Santo Domingo, DR.- President Luis Abinader and the Vice President Raquel Peña headed the first Council of Ministers and Directors of the new government period, where it was established that all officials must sign an ethical commitment to the best practices and the best behavior in the exercise of their public functions.
Likewise, it was established that in the next few days each official must make his sworn declaration of assets, and that failure to do so will result in the sanctions required by law.
These statements were offered by the Minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza and the head of the General Directorate of Ethics and Government Integrity, Milagros Ortiz Bosch at the end of the Council of Ministers and Directors that lasted for an hour in the Council Hall of the Government of the National Palace.
Jose Ignacio Paliza
Speaking to the press, Minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza, explained that this is the first Council of Ministers of the Abinader government to be held at the beginning of this new four-year term and that it is the 40th since the beginning of the presidential term in 2020.
“The main point of this Council of Ministers is framed within the objectives of the general call in public administration to continue with more transparency, more commitment, and more identification of the public servant with the best practices and the best behaviors in the future of their functions,” said the official.
Paliza said that this declaration or commitment to ethical behavior is in the process of some minimal aspects and that starting Monday, all public officials appointed by the president will have to sign it.
“So that the commitment is not just a wish, but a real, firm and committed commitment from each public official. This is for the best ethical behavior in the exercise of their public functions,” he said.
Miracles Ortiz Bosch
For her part, the head of the General Directorate of Ethics and Government Integrity, Milagros Ortiz Bosch, stated that it was a meeting to commit to transparency and ethics in the new Abinader government.
“We committed ourselves to something fundamental, to doing everything according to the law, the Constitution and the laws under due process, always respecting the ethical and moral principles that should govern the life of every public official.
He argued that it is a struggle between the opaque and the light and that very clear measures have been taken regarding the declaration of assets and also regarding the obligation to provide information on procedures and budgetary management.
“We are not committing ourselves to a program, but to participatory development. This is where we achieve balance in order to achieve all the goals to live in peace and progress,” Ortiz Bosch concluded.
