42% of the beneficiaries of the FEDA’s “Return to the Countryside” program were already receiving income from the State

Santo Domingo.-The analysis of the beneficiaries of the program “Return to the Countryside” in Santo Domingo Norte and Guerra reveals that a significant portion of those who received livestock already had income from the State. Of the 125 identified beneficiaries, 39 are listed as active employees in the public sector, which is equivalent to 31% of the total. Another 15 receive public pensions, an additional 12%. Because some appear in both categories, the total number of beneficiaries receiving income from the treasury amounts to 52 people, about 42% of the analyzed universe. That group concentrates 71 of the 180 cows distributed in both municipalities. Among the identified beneficiaries is Cecilio Rosario Santana, deputy director of the General Directorate of Migration, who earns a monthly salary of RD$150,000. Also appears Eduardo Muñoz Ramírez, linked to the Ministry of Defense, with a monthly salary of RD$120,000.

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For Wandelpool, the discussion should not necessarily focus on the salary amount but on the level of power a public official can have within the public administration. “It’s not about numbers. It’s about the level of power you can have to influence decision-making,” he explained. The jurist pointed out that when public programs end up benefiting people who already have state income, a conflict of interest may arise. “When a public policy is distributed in favor of appointed or pensioned people, the opportunity is also being taken away from other families,” he indicated.