Diario Libre reports on how despite the purchase contract not requiring upfront payment, the Ministry of Industry & Commerce made advance payments of more than RD$400 million on the purchase of the building months before occupying the offices.
Diario Libre reports that between 2017 and 2018 the Ministry of Industry & Commerce paid RD$433 million to the governmental Banco de Reservas to rent the Torre Integral where its offices are located. This was before the Banco de Reservas took possession of the building, in violation to the contract signed. The contract established the renting agreement would commence when the renting agreement began. The renting agreement is through 2036.
The Ministry of Industry & Commerce made monthly payments of RD$24,088.902.26 from January 2017 to August 2018, when the building was delivered for occupancy by the Ministry.
The newspaper reveals that the Banco de Reservas purchased the building to Diseño Integral SRL, property of engineer Freddy Perez, a former minister of Public Works, ad his partners, the engineers Publio Jose Silfa Valencia and Ramón Andujar Ramirez, for US$31 million. It is located at Av. 27 de Febrero 306.
As reported, the purchase is under investigation at the Specialized Prosecution Office for Administrative Corruption (Pepca) for alleged fiscal evasion of RD$800 million and a RD$4.6 million bribe.
The investigation is also looking into actions taken by former Minister of Economy and Minister of Industry & Commerce Temistocles Montas, who was whom would have given the initial go ahead to the contracting of the location for the Ministry of Industry & Commerce.
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Diario Libre
3 May 2023