Contractor Guillermo Bonelly Knipping has criticized the government for paying RD$176 million to designer Margarita Gomez to furnish and decorate the Supreme Court of Justice and Attorney General building, despite his having won a RD$60 million contract by public tender, of which he owned up to having been paid RD$40 million when interviewed on the Gobierno de la Manana, morning talk show.<\/p>\n
Bonelly said that his company, Importadores y Representatives Bohenco Santo Domingo won the contest in 1999 to furnish and equip the Supreme Court at a cost of US$3.2 million, equivalent to RD$60 million today. The project was shelved when former President Hipolito Mejia abandoned the completion of the Supreme Court building.<\/p>\n
Bonelly said he delivered several letters to the Minister of Public Works alerting them about the increase of costs if the completion was delayed.<\/p>\n
With the change of government, Public Works Minister Freddy Perez gave him the go-ahead to continue with the works, and he committed to deliver by 7 January. Bonelly said that all subcontractors participated in the meeting, not Margarita Gomez, who was latter to be entrusted with the furnishing contract.<\/p>\n
Bonelly said that Gomez later appeared and “did whatever she pleased, going to the extreme of ordering us to remove our installations so she could bring her furniture.”<\/p>\n
He complained that Gomez did not work with the architects that built the installation and instead made modifications that have changed the interiors in such a way that he feels is not adequate for the work of the Supreme Court of Justice nor the Attorney General’s offices, as reported in Hoy newspaper.<\/p>\n
He stated that he had received payments for RD$15 million in 1999, RD$25 million in 2000, for a total of RD$40 million. He said that he began supplying contracted furnishings to the Supreme Court in October 2004, but was obliged to remove them by Margarita Gomez.<\/p>\n
El Nacional newspaper reported that Bohenco received an additional payment for RD$14.5 million on 22 November, for a total of RD$65.8 million in decorating services.<\/p>\n
He also alleged that Gomez imported imitation antiques from China. “I do not know the prices, but the totals should be unjustifiable,” he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Contractor Guillermo Bonelly Knipping has criticized the government for paying RD$176 million to designer Margarita Gomez to furnish and decorate the Supreme Court of Justice and Attorney General building, despite his having won a RD$60 million contract by public tender, of which he owned up to having been paid RD$40 million when interviewed on the … <\/p>\n