SANTO DOMINGO – In a significant development addressing historical financial grievances, over 100 small and medium-sized engineering and construction contractors convened at the National Congress this week. Their mission: to urgently appeal for the settlement of outstanding state obligations for public works projects, some of which were completed as far back as the 1990s.
The delegation, comprising predominantly members of the Dominican College of Engineers, Architects and Surveyors (CODIA), is championing a groundbreaking legislative initiative. This proposal seeks to establish an exceptional legal framework, empowering the Ministry of Finance and Economy to finally disburse payments that the state has officially acknowledged but failed to deliver due to protracted bureaucratic entanglements.
During an extensive session exceeding two hours, the Senate’s Permanent Commission on Public Works heard compelling testimonies from more than 30 contractors. They elaborated on the severe technical, financial, and personal ramifications these delayed payments have inflicted upon their enterprises and family lives. The completed projects in dispute encompass essential community infrastructure—including road networks, educational facilities, and water supply systems—all operational and received by the state, often constructed under emergency directives or official requests yet never formally processed for compensation.
The human toll of this protracted delay was starkly highlighted, with contractors revealing that more than 20 engineers have passed away without ever receiving payment for their contributions, thereby transferring these unresolved financial claims to their heirs. Following a thorough review of the compelling arguments presented, the Public Works Commission issued a favorable report endorsing the initiative, originally proposed by Duarte province Senator Franklin Romero. Advocates underscored that the legislative measure prioritizes transparency and legal certainty through meticulous case-by-case audits, aiming to resolve a perennial historical liability and deliver long-awaited justice to professionals who have endured decades of financial limbo.