Senator Francisco Jiménez (PRD-Bahoruco) of the impoverished province of Bahoruco (pop. 100,000) lead a revolt of PRD members that have not been given government jobs against government departments in the city of Neiba (pop. 38,000). Under the senator’s leadership, and with the assistance of Orlando Matos, representing the District Attorney in the province, the mob forcibly closed the offices of the Instituto de Recursos Hidraulicos (Water Resources), Instituto de Aguas Potables y Alcantarillas (Aqueducts), Direccion de Impuestos Internos (Tax Bureau), Instituto Dominicano de Seguros Sociales (Social Security), Distrito Escolar (Ministry of Education) and Obras Publicas (Ministry of Public Works). Reports from Neiba indicate that the Senator justified his actions on grounds that the government had not hired enough PRD militants. That a senator would lead a mob was severely criticized in El Siglo newspaper. Contributor Bienvenido Alvarez Vega urged that the president of the Senate, Ramón Alburquerque (PRD-Monte Plata) send the case to the ethics committee of the Senate. News commentator Aristofanes Urbáez wonders from what tribe is Senator Jiménez, and comments that in all there could not be more than 100 jobs available in Neiba. "In what brain, in which logic, in which cognitive cavity can it fit that a senator of the Republic use a mob to close government offices with wood and nails supposedly because his people have not been given government jobs," writes Urbáez. News commentators say that what is brewing, that could have climaxed with the irrational act at Neiba, is but the normal internal struggles for power that have characterized the PRD, a populist party. And the protests of those who have not gotten jobs have been taking place all around the country. There have also been protests in Jimaní, where employees were forced out of a public school. In Puerto Plata, PRD militants painted in black the forestry, tourism, social security and culture offices of the government (the PRD color is white). In Monseñor Nouel, PRD militants occupied the provincial governor office in protest of not getting jobs. Two public schools were locked with padlocks in Barahona, also in protest by mad PRD followers. Hatuey de Camps, president of the PRD party has complained of nepotism on behalf of government incumbents regarding giving jobs to other party members. Rafael Suberví Bonilla, appointed Minister of the Interior & Police, says that government officers do not return his calls. They may suspect he is calling to request openings for his own followers in government departments and are too busy with their own work in government. President Mejía himself recently said there are not enough jobs in government for all members of the PRD. But he is reminded that during the campaign he promised: "delegado ganado, delegado nombrado" (referring to the delegates who won their electoral district would get government jobs). One militant who identified himself as Apolinar Reynoso is said to have started the description of "come-siempre" (eat always) referring to the PRD members that have government jobs. Journalist Carlos O. Perez says that the comment he hears most when covering the PRD headquarters in Santo Domingo is: "just like the PLD people, now they (PRD government officers) are ignoring us." Political analysts say that the different kingpins within the party have their own constituencies to please. And that what’s happening now is normal. The PRD is a political party known for its internal bickering. Party leader, the late José Francisco Peña Gómez himself had said, "the PRD is only defeated by the PRD." El Siglo journalist Nelson Rodríguez explains that it was only a matter of time for the power struggles to surface. The power mongers Hatuey de Camps and Rafael Suberví Bonilla (both seek to be presidential candidates) had kept quiet since Mejía was appointed, in order to give the party a unified front to reach the Presidency, which it did. With Mejía in the presidency, they are now back into action. Rodríguez writes: "The way things are going it looks like a family fight, but nobody should be fooled. Given the track record of intra-party rivalries, if we judge by the acrid confrontations of these days, apparently the PRD cohesion around the key figures could last "less than a cockroach in a chicken pen", the saying made famous by Juan Bosch in 1963 when everyone, less him, knew he would be evicted from power by a coup d’etat."
