I noticed in the news headlines that the DR Gov.is trying to re-negotiate the deal they made with a Colombian construction company, who built the SD-Samana Highway. Evidently not enough people are using the highway and paying tolls throughout the year and so the DR Gov is responsible for making up the difference in $$$$ to satisfy the contract agreed to prior to construction. The road is wonderful and was long needed but I get the feeling that this contract was flawed from the beginning and someones pockets got lined. The toll between El Catey and Las Terrenas was always way out of line. This is another example of the DR Gov agreeing to terms that now they don't like. It's no fault but their own. They also built an airport at El Catey that has no US flights landing there. If you want to build tourism you need to make it easily accessible t o those who want to go there. There are more than enough hotels on the Samana Peninsula to support this during high season. I guess that is why that the predominant number of tourists and ex-pats are from Europe.