Dominican Republic Audit Finds US$1.8 Million Fuel Gap at State Bus Operator OMSA
GOVERNANCE · DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Key Facts
- —The country Dominican Republic. OMSA (Operadora Metropolitana de Servicios de Autobuses) is the state-run metropolitan bus operator based in Santo Domingo.
- —What happened On Friday 2 October 2026 the Comptroller General published an OMSA audit covering 16 August 2020 to 30 June 2024, flagging accounting, payroll and asset failures.
- —The numbers A RD$107.9 million (about US$1.8 million) fuel balance gap and RD$47.5 million (about US$797,000) in undocumented per diems, per the report as cited by Diario Libre and N Digital.
- —What it means for you No change to bus services has been announced. The findings concern how public money was recorded and are audit observations, not criminal charges.
- —Still open Whether prosecutors will review the findings, and how far fixes have gone. OMSA told auditors most issues were being corrected.
The Dominican Republic’s Comptroller General has flagged accounting gaps running into hundreds of millions of pesos at OMSA, the state-run bus operator. The OMSA audit, published on Friday 2 October, covers 16 August 2020 to 30 June 2024.
The best-attested figure is a RD$107.9 million (about US$1.8 million) gap in the fuel balance at the Las Caobas depot. Diario Libre and N Digital both reported it, and conversions here use RD$59.59 per US dollar (2 October close).
What the Auditors Found
The Comptroller General (Contraloría General de la República) is the government’s internal auditor. Diario Libre, quoting its report, said inventory movements differed from the ledgers by RD$204.9 million (about US$3.4 million).
At Las Caobas, spare parts were also off by RD$2.7 million on top of the fuel gap. Fuel dispatches were logged by hand, and the person measuring tank levels also handed the fuel out.
Both outlets cite RD$55.3 million (about US$928,000) in transport sold to three ministries in early 2024 but never booked as income. A further RD$96 million (about US$1.6 million) in supplier debts was overdue at the end of June 2024.
Auditors also found RD$43.7 million (about US$733,000) booked as legal representation costs, although the money paid for generator rental and mechanical services.
The books still carried RD$45.8 million (about US$769,000) for construction on buildings already demolished. Of nine plots OMSA occupies, only one was registered with the tax authority, Diario Libre reported.
Payroll, Per Diems and Contracts
The OMSA audit found RD$47.5 million (about US$797,000) in per diems, paid from September 2020 to June 2024, lacking result reports. Severance payments showed a calculated distortion of RD$126.8 million (about US$2.1 million).
In a physical check of 338 employees, 45 could not be located, Diario Libre reported. Fifteen staff also drew state pensions, and 15 more appeared on other public payrolls.
N Digital, citing the report, said ten contracts from a sample of 37 tenders went to firms run by serving military personnel. Diario Libre did not report this point, so it rests on one outlet’s reading.
How OMSA Responded
In its reply to the auditors, OMSA said most observations were “in the process of being corrected”, according to Diario Libre. It committed to fixing its accounts, regularising property and vehicle titles, and moving payroll onto the state personnel system.
The audit period falls within the tenure of Radhamés González, who led OMSA from August 2020 to August 2025, Diario Libre noted. No public comment from him had been reported by Sunday evening.
Why These Audits Are Public Now
The OMSA report was among audits released after President Luis Abinader ordered their publication. He acted after Diario Libre revealed that hundreds of audit reports had been kept out of public view.
The same release showed the migration agency could not find 150 vehicles, as covered in Dominican Migration Audit Cannot Find 150 Vehicles. Publishing the reports gives voters and lawmakers material they previously lacked.
What Is Not Yet Known
It is unclear whether the Public Ministry, the national prosecution service, will review the OMSA audit. Audit observations are administrative and do not establish that anyone broke the law.
The figures come from detailed accounts by two outlets, since the full report could not be retrieved directly on Sunday. It is also unknown how far OMSA’s promised corrections have advanced since mid-2024.
Sources: Contraloría General de la República audit of OMSA (16 August 2020 to 30 June 2024), published 2 October 2026, as reported by Diario Libre (3 October 2026) and N Digital (4 October 2026); Remolacha (4 October 2026).
This article was drafted with automated assistance and reviewed before publication. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief