SANTO DOMINGO – “Investments will not come to a corrupt country, investments will not come to a country where institutions are not respected. Investments will come where there is true respect, care, and justice, and where every penny is invested rationally, transparently, efficiently, and in an organized manner,” President Luis Abinader stated yesterday during his speech at the launch of a new agency to ensure the transparent management of tourism infrastructure.
The Observatory of Good Practices in the bidding processes of the works to be developed by the Executive Committee of Tourist Infrastructures (CEIZTUR) of the Ministry of Tourism, will be responsible for enforcing Law 340-06, on Purchases and Contracting of Goods, Services and Works.
The Minister of Tourism, David Collado, stated that this organization is a reaffirmation of the government's commitment to transparency.
"This legacy that we are leaving is a government that is clearly demonstrating that in the entire tourism there is not the slightest intention of favoring or distributing projects," Collado declared.
Abinader reiterated the need for the use of public resources to be monitored by society to guarantee transparency.
The president emphasized that, due to the large number of willing young people, these processes of supervision, monitoring , and oversight will be extended to other government institutions.
“Many people are willing to collaborate, willing to help, understanding that nothing is perfect, that they will encounter problems, and the important thing is to address those problems appropriately in order to correct them. That is our intention in this government; that, ladies and gentlemen, is the daily struggle to gradually, but every day, change that culture, and I am sure that we are changing it,” he declared.
The observatory will be made up of the Technological Institute of Santo Domingo (INTEC), the University of Action for Education and Culture (UNAPEC), the Ibero-American University (UNIBE), the Pedro Henríquez Ureña University (UNPHU) and the Pontifical Catholic University Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), the General Directorate of Ethics and Governmental Integrity, the National Association of Hotels and Tourism (ASONAHORES), representatives of the tourism sector and the evangelical and Adventist churches.
On behalf of the participating universities, Franklin Holguín, rector of UNAPEC, valued the observatory, which helps the development of education because it integrates students from all the academies mentioned into the process.
It was reported that through a digital application any citizen will be able to follow the bidding process carried out for any work to be carried out through CEIZTUR to verify its status, as well as to contribute ideas or suggestions for works or infrastructure solutions that are needed in the community.
