Although unintentional, President Luis Abinader’s February 27 announcement that he would review the agreement that allowed the so-called “shadow toll” of the motorway to Samaná eliminated the already uneasy situation of the parties who proposed and supported treatment.
The case belongs to the Dominican Revolutionary Party, PRD, the Dominican Liberation Party and, back, the People’s Force, because, although its leader, Leonel Fernández, ruled with the acronym PLD, several of its officials who acted in the contract are still with him. .
As soon as Abinader made the announcement in his message to the National Assembly, various sectors of national life welcomed his decision to deal with an agreement that would smell of corruption. One of the written media, El Nacional, said that 71% of its readers support it.
As LISTÍN DIARIO analyzed extensively on Friday, the signing of the construction contract went through the governments of Mejía, PRD and Fernández, but was never denounced by former President Medina, who governed the last two terms of the PLD.
The concession of the highway was initially agreed between the Dominican state and the Colombian company Autopista del Nordeste in December 1999, after the private company won the public tender for the construction and operation of the Santo Domingo-Cruce de Molinillos highway.
Subsequently, the then Minister of Public Works (2001), Miguel Vargas Maldonado, in this capacity authorized the Colombian shareholders of Grupo Odinsa SA, Grodco SCA and Consorcio Remix SA, to be part of the package.
In July 2001, the contract for the construction of the Santo Domingo-Samaná highways was signed under the “toll” system between Vargas Maldonado and the representative of the Colombian company, Luis Jaramillo, for an amount of 125,516,542 USD, in 36 term years.
The agreement provides for a period of 33 years and three months, of which the first 3 months would correspond to the settlement period of the contract, 3 years for execution and the remaining 30 years for the operation and maintenance of the highway in the hands of the entity.private.
It has always been reported that the cost of the tax for Samaná has been onerous for the country, although none of the last governments has dared to take action to discuss it and cancel it or reach an agreement that would report less economic damage to the taxpayer. . The shadow tax would last until 2038.
The so-called “infamous” contract and the complaint that US $ 26,835 million were paid for the minimum income to the concessionaire and $ 7,000 RD to be paid this year, strengthened the complaint before a National Assembly that was set up. in approval.
Designate Esquea
The day after sending his report, President Abinader appointed lawyer Emmanuel Esquea to study the case of the so-called “shadow fee” contracts and, of course, to present a report to him. Esquea, discreetly non-partisan, supported the president in the campaign.
If Abinader’s decision was considered firm, the appointment of Dr. Esquea ratifies the regime’s willingness to stop the bleeding of the Colombian company’s and the Dominican state’s contract. Esquea was the president of the PRD promoted by Dr. Peña Gómez.
He has also been a legal adviser to the Executive and the country’s representative ambassador to the United Nations. A man considered serious and incorruptible made personally and professionally had his law firm with his children and partners.
Esquea resigned from the PRD presidency after that party entered into a pact with the PLD to approve a constitutional reform that restored re-election. The politician and the lawyer were seen as an opponent of the negotiators and in the PRD they looked at him angrily for rejecting his corruption.
Four achievements
The Abinader regime has had at least four achievements in the week ending, as time has been reduced, COVID-19 vaccination has been activated for people over the age of 70, partial face-to-face reopening has been ordered, and he paid an old debt to the doctors.
The partial face-to-face courses, a much-discussed topic in the education sectors, will take place in a large part of the municipalities, but not in the Greater Santo Domingo, where the biggest infections occur due to the debauchery of the neighborhood population.
Also from an economic point of view, the Central Bank reported that the Monetary Council approved the increase of the Rapid Liquidity Facility (FLR) in RD $ 25 billion for financial intermediaries to channel new loans and refinancing to productive sectors.
President Abinader has the political impetus on his part, as the main opposition parties fighting to return after the disaster of the last elections are waiting to elect their new political committee (PLD). The People’s Force postponed the closing plenary of its first congress so as not to coincide tomorrow with the PLD act.
Abinader wants as little noise as possible. He called the agitating deputy Pedro Botello to the National Palace to avoid a disturbance that he sponsored on February 27, demanding the delivery of 30% of the pension funds to the employees. Yesterday he sent the draft referendum to the Chamber of Deputies.
To avoid further inconvenience to the public, the Ministry of Industry and Trade froze fuel prices, despite increases in oil prices on international markets during the week. The price of oil ended the week at over $ 63.
During his speech to the National Assembly, the President promised to introduce a bill to reform the hydrocarbon law, which would alleviate the weekly beating of Industry and Commerce, although Minister Víctor Bisonó Ito explained that he would be the first to favor lower prices. .