President Joaquin Balaguer ordered the grounds previously occupied by a Barceló rum distillery on the bank of the Ozama river to be declared as being in the “public domain.” The 5,982 square meter area, according to the decree, will be incorporated into the “beautification and general clean-up” of the Villa Duarte sector, where the government recently constructed the Sugar Cane Monument. The distillery, most of whose equipment has already been transported to Barceló’s new distillery in San Pedro de Macorís, will be completely closed in order to stop the dumping of waste into the river. Negotiations are pending between the central government and Barceló & Cia for the official transfer of the land.