The Senate of the Dominican Republic is facing intense scrutiny over its decision to acquire and place RD$75 million (approximately US$1.3 million) in holiday bonds for distribution at their discretion. Civil society organizations argue the holiday bonds distorts the legislative function and highlights the deficiencies in public spending efficiency.
Representatives from various civil society groups have labeled the acquisition as a populist measure, insisting that such actions detract from the primary legislative and oversight roles of the National Congress.
According to the organizations consulted, both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies should refrain from activities involving the donation or distribution of resources, functions they assert fall outside the scope of their mandated responsibilities under current regulations.
Leidy Blanco, coordinator for the Participación Ciudadana watchdog organization, stated that this type of initiative essentially represents a double budgetary allocation, constituting an improper use of public funds.
Echoing calls for fiscal responsibility, Feliciano Lacen, president of the Dominican Council of Evangelical Unity (Codue), demanded transparency and a clear justification for the destination of the funds.
“We hope there is a consolidation and a general inventory of what will be used, because those $75 million are not enough to meet the needs of the Dominican people.”
According to Resolution 001-2025, published on the institutional portal, the Senate’s Procurement Committee approved the acquisition of the bonds using an exception procedure based on exclusivity, in line with public procurement regulations.
The document specifies that the bonds will be issued in denominations of RD$1,500 and are designated for institutional purposes that have not yet been specified by the legislative body.
As of now, the Senate has not offered any additional statements regarding the scope, purpose, or intended beneficiaries of the controversial measure.
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Noticias SIN
6 November 2025