Here is information on the on going problem of sand being taken from the beaches in Gaspar Hern?ndez.
In October, a letter of complaint was delivered to the Secretary of the Environment, Jaime David, in the capital. His department rejected the application by the Sindicato (trucker?s union) for a new permit to remove sand from Las Canas. Everything was quiet for about two weeks and, just when we thought we had a victory on our hands, the Sindicato somehow managed to obtain a new permit in Puerto Plata giving them permission to remove sand until Christmas.
Some of us have our own theories as to how this new permit may have been obtained. It does seem a bit strange for officials in Puerto Plata to issue a permit for the removal of sand in Espaillat ? sort of like New York issuing a permit for the removal of sand in Pennsylvania. The Sindicato is trying to calm people in Las Canas by reminding them that the permit is only good until Christmas... But, we?ve heard that story many times before.
Further complaints to the capital have fallen on deaf ears. While we have been told that the government sees this as an important issue, especially in light of recent high profile shut-downs of sand trucks in Bani, nobody seems to want to do anything about it.
As of now, we are seeing 40-60 trucks per day and the road is impassable without a 4-wheel drive.
The following is some basic math that shows what is happening.
https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=1ebd52e8a8&view=att&th=11db6621354dd265&attid=0.1&disp=vah&zw
In October, a letter of complaint was delivered to the Secretary of the Environment, Jaime David, in the capital. His department rejected the application by the Sindicato (trucker?s union) for a new permit to remove sand from Las Canas. Everything was quiet for about two weeks and, just when we thought we had a victory on our hands, the Sindicato somehow managed to obtain a new permit in Puerto Plata giving them permission to remove sand until Christmas.
Some of us have our own theories as to how this new permit may have been obtained. It does seem a bit strange for officials in Puerto Plata to issue a permit for the removal of sand in Espaillat ? sort of like New York issuing a permit for the removal of sand in Pennsylvania. The Sindicato is trying to calm people in Las Canas by reminding them that the permit is only good until Christmas... But, we?ve heard that story many times before.
Further complaints to the capital have fallen on deaf ears. While we have been told that the government sees this as an important issue, especially in light of recent high profile shut-downs of sand trucks in Bani, nobody seems to want to do anything about it.
As of now, we are seeing 40-60 trucks per day and the road is impassable without a 4-wheel drive.
The following is some basic math that shows what is happening.
https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=1ebd52e8a8&view=att&th=11db6621354dd265&attid=0.1&disp=vah&zw