In June 2017, Environment Minister Francisco Domínguez Brito ordered the replacement of vice minister of Soils and Waters (Suelos y Aguas) Gabriel Johan Hernández González, responding to charges of corruption while performing his duties in the Ministry. Hoy reports that Hernández was replaced after charges of illicit acts were presented to the Attorney General Office. There is no information available on proceedings on the case by the Attorney General Office. The Soils and Waters department is in charge of controlling the extraction of earthen materials, such as sand, gravel, and stone, as well as of formulating and directing the national policy on use of these resources.
Nevertheless, Hoy newspaper reports that the Gonzalez is still on the Ministry of Environment payroll with his RD$200,000 a month salary. Environment Minister Domínguez had administratively named Manuel Serrano, vice minister in charge of Forestry Resources at the Ministry of Environment, to replace him, as of 22 June 2017. Hernández, a ruling party politician, had been named to the position in September 2016 by a presidential decree.
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Hoy
25 October 2017
