Flap reveals mistrust between ruling party, big business

Santo Domingo.- Senator and general secretary the ruling PLDparty Reinaldo Pared on Thursday railed against the critique from American Chamber of Commerce president GustavoTavares, who said as legislators they must approve legislation by consensus andtransparently.

"What he cannot say, as before, is that businesssectors are blackmailed or that legislations have been sold from here," Paredsaid,

Pared said the senators were elected in their respective districts,"and that’s the population we’re beholden to, and we will not cede thepowers that the Constitution and laws give us."

"In a congress led by the PLD that has never occurred;that initiatives were sold; that should be important to him.”

Pared said the upper chamber has neither hastily debated norsteamrolled an initiative. “I don’t think the attacks from Tavares are due to amedia campaign against the Congress. I don’t think anything has been done to repent.I don’t think anything wrong has been done.”