Opposition candidate slams Dominican Republic’s ‘lazy’ diplomats

Santo Domingo.- OppositionModern Revolutionary Party (PRM) presidential candidate Luis Abinader on Mondayslammed Dominican Republic’s embattled diplomatic corps, and called a majormedia figure and ambassador to Panama “lazy.”

He said the country has diplomats whose salary is even higherthan that of the President of the United States, “without working.”

Abinader cited an article by Dominican ambassador toPanama, the journalist Cesar Medina, on concern that the PRM might abstain fromthe May 15 elections. He said his administration wouldn’t have lazy diplomats, “likethat character.”

He said an ambassador shouldn’t abandon his obligations abroadto come to the country for politicking, noting that in Medina’s the case, ispaid a higher salary than that of US president Barack Obama. "Look, with thepoverty experienced by the Dominican people diplomats who don’t work and earnlucrative salaries in dollars cannot exist in our government."

Speaking at Las Americas Airport where he arrived after stumpingin various cities of the US, the presidential candidate also warned the country’sambassadors that starting August l6, the lazy diplomats "had best be prepared,because you’ll be gone.”

"What we want to say is that they should be ready becausethey are the first to go from our government,” Abinader said.

Votes in the US

The presidential candidate received at Las Americas Airportby hundreds of senior PRM leaders including vice presidential candidateCarolina Mejia, noted that there are over 250,000 registered Dominican voters inthe United States alone.