It is not such a bad idea to lease colonial monuments for the installation of bars and restaurants, souvenir shops and other businesses offering services to tourists. El Siglo reports that sectors that had opposed the leasing no longer oppose this. The Ministry of Tourism had favored the leasing of the monuments to bring new life to the colonial city of Santo Domingo and Puerto Plata city. This nevertheless met with opposition from restoration architects and other sectors that feared this would result in the deterioration of the national heritage buildings. President Fernández sent everyone to talks at the Casa Nacional del Diálogo, an institution created so that different sectors could air out their differences. The director of the Commission of Monuments, Juan López said that only 15 preserved buildings can be leased out. Hoy newspaper indicates that the monuments that could be leased include the Fortaleza Ozama, Fuerte de San Jose and the Fortaleza de San Felipe in Puerto Plata. The consensus establishes that the state will supervise the businesses, those awarded leases commit to maintain the monuments, and Dominicans will have access to the monuments. Architects participating in the discussions were Esteban Prieto, Juan López, Teódulo Blanchard, Gustavo Luis Moré, Salvador Gautier, Wilfredo Félix, Bárbara Suncar, Saturnino Cisneros and Omar Rancier. (9 June 2000)
