Hudson County Community College Welcomes Dr. Milagros Ortiz Bosch, Former Vice President of the Dominican Republic

May 3, 2024, Union City, NJ – On April 13, 2024, Hudson County Community College hosted a community forum organized by the Dominican Consulate in New Jersey and featuring keynote speaker Dr. Milagros Ortiz Bosch, General Directorate for Ethics and Government Integrity. Dr. Ortiz Bosch spoke to over 100 influential Dominican business, civic, and political leaders from the tristate area. Her speech centered on the notable reforms initiated by the Executive Branch Advisor for Ethics, Transparency, and Anti-Corruption under President Luis Abinader's administration.

Following the address, Consul General Angel Pichardo gave a presentation to honor Dr. Yeurys Pujols, Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Hudson County Community College. The recognition noted his outstanding achievements in education, and exemplifying Dominican excellence as a role model. “It is a true honor, and I am grateful for the recognition,” said Vice President Pujols. “At HCCC, we take pride in hosting events such as this that foster critical thinking, and promote civic participation among our student body and broader community.”

Dr. Ortiz Bosch is an entrepreneur, lawyer, and politician, and the first woman elected to the Senate, Congress, and Vice-President of the Dominican Republic. Over the course of her career in public service, she has been a leading advocate in the fight for women's rights and participation in politics, education, legal compliance and the preservation of government's commitment to the people. From her early involvement in advocating democracy to the present day, Dr. Ortiz-Bosch's career in government has been marked by a significant impact on driving reforms and modernization within the country.

“Over the past two years, the Dominican Republic made significant progress in fighting corruption and improving government transparency, which has been recognized by international organizations and cited in numerous reports,” stated Ortiz-Bosch. “This progress is the result of the government's political will to depoliticize the state while strengthening the independence of the judiciary and the Public Prosecutor, allowing investigations into grand corruption cases to proceed without interference. Additionally, the judiciary system is equipped with modern technology and is undergoing a digital transformation. It is important for the media and civil society organizations to monitor the justice system's actions in order to raise public awareness about the costs of corruption and to demand accountability for those costs."

According to the latest Corruption Perceptions Index from Germany-based watchdog Transparency International, the Dominican Republic is the only country in Latin America that has made significant progress in the fight against corruption since 2021. The Dominican Republic improved its score by three points and now ranks eighth in Latin America, up from 12th in 2022.