The president of the Junta Central Electoral, Manuel Ramón Morel Cerda said in a press conference yesterday that the finances of the body that organizes national elections continues to be critical, as the government has not disbursed the RD$25 million due for October. The government has staggered with payments after the PRD majority Senate changed the board. The ruling PLD party and the PRSC have contested the board. The PRSC has been especially critical of the president of the board, a successful lawyer, whom they have singled out as a militant PRD man. Morel Cerda has suggested those that oppose his board request a ruling of the Supreme Court of Justice on whether its makeup violates the Constitution. Morel Cerda maintains that the presidential elections will be held as scheduled on May 16, 2000 with the participation of the PLD and the PRSC, or without them. He said that the automation process carried out by the JCE, a process that was begun during the past presidency of Dr. Juan Sully Bonelly, leaves no room for electoral fraud. The Listin Diario’s daily survey shows that 70% or 1,358 of persons that called in are in agreement with the President retaining JCE funds, versus 572 (30%) that are in disagreement. The leader of the PRSC, Dr. Joaquin Balaguer has maintained an inflexible position that the board should resign. The PLD is more flexible, indicating that either the board resign so that impartial judges be elected, or rules be changed to add four judges to the board so that all political parties are somewhat equally represented. The new board of the JCE was elected by the PRD majority Senate in August of the year. The boards of the 1996 presidential elections and the 1998 congressional and municipal elections were regarded as impartial and key to the success of those elections. They were at the time chosen with the consensus of the three majority political parties.
