Ortiz Bosch highlights progress and calls for firm action regarding the SENASA case

In the framework of the International Day Against Corruption, the general director of Governmental Ethics and Integrity (DIGEIG), Milagros Ortiz Bosch, affirmed that combating corruption continues to be a cultural and economic challenge that demands the active participation of institutions, citizens, and the political leadership of all party forces.

Ortiz Bosch emphasized the need to respond with concrete and articulated actions, especially in light of recent events related to the SENASA case. He pointed out that the Dominican Republic is moving towards a more integrated model of public integrity, thanks to the joint work of DIGEIG and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in the construction of the National Integrity Strategy of the Government.

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Among the achievements, he highlighted that 93.5% of public institutions today comply with transparency and information publicity standards, a significant jump from the 40% recorded in 2020, at the beginning of his administration. He also emphasized that 211 institutions maintain averages between 90 and 100 points in transparency. Ortiz Bosch also valued the recognition granted by the United Nations (UN), which selected the Dominican Republic as a pilot plan for the use of data as a tool for preventing corruption. When referring to control mechanisms, he mentioned the importance of the Financial Management Information System (SIGEF) to monitor budgetary behavior and the availability of funds for appointments. He indicated that the absence of a fully functional Audit Chamber in recent years limited significant progress in terms of fiscal control. He recalled that the Comptroller General of the Republic and the Chamber of Accounts are the bodies responsible for the internal and external audits of the management of public resources. Likewise, he insisted on the urgency of modernizing the regulatory framework of the DIGEIG by updating Law 200-04 on Free Access to Public Information. He also advocated for the approval of key laws such as the Personal Data Protection Law, Protection of the Informant, Witness and Victim, and a Conflict of Interest Law, indispensable, he said, to guarantee public decisions aligned with the interests of the State. Ortiz Bosch expressed satisfaction with the progress made and reiterated DIGEIG’s commitment to continue promoting policies that strengthen transparency and integrity in the Dominican public administration.