SANTO DOMINGO. - The Constitutional Revisory Assembly approved on Thursday the Public Function Statute, which specifies the penalty for government officials who use taxpayers’ money for their benefit or for third parties.

The lawmakers, in an apparent attempt to counter the wave of criticism unleashed after Wednesday’s session when they in essence legislated to privatize the country’s beaches, also approved penalties against all influence peddling and nepotism.

The constitutional text also prohibits officials from raising their own income, but notes however that if they do so, “it will only be valid for a period subsequent to the one elected or designated.” Those officials found guilty of and condemned for corruption, will also be punished with “the penalty of civic degradation” and forced to reimburse the State coffers everything hey took illegally.

A similar sanction was adopted during Juan Bosch’s 7-month Presidency in 1963, known as “society’s moral wall,” which sought to repudiate those government workers or officials whom attempted to, or had committed corruption.