The Dominican government has a bloated foreign service even in countries with which trade is low. A report in Diario Libre today, Friday 28 March, reveals that there are 12 vice consuls on the payroll in the Netherlands Antilles, each making US$1,750 a month. In Trinidad & Tobago, four minister counselors are on the payroll, making US$2,000 a month. Another six counselors are making US$1,600, a first secretary earns US$1,400 and a second secretary is paid US$1,350.
The diplomatic staff in Aruba includes seven vice consuls, while the government has appointed four vice consuls in Antigua and Barbuda.
In Honduras, there are seven minister counselors, five counselors, and more staff.
In the Netherlands there are six counselor ministers, four counselors, three vice consuls and other staff.
The delegation in Brazil includes 12 counselors, nine vice consuls, and four counselors.
In Switzerland four deputy ambassadors have been appointed, each with a wage of US$3,000, in addition to the ambassador. At the Swiss embassy there are five minister counselors, and five vice consuls.
The Dominican government has four minister counselors assigned to Uruguay, in addition to eight counselors. In Belgium, there are four minister counselors and seven counselors.
In Ecuador, the embassy staff includes eight counselor ministers, four counselors.
Foreign service expert Luis Gonzalez is pushing for a new Ministry of Foreign Relations fundamental law to be drafted, which institutes the firing of diplomats who are not at their postings.
For many years the press has focused on the bloated foreign service, which is the result of political patronage. The excess staff often creates obstacles to staff members who are carrying out important work.
In recent months there have been more than the usual arrears in meeting payments for foreign staff, and the present administration’s attempts to impose controls and checks on the foreign service have come out into the open.
www.diariolibre.com/noticias/2014/03/28/i545561_nmero-diplomticos-dominicanos-tambin-sobresale-las-islas-del-caribe.html