Dominican Republic audits reveal financial irregularities in state ministries

Audits conducted by the Contraloría General de la República in the Dominican Republic have revealed several financial and administrative irregularities across multiple government institutions.

The Ministry of Women failed to publish 48 payrolls between September 2021 and December 2024, totaling RD$11.8 million, which violates transparency and internal control regulations. Additionally, the ministry showed a budget underutilization of approximately RD$598.5 million during the audited period.

An audit of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MESCYT) identified 30 missing vehicles with a book value of over RD$4.7 million. The ministry also faced RD$737.8 million in accounts payable, with RD$385 million being more than two years overdue. Other findings included inventory discrepancies of 17,402 units and issues with employee documentation.

Furthermore, the Presidential Social Assistance Plan (PASP) reported a budget underutilization of RD$1.55 billion during 2023 and 2024. While the audit did not state that funds were misappropriated, it noted a lack of specific explanation regarding why these programmed resources were not executed.