 DR1.com - How much did the 180 luxury apartments off Mirador del Sur Park cost taxpayers? The press has not received an answer yet!
Sep 19, 2011 - On Wednesday President Leonel Fernandez inaugurated the Av. Luperon luxury apartment complex of 180 apartments in three 17-floor towers, each with two floors of ground parking. The Presidency revealed that the apartments measure more than 157.47 sq. meters and there is 32 square meters of public spaces in addition (three parking spaces per apartment), plus many amenities. The apartments are estimated to have a market value of RD$6 million, but the government has not been available to reveal to the press the cost to taxpayers of the construction that fell under the INVI housing department. The governmental Banco de Reservas will be responsible for the financing. As reported in El Caribe, Rafael Abreu of the INVI said that it is possible that government officials would be the beneficiaries. The apartments were built on government property on the edge of the exclusive Los Cacicazgos neighborhood, off Mirador del Sur Park.
UPDATE Jan 05, 2012
Posh government-built condos brew scandal, Hoy reports
DominicanToday.com - Nearly four months after president Leonel Fernandez cut the ribbon for the three-condo complex El Progreso on Luperón avenue, the manner in which its 180, as yet unoccupied apartments were assigned continues shrouded in mystery, with details undisclosed thus far.
Sources quoted by news source hoy.com.do affirm that the Government would provide a RD$2.0 million bond to lower rate of the potential financing given the high cost of the units, of RD$7.3 million, a figure which Hoy couldn’t confirm.
Hoy reporter Odalis Mejia also revealed that senior military officials and leaders of the ruling PLD party pressured to be included on the list to get a condo, but they had already been assigned for some time.
She said the requests have already exceeded the number of apartments, whose construction was criticized by the civic group Alternative City, because “taxpayers’ money shouldn’t be used to build luxury apartments”.
And though the financing will be through the State-owned bank Reservas, the National Housing Institute (INVI) is the government agency which submits the list of beneficiaries.
When Hoy asked Reservas about the requirements to apply for one of the apartments, they were told that handles that the INVI with discretion. “You know how those Government topics are handled,” said an employee.
And despite that the INVI has reiterated that the apartments would be available for any middle class professional, Mejia reports they could be acquired only by high income people, since just the maintenance service costs RD$18,000 monthly.
Dominican Watchdog Note: President Leonel Fernandez has completely failed in his job. He has done nothing for the poor in the 12 years he has been in power and education is still among the worst in the region. How can a poor country build luxury apartments with 3 parking spaces for government employees when 60% of the population is starving. These government employees who can afford 3 cars are not working in the interest of the country, but probably involved in corruption!
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