Anticorruption slams ex Public Works chief on alleged anomalies

SANTO DOMINGO.- Dominican Anticorruption Alliance (Adocco) wants the new Public Works Minister Gonzalo Castillo to rescind the contract for the construction of the Corredor Duarte II road project, because in its view it was unfairly awarded to the company which built the first Corredor, “also awarded with anomalies.”

it said with Corredor Duarte ex minister Victor Diaz Rúa violated the Public Purchasing Law and the U.S.-Central America-Dom. Rep Free Trade pact, because it was a contract awarded through a local bidding, when it should’ve been an international call for tenders.

Adocco said Díaz announced the tender for Corredor Duarte 2’s second stage on February 9, 2011, to ease the National District’s north-south t, traffic using four open tunnels on Tiradentes, Churchill, Lincoln and Gomez avenues, costing from 180 to 200 million dollars.

"To our surprise we were awaiting the call for tender offers for the project’s construction, which was impossible to locate on November 23, 2011, and saw the information that Corredor Duarte 2 had been tendered and awarded to the Brazilian company Odebrecht without specifying the date when the project was tendered or which companies participated together with the beneficiary, "said Adocco coordinator Julio Cesar De la Rosa.

He said the Law stipulates an international call for tenders on all infrastructure projects that exceed US$6.75 million, to allow local companies to compete in DR-CAFTA member countries, “for which we’re keeping U.S. ambassador Raul Yzaguirre abreast of the situation to take it into account.”

Adocco’s call on Castillo comes on Diaz’s assertion on June 19 that "the Duarte Corridor II will have around 10 road solutions and would cost Dominican taxpayers more than US$200.0 million.

Diaz had said the Corredor Duarte II “is already designed but will be built by president-elect Danilo Medina’s Administration."

Diaz Rua reminded "that the tender to build the Duarte Corridor II was won by the Brazilian construction company Norberto Odebrecht, the same who built the Duarte Corridor I".

The official said that second set of works will complement the first to open tunnels in the east-west direction, at intersections of February 27 with private road, with Caonabo and Luperon Avenue, passing under the Plaza Flag until you reach Avenida Isabel Aguiar.

In addition, some tunnels under the existing avenue in February 27 but north-south, connecting the 27th Avenues with Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill and Maximo Gomez ". Corroborated by the present minister to make the announcement that in the coming days he will continue the Duarte Corridor project announced in February.