created Free Access to Public Information Law 200-04 some 18 years ago, are currently the entities that most frequently violate compliance with this regulation, Listin Diario reports.
Since 2020 to date, Listín Diario reports it has requested on 12 occasions information through the Single Portal of Request for Access to Public Information (SAIP), in compliance with this law, without the Senate of the Republic and the Chamber of Deputies delivering on the requests.
Of these requests, 10 have been to both chambers and two to the Chamber of Deputies.
The newspaper lists some of the requests. These are:
The excuses presented by Deputy Miguel Gutiérrez, arrested in Miami for his alleged participation in “international drug trafficking matters.”
Details on the cash payments distributed by the lower house for the Christmas and Three Kings Day celebrations between 2020 and 2021.
During the years Eduardo Estrella and Alfredo Pacheco have been at the head of both chambers, the departments of Free Access to Public Information have not provided information on the cash cards or bonuses given by the government in December to legislators for the festivities of 2020 and 2021 and the incentives or bonuses given to legislators for Mother’s Day this year.
The newspaper requested details on the lodging expenses incurred by the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic when legislators chose to study the Penal Code bill at a Bayahibe beach resort.
There has been no response to an inquiry on details on 50,000 bonuses delivered through the Cabinet of Social Policy, for Mother’s Day this 2022 received by the distributed to these legislators.
In search for mediation for the non-response to the requests made, Listín Diario asked the General Ethics and Government Integrity Agency, which Milagros Ortiz Bosch directs, to intercede in these requests. Ortiz Bosch responded she did not have the authority to regulate the responses of the government entities outside of the cabinet. “The decree which created us limits us only to the Executive Branch. The former Vice President said she was open to mediate.
Listin Diario asked the Ethics Agency for information on how many requests for mediation had been received in 2021 and which public institutions did not comply with this law. The response was that 86 requests for mediation were received in 2021. The Ministry of Education, the Senate of the Republic and the Ministry of Public Works were the most non-compliant with Free Access to Public Information Law 200-04.
Regarding the Ministry of Education, Listín Diario requested in April 2022 information on the Christmas gift cash cards delivered. When the deadline expired, Education requested an extension which expired in May. The information requested would be provided in the middle of July.
In April of this year, the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) urged the governments of twelve countries, including the Dominican Republic, to stop restricting constitutional rights and the laws of access to public information.
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Listin Diario
21 July 2022