Millionaire gifts, artist presentations, Scotch whiskey and household appliances were some of the elements that apparently made up the “millionaire ninths” in the House of Representatives. From that wing of the Legislature they responded to the complaint and indicated that year-end activities did not affect the entity’s budget.
“It is reported that the budget of the House of Representatives was not affected to cover the costs of the event, since The celebration was held within the framework of the Well-being Plan that is built and executed with the participation of the Family Compensation Fund and the officials themselves, in addition to other entities such as the National Police and the National Army (with their musical orchestras,” Dolly Chica, head of the Welfare Section of the House of Representatives, said in a statement.
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Chica refers to a complaint published by the magazine Cambio in which it was stated that in the entity’s novenas gifts were raffled as trips to Cartagena, expensive liquor bottles, household appliances (ovens and refrigerators), electric skateboards, tablets and bonuses of up to one million pesos.
According to the House of Representatives, in the ninth no public resources were used and they added that the raffles were aimed at their employees at the assistance, technical, professional level and “never at the managerial level, nor at the Honorable Representatives.”
The December celebrations, according to Cambio, had been organized by John Abiud Ramírez, former mayor of Girón, Santander – remembered for celebrating the 15th birthday party with a show by Silvestre Dangond.
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In any case, the Chamber assured that the resources of the nation’s general budget were not compromised by organizing the so-called “millionaire ninths.”
During the Christmas festivities, a complaint was also made known that the Social Welfare Fund of the Comptroller General of the Republic allocated $486,050,395 for the celebration of its officials. The party included presentations by Jorge Celedón and Don Jediondo and the food for each attendee cost $102,000 (entrance, snack and cake).