Santo Domingo.- The country’s political and media circles were abuzz yesterday noon after the new deputy Victor Gomez Casanova declared a personal wealth of nearly US$1.0 million, a fortune that surprised many given his age.
Gomez, in his financial statement submitted to Anticorruption Department director Hotoniel Bonilla, said he has RD$42.9 million in gross assets and RD$10.8 in liabilities, for a net worth of RD$32.0 million.
The opposition PRD party deputy said he filed his statement to comply with all the legal requirements as a lawmaker and that it has been reviewed by independent auditors and signed by the Notary Public Carlos Moquete.
Written by: laregla, 18 Aug 2010 9:06 AM
From: United States
Why is this a surprise? The question is which politician is not a millionaire!!! He probably has more money under diffrent names......
Written by: Juango, 18 Aug 2010 9:24 AM
From: United States, far S. Florida (formerly Santo Domingo)
Victor does not have that money,,,,, yet ! He is hedging his luck/bet, in declaring a grossly over valued net worth now, so he doen't appear to be a big thief in 8-12 months, when he is seen with prized material items (vehicles, condos, homes, etc.). He is just playing it safe. Not a bad approach. He is using his head !!!
Written by: THINK, 18 Aug 2010 10:00 AM
From: United States, SDQ -- Mia --NY
Just $1 million U.S. Dollar? It is nothing for Politicians in DR.....
I bet you their target is $10 millions minimum or even $50 millions US dollar....
Written by: Rainman, 18 Aug 2010 10:17 AM
From: United States
I can almost hear the coments behind close doors "what is he? stupid he only has a million, I thought he was smarter. Lets hope he catches on to it so we can making one of us.
Juango: I have heard that in the past what you are saying was common practice
Written by: Juango, 18 Aug 2010 10:25 AM
From: United States, far S. Florida (formerly Santo Domingo)
If not mistaken, this is a newly elected position for Victor. Therefore, this is his first "declaracion de bienes". He must make is somewhat believeable. Yes, I agree with what other write, in a few months, he will have amassed ten fold his declared networth.
Written by: riosm, 18 Aug 2010 11:30 AM
From: United States
GeeWhizMiller261,
LOL Greed is everywhere and the color of greed is GREEN along the lines of LIE, DENY and make FALSE ACCUSATIONS don't you know......
Only in the U.S we find legal cracks, political back scracthing, political red-tape and political arm twisting.
The city of Bell California, Al Gore, M. Waters, Rangel, a small % of our current Administrative personal tax cheaters etc..etc.. at least in the DR they do it the fashion way.
No Country on earth is immuned from power and greed it's in Man Nature.
Written by: juanb, 18 Aug 2010 12:03 PM
From: Dominican Republic
Two Dominican twin brothers are separated shortly after their 3rd birthday. Their parents divorce and one brother goes to the US with his father and the other stays here with his mother. They both grow up to become politicians. More coincidentally they both are elected to the senate.
After being apart for so long the Dominican goes to visit his brother in the US. He goes to his house and is very impressed. He asks his brother, "On a senator's salary, how can you afford to live this well?" The brother says "Come to the window. You see that bridge out there? He points to his pocket and says, 10%.
The following year the US brother goes to the DR. When he walks into his brother's house he can't believe the opulence. There are butlers and maids all over the place. He uses the bathroom and he sees the fixtures are made of gold. Finally he asks his brother how on a DR senator's salary he can live as he does. The brother says, "Come over to the window. Do you see that bridge out there?"
Written by: juanb, 18 Aug 2010 12:04 PM
From: Dominican Republic
"What bridge? I don't see any bridge." And his brother winks at him, points to his pocket and says, "100 Per Cent".
From: Dominican Republic, vieja Santo Domingo
and you call yourself a typical Dominican
Written by: Escott, 18 Aug 2010 2:28 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Cabrera and Sosua a 2 days a month for payday
Little Richard, wassamatter, he wasn't talking about your man Leonel?
From: Dominican Republic, vieja Santo Domingo
This is a really silly story ,,there must be dozens of politicians who have a net worth of one million dollars and I doubt if anyone in the press circles was remotely surprised ,,,these stories without any names are always suspicious ...like some one saying " I have heard" or "on dit " o "se dice" ..who who ?? and most of the time it is no one .
From: United States, New Haven, CT
That really pisses me off, this pissant runs his mouth all the time and doesn't even have a PhD and he's claiming he has 1 million dollars.
I know Neurologists, engineers, lawyers, who've been working their as off in the US and don't even have half of that.
This guy has never lifted a finger to help anyone but himself and he gets away with this.
Dominicans have that celebrity mentality politicians think they are movie stars, les gustan lo fino y nunca quieren trabajar. I've met Diputados bragging about their thousand dollar suits, a thousand dollar suit on a diputado que ni es bachiller is like pouring perfume on a pig.
I'm so sick of that bullshit...
Written by: lovingit, 19 Aug 2010 12:37 AM
From: United States, Delaware
1 MM USD is not unreasonable people as long as there is proof of how he got there. A very nice house in DR could cost 1/3 of that and if this deputy inherited businesses, homes, etc, then 1MM total assets is not unreasonable at all.
From: Dominican Republic, vieja Santo Domingo
IronThinker ,,you are in the past ...nowadays you make money from real estate, short term trading in some speculative commodities, drugs, tax evasion and here in the DR corruption . Just because you are a Phd counts for little and even more disturbing is the fact that some people actually respect money ahead of what a person has actually contributed .
it is totally sickening to be driven off the road here by some young lout in a new SUV who has no respect for anyone ...but that is what our world has become ...a total loss of decent values.
From: United States
Victor, Victor, Victor. I always said you were one to watch for and not trust. Looks like I was right.
Written by: rbrayan, 19 Aug 2010 11:26 PM
From: Dominican Republic
It really shouldn't surprise people to hear that a politician is a millionair. However, it should sadden the population if an admirable, intelligent and extremely competent young man as Victor
Gomez, has been involved in something shaddy.
Based on Mr. Gomez wisdom on many topics I assumed that he would one day reach where ever he wanted to go. But if he has been in the shades someone will hinder his political aspirations. and as much as I would like to see him representing the people, if he is guilty of any wrong doing he should not be given the opportunity to be a representitive.
Lets just hope and pray that he can justify his wealth.
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Just $1 million U.S. Dollar? It is nothing for Politicians in DR.....
I bet you their target is $10 millions minimum or even $50 millions US dollar....
Juango: I have heard that in the past what you are saying was common practice
LOL Greed is everywhere and the color of greed is GREEN along the lines of LIE, DENY and make FALSE ACCUSATIONS don't you know......
Only in the U.S we find legal cracks, political back scracthing, political red-tape and political arm twisting.
The city of Bell California, Al Gore, M. Waters, Rangel, a small % of our current Administrative personal tax cheaters etc..etc.. at least in the DR they do it the fashion way.
No Country on earth is immuned from power and greed it's in Man Nature.
After being apart for so long the Dominican goes to visit his brother in the US. He goes to his house and is very impressed. He asks his brother, "On a senator's salary, how can you afford to live this well?" The brother says "Come to the window. You see that bridge out there? He points to his pocket and says, 10%.
The following year the US brother goes to the DR. When he walks into his brother's house he can't believe the opulence. There are butlers and maids all over the place. He uses the bathroom and he sees the fixtures are made of gold. Finally he asks his brother how on a DR senator's salary he can live as he does. The brother says, "Come over to the window. Do you see that bridge out there?"
I know Neurologists, engineers, lawyers, who've been working their as off in the US and don't even have half of that.
This guy has never lifted a finger to help anyone but himself and he gets away with this.
Dominicans have that celebrity mentality politicians think they are movie stars, les gustan lo fino y nunca quieren trabajar. I've met Diputados bragging about their thousand dollar suits, a thousand dollar suit on a diputado que ni es bachiller is like pouring perfume on a pig.
I'm so sick of that bullshit...
it is totally sickening to be driven off the road here by some young lout in a new SUV who has no respect for anyone ...but that is what our world has become ...a total loss of decent values.
Gomez, has been involved in something shaddy.
Based on Mr. Gomez wisdom on many topics I assumed that he would one day reach where ever he wanted to go. But if he has been in the shades someone will hinder his political aspirations. and as much as I would like to see him representing the people, if he is guilty of any wrong doing he should not be given the opportunity to be a representitive.
Lets just hope and pray that he can justify his wealth.