Dominican Republic: Government Agency Under Fire for School Supplies Irregularities

Dominican Republic: Call for Investigation into School Supplies Procurement Irregularities Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – A call for a full investigation into alleged irregularities in the procurement of school supplies by the Instituto Nacional de Bienestar Estudiantil (Inabie) has been made by Francisco Álvarez, a lawyer and member of the civic participation group Participación Ciudadana. The irregularities were initially identified by the Dirección General de Contrataciones Públicas (DGCP), the Dominican Republic's Directorate General of Public Procurement. Álvarez stated, "There is sufficient evidence for the Chamber of Accounts, the Ministry of Public Works, and the DGCP to launch an immediate investigation into those responsible for these irregularities." His concerns stem from 150 contracts awarded by Inabie for school supplies, which the DGCP flagged as suspicious. Inabie responded by confirming that they had detected indications of possible irregularities during the bidding process and had already reported these findings to the DGCP. They also suspended contracts with the implicated companies and the public servants involved. The situation highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in government spending and the need for robust oversight to ensure public funds are used effectively and ethically. The investigation is ongoing.