Unrest in PRD and PLD in Assembly due to imposition of LF-MVM agreement

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.- The honeymoon that reigned in the National Constitutional Revisory Assembly began to crumble yesterday after the signing of the agreement between President Fernandez and the former presidential candidate for the PRD, Miguel Vargas Maldonado.

Unrest and anger caused among the assembly members from the PLD and the PRD that several points were agreed upon behind the backs of the blocs and on which there were numerous proposal for changes.

Some complained that they were not informed of the agreements that were reached regarding the issues of the Legislative Branch by the ideologues of the Leonel-Miguel accord; and that only after they had arrived at the National Assembly were they informed. The majority of the PLD assembly members withdrew their proposals and those that kept them, saw them crushed under the excuse of the agreement which was called a lack of respect.

This kept the work of the Assembly from going forward and only five articles were approved. The dealt with the Legislative Branch and the Assembly was called into recess until Tuesday, 2 June.

Article 64 says that "the Legislative Power is exercised in the name of the people by the Congress of the Republic composed of a Senate and a Chamber of Deputies," and article 65 says, "the election of the Senators and the Deputies will by direct universal suffrage as established by the law."

Moreover, the posts of Senator and Deputy are incompatible with any other function or job within the public administration.

Overseas

The Assembly rejected to include the election of senators in representation of the overseas Dominican community, modifying the proposal made by the Executive Branch in article 66.

It was reported that when the issues related to the Chamber of Deputies are heard, the overseas representation will be assigned.

Another article that was approved was article 72 that says that "in each Chamber it will be necessary to have the attendance of more than half of the members for their decisions to be valid."

The decisions will be taken by an absolute majority of votes, except in those affairs previously declared to be urgent which will need a two-thirds vote in the second hearing.

The presumption of a quorum in order to session, as proposed by the President, was eliminated.

Diario Libre