Abinader swears in oversight commission to supervise sports works financed with resources recovered from corruption

Santo Domingo. -President Luis Abinader swore in this Monday the oversight commission that will be in charge of supervising the sports infrastructure works that will be executed with funds for more than RD$2 billion from resources recovered from acts of corruption, as part of the Government’s commitment to transparency and the correct administration of public resources. The oversight commission is made up of Dr. José Joaquín Puello, former president of the Dominican Olympic Committee; Dr. Milton Ray Guevara, former president of the Constitutional Court; the Archbishop of Santiago and president of the Dominican Episcopate, Monsignor Héctor Rafael Rodríguez Rodríguez; and communicators Luisin Mejía, president of Centro Caribe Sport and member of the International Olympic Committee, and Persio Maldonado, a reference for ethics and morals in Dominican communication.

President Abinader

During the event, the president highlighted the importance of citizen oversight in this process, considering that their accompaniment guarantees the highest levels of transparency, accountability, and supervision in each of the stages of execution of the works.

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The Head of State especially thanked the members of the commission for accepting this responsibility, while emphasizing that their moral solvency, trajectory, and professional training constitute a guarantee for the proper use of public funds allocated to these investments. Likewise, Abinader informed that, after several months of technical work, designs, and elaboration of the terms of reference, the tenders corresponding to the works will be published this same day, as indicated by the Planning Department and the Ministry of Sports, which will be developed under the direct supervision of the sworn commission.

Works to be executed

Among the works to be executed with these funds are the total renovation of the Olympic Center of San Pedro de Macorís; the reconstruction of the sports center of San Juan de la Maguana; the construction of 23 multi-purpose roofs in the same number of municipalities that still do not have this type of infrastructure; and the comprehensive rehabilitation of the Olympic Center of La Vega, including the Olympic swimming pool, the athletics track, the construction of a new arena and other sports facilities.

Minister of Sports

For his part, the Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kelvin Cruz, explained that the formation of this commission responds to a direct instruction from President Abinader, who ordered that the RD$2,000 million recovered from corruption be invested in sports infrastructure, under the accompaniment of an oversight committee made up of personalities of recognized ethics and credibility.

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Minister Cruz highlighted that these investments will allow to close a historical gap in sports infrastructure, while positively impacting youth, children and communities, since the roofs and sports centers also function as centers of social, cultural and community integration.