Let me try to break it down as best I can.
Regarding the CapCana project, I had the privilege of visiting the Juanillo area before it was developed, a very beautiful place. Several families of fishermen lived there and had a cooperative that ran a small restaurant. Fresh seafood was excellent.
These areas where poblated by manglares that have all been destroyed in order to 'urbanize' beach front lots. Needless to say the fishing in the area will suffer the fiushing coop has ceased to be and the area is no longer available for public visits. This area was protected as a national park pretty much like the case in Bayahibe, which will suffer the same destiny. I met a spaniard some months ago who was working with them in the contruction process and he described the process of de-manglarizing they used in order to urbanize. Now they may be trying to be "green" by preserving the ponds and cave areas but thats like cutting off your hands and giving you a band aid. Regardless, the damage has been done, lets hope they attempt to protect whats they left.
Bavaro and Punta Cana where areas much like Juanillo used to be. They got developed over a longer period of time, except there was no need to resort to a politician to get a piece of a park because 10-12 yearsa ago there was plenty of cheap land to go about in Bavaro and Punta Cana. The methods of construction though, where mostly the same, lots of de-manglarizing of areas beach front areas.
The shame, I think, lies in the fact that these areas that have been protected at some point or other by law and belonged to all Dominicans are being sold cheap as if no one would care or notice. Instead of paying the "market price" to land owners for land outside the perimiters of the parks, developers and politicians pact to un-protect these lands in sake of development and sell them for nothing. Thats what ahppened in Bayahibe. A particular note on Bayahibe, as an ex-landowner; the area is very cavernous, and rich in Taino remains. During the construction of Iberostar hacianda and other projects, several caves containing Taino remains where filled with concrete in order to hold the structural support of the hotels. Most of these findings (and hidings) where done by the construction companies who'd rather just fill up the cave than have to deal with excavations and archeology that no one gives a crap about in this island. That is also a shame.
The profits I would like to see, are not in $$ as an investor but in having an alternative to the AI scheme of tourism. Where whole communities, like Cabarete or Samana, benefit from tourism.