President Abinader speaking to the press.
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic--President Luis Abinader continues to stress his commitment to zero impunity for corruption during his term in office. He has said that while he cannot guarantee there will not be corruption, he commits there will not be impunity. The president was referring to a recent scandal that could involve upwards of RD $100 million (US $1.82 million) in cloned social welfare programme cards, as estimated by Digna Reynoso, director of the Social Security Administration “Administradora de Subsidios Sociales” (ADESS).
Abinader said there would be consequences for those who steal from the treasury in his government. “You can be sure that (…) whoever it is, in that and in any case, whoever steals a cent from this government will go to jail. Listen well: to jail.” The president commented that the Superate corruption case is “worse” because it is a theft from a programme destined to benefit the most needy.
Last week, six persons were arraigned for complicity in cloning at least 30,000 Superate welfare programme cards in a fraud carried out from February 18 to 20. The arrest is said to be just the tip of the iceberg in the fraud case. ~ DR1 ~
