Government invests over RD$2 billion in sports infrastructure with recovered funds
President Luis Abinader led the presentation of the investment balance of the Ministry of Sports, an entity that has allocated just over RD$2 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of sports facilities throughout the national territory. These resources come from funds recovered by the State following prosecuted corruption cases, transforming assets obtained illicitly into direct benefits for society.
During the event, the president emphasized the social value of these works. “When these recovered funds go toward a roof, they have a huge impact, since not only is a facility built, but a social, public, and sports area is created that fosters coexistence in the sectors,” Abinader stated.
A strategic plan for national sport
The Minister of Sports, Kelvin Cruz, explained that the investment is a response to a national survey conducted at the beginning of his administration. This diagnosis revealed critical shortcomings, including 26 municipalities that lacked sports roofing and multiple facilities with decades of neglect. In response, a program of 40 works was launched, which have impacted 15 provinces of the country.
- Investment of RD$713 million focused exclusively on the construction of multipurpose facilities.
- Intervention in 47% of the provinces of the Dominican Republic.
- Focus on the modernization of spaces for community integration.
The purpose is for every peso invested in this initiative to be backed by the principles of transparency, honesty, and efficiency, ensuring that sports serve as an engine for social development.
Kelvin Cruz, Minister of Sports
Transparency and savings in management
The execution process has been supervised by an Oversight Commission composed of figures such as Persio Maldonado, Milton Ray Guevara, Monsignor Héctor Rafael Rodríguez, Luis Mejía Oviedo, and José Joaquín Puello. This body has been key to ensuring that the bidding processes are carried out under standards of integrity.
Persio Maldonado, head of the Commission, reported that thanks to the transparency mechanisms implemented in the bidding processes, savings of RD$125 million were achieved compared to the initial projections. Maldonado highlighted the importance of this management as a way to turn negative situations into positive results for the collective well-being, reaffirming the Ministry of Sports’ commitment to the efficient use of public resources.
