SANTO DOMINGO - A group of construction professionals demanding that the government fulfill a debt owed to them for more than 20 years will hold a protest tomorrow, March 14, in front of the Ministry of Finance to reiterate their demand for payment.
The Codiano Institutional Committee (CIC) announced the mobilization they will carry out at 10:00 AM to demand that President Luis Abinader and Minister Jochi Vicente "pay the debt of their pledged word.".
“The CIC Collection Committee is pleased to invite you to the protest to demand payment of the debt owed by the State to 107 engineers, architects, and small construction companies,” the statement reads.
The new protest was unanimously approved at the meeting on February 28, after the committee's failed attempts to communicate with the Treasury authorities, who last January promised to fulfill the payment.
Likewise, the CIC requested the support of the Dominican College of Engineers, Architects and Surveyors (CODIA), in the struggle through which they have exhausted various processes demanding that the State fulfill its obligations to them, without having achieved the objectives so far.
“We estimate and trust that this time we will finalize our payment request as soon as possible,” the Committee stated in a letter sent to the president of CODIA, Cristian Rojas Mora. The amount owed totals RD$385 million.
A cry without echo
The professionals' claim stems from a debt accumulated by various governments since 1996, for work (construction contracts) carried out but not paid for.
“An abuse of power has been committed against us and continues to be committed; furthermore, the Constitution of the Republic is being violated; because even though our credits have been allowed to become outdated by the governments and their officials, the State is unique and continuous; because our Constitution is clear and specific and clearly states in its Article 38, 'on human dignity',” the professionals point out.
They state that the non-payment procedure violates Law 3143 "on work performed and not paid for" and Law 340-06 "on purchases and contracts", and Article 1134 of the Civil Code and the Jurisprudence of the Supreme Court of Justice, where it ratifies that Article 1134 of the Dominican Civil Code provides that: "Legally formed agreements have the force of law for those who have agreed to them. They cannot be revoked except by mutual consent.
They point out that the Dominican State distributed billions of pesos during the past health crisis, among private companies and workers, however, it forgot about the debt it owes them and did not pay them a cent.
“The previous government, weeks before handing over the administration to the newly elected authorities, paid over RD$19 billion pesos in old debts; however, our debts, which are for projects that are benefiting different communities and the country, projects that are properly supported and documented, and which are clear, transparent, and without any deception, were not paid to us.”.
