Housing Minister Appears Before Legislative Commission
Friday, July 25th, 2008
The ministro de Vivienda (Housing minister), Fernando ZUmbado, admitted to a legislative panle that the us$1.5 million dollars donated by the government of Taiwan that was to have been used to build homes for the poor were diverted to other programs.
Zumbado appeared before the legislators Thursday afternoon to give an account to a sesson of the legislative commission dealing with public spending. This is the first statement made by Zumbado to the commission, following his comments to the media last week that he committed no improprities.
The minister admitted that the Taiwanese funds were never used to build homes for the poor in Pavas in accordance with the stipulation of the donation.
Clutching a handful of documents, the legislator for the Partido Acción Ciudadana (PAC), Alberto Salom, grilled Zumbado on where the funds were eventually used.
The agreement that established the trust fund between the government of Taiwan, the Ministerio de Vivienda and the Banco Centroamericano de Integración Económica (BCIE), clearly indicates a us2.5 million donation. However, Zumbado was adamant that only 60% (us$1.5 million) was ever received.
ZUmbado is expected to make more appearances before the commission to satisfy legislators of their doubts over the missing us$1 million.
