During the four-hour Mejia government council held in Puerto Plata on Sunday, 18 March, the following announcements were made: Construction of 5,000 pre-fabricated dwellings, a RD$900 million investment. Dwellers in Los Tablones, Charamicos, Las Piedras and Loma Isabel de Torres slum neighborhoods would be relocated to the new houses. 55,000 square meter water park to be built by private business in Cofresí. US$15 million investment. 99 megawatt wind turbine energy park in Guzmancito, a US$96.5 million private investment. Cruiseship port US$25 million private investment. Puerto Plata declared Cultural and Artistic Tourism Pole. Chocolatera factory installations transferred to the Ministry of Education. Work started on construction of the La Isabela-El Castillo highway. Work started on the improvement of the panoramic Gurabo, Santiago-Puerto Plata highway (Carretera Turistica). Government to study private offer for expansion to eight lanes of the Navarette-Puerto Plata highway. President open to negotiate transfer of golf course and other Playa Dorada properties to private sector. Work on illumination of Altamira tunnel. Paving of streets of Sosua. Presentation of development plans for Puerto Plata by the architectural offices of Miguel Vila and Imbert & Dominguez. Government to purchase house where General Gregorio Luperon lived in Puerto Plata. Start of plan to restore of Fortaleza San Felipe, Puerto Plata Lighthouse, hospital used during first US military occupation and army fort built during Trujillo time. (19 March 2001)
