The Listin Diario reports today on the US$13 million the country has spent in its efforts to restore the right for Dominican registration aircraft to fly to US territory. The FAA banned Dominican registration from flying to US territory in 1993, after several safety violations were detected. Despite seven years having gone by, and more than US$13 million spent on the project, the country has not advanced much in this direction, according to journalist Ana Mitila Lora’s investigative report in the Listin. She points to alleged complicity of the United Natons’ International Civil Aviation Organization (OACI) officers with local personnel in regards to serious irregularities detected in the project. The agreement with the OACI was signed in 1997 and had a budget of US$2.5 million. The total amounts spent, though are 500% the initial cost of the project. The reporter says that the civil aviation director of the time, Vitelio Mejía disregarded an offer by US firm Booz Allen & Hamilton to resolve the FAA restriction with a budget of US$500,000. Booz Allen & Hamilton had at the time carried out a diagnostic report of the problems and solutions. Instead, the government preferred to sign with OACI.
