In an interview in El Siglo newspaper, the new director of the Oficina de Patrimonio Cultural set forth the philosophy that will guide his work. The OPC is the government agency in charge of edifices considered part of the cultural heritage of the nation. The new incumbent, former Dominican Ambassador Cesar Ivan Feris to the Vatican is a graduate of the University of Rome with studies in conservation of monuments. Architect Feris opposes using major colonial monuments to install hotels in the Colonial City. "I do not restore thinking of tourism; I protect thinking of the Dominicans. The tourists will come when the work being carried out has scientific value," he explained. He is against taking a major historic building and transforming it to fit the needs of tourism. Nevertheless, he said that there are colonial edifices of a second category that can be converted into hotels and restaurants. Furthermore, he stated that the government will repossess colonial edifices that are being deteriorated by inadequate use by its dwellers. "When people do not want to accept that they have to live according to certain norms to use a monument, then we will have to use the public force to try to save that monument from these depredating persons and place in the hands of people who can give good use to our patrimony," he said. One of the problems of the colonial city is that several of the edifices are occupied by low-income dwellers that are contributing to the destruction of important colonial buildings. "We have plans to try to save all our cultural property nationwide, counting on citizens and on foreign investment that can come and follow our rules and our recommendations," said Architect Feris. He said that he supports the Interamerican Development Bank project that would provide funds to revitalize the Colonial City. He said the Ministry of Tourism, the Technical Secretariat of the Presidency, the City Hall of Santo Domingo and his department would participate in this project. They would form a consortium presided over by the Archbishop of Santo Domingo, Cardinal Nicolás López Rodríguez. He sees his office as one to protect, intervene, give value to and promote Dominican heritage, primarily historical sites. (19 September 2000)
