PRM presidential candidate Luis Abinader presented a set of proposals for change yesterday, Thursday 22 October 2015, saying the National Budget could be adjusted. He said, “there are savings where there are excesses, and investment where it is needed.”<\/p>\n
He said that his proposals, if adopted would make funds available for several areas, including citizen safety, increasing wages and improving health services. <\/p>\n
The 2016 National Budget is under study in the Senate, after being approved by a bi-chamber commission. <\/p>\n
Abinader spotted 77 chapters in excess of 256 accounts that make up the budget. He said that these could mean savings of RD$25 billion. <\/p>\n
He says that RD$245 billion is assigned to public works and services, of which 20% is irregularly appropriated, according to his estimates. He points out that if President Medina were to control only 5% of these deviations, the country could save more than RD$12 billion. <\/p>\n
The PRM candidate adds that the allocation for Accounts Payable, or covert government debts to suppliers, has been inexplicably increased to RD$30 billion in the 2016 budget, compared to RD$15 billion in 2015. Even allowing for a reasonable increase of 10% over what was budgeted for this chapter in 2015, there would be a savings of RD$13 billion, he said. <\/p>\n
He said that the PRM technical team would send the recommendations to Medina so that he can make “a better budget, a budget for the people.”<\/p>\n
Abinader said of the RD$51 billion identified as wasteful spending, RD$22 billion could be used to raise police wages to dignified levels in order to start restoring safety to the streets. <\/p>\n
Read more in Spanish: http:\/\/www.elcaribe.com.do\/2015\/10\/22\/abinader-presenta-ldquopropuestas-cambiordquo-presupuesto-nacional<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
PRM presidential candidate Luis Abinader presented a set of proposals for change yesterday, Thursday 22 October 2015, saying the National Budget could be adjusted. He said, “there are savings where there are excesses, and investment where it is needed.” He said that his proposals, if adopted would make funds available for several areas, including citizen … <\/p>\n