An addendum sent to the president of the Senate on 8 July would reform the previously submitted Sectoral Bill on Protected Areas. This supplement would remove 53.5 kilometers of National Jaragua Park beach land, including Bahia de las Aguilas, for its conversion into what is called a National Recreational Area, a category such as that held by Boca Chica. This status change for Bahia de las Aguilas would enable the construction of hotels right on the beach.
Congress passed the Sectoral Protected Areas Bill on 19 May, despite widespread opposition from tourism promoters, environmental advocates, civic society, foreign embassies (US, Canada, EU, UK, among others), and international environmental and scientific organizations. The bill?s text held such major problems and errors that President Mejia abstained from publishing it and on 28 May returned it to Congress with new observations. But on 8 July, the President sent an addendum to exclude 18 kilometers of the Cabo Rojo-Pedernales beach land, 11.5 kilometers of Bahia de las Aguilas, 14 kilometers of Larga and 10 kilometers of Costinilla beach, all in the Jaragua National Park, in the southwest.
Environmental activist Adolfo Lopez of the Association of Hotels of Bayahibe says there are major inaccuracies in the cartographic limits posted in the 8 July addendum.
Ivonne Arias, as the spokesperson for the Grupo Jaragua environmental group and the Coalition for the Defense of Protected Areas, said the change in category from protected area to recreational area was done expressly so that hotels can be built in that area. She argued that the country would get more out of the area by conserving it as a biosphere reserve. She said support could be obtained from UNESCO to integrate the communities into the management of the fragile environmental area.
The Coalition for the Defense of Protected Areas objects that this is in addition to the 12.5 kilometers of National Park of the East beach land that the President has requested be removed from protected area status. The Coalition explains that the price per square meter of beach land in established tourist zones stands at approximately US$100. By using national park land, these lands can be had cheaply, and sold at market prices.
El Caribe says that the lots 24-A (300,000 m2), 24-B (300,000 m2), 20-A (2 million m2), 25 (3 million m2), 6 (1.5 million m2), 13 (1.5 million m2) could represent nearly US$1.5 billion in profits for those who claim ownership.
Arias urged that the new government heed recommendations made by the environmental groups and alerted that several law firms are investigating the sale of the lands in the protected areas. ?Those involved in land speculation deals will be taken to court,? she said.
Ecologist Luis Carvajal urged that businessman Jose Armando Bermudez and the owners of the Central Romana contribute to the consolidation of the National System of Protected Areas by ?denying their support to the dismemberment of the National Park of the East coastal zone.?
This month, Juan Jose Hidalgo, the owner of Air Europa, gave in to mounting international pressure and announced that would desist from developing a strip of protected-status land that he had purchased for the construction of a resort hotel with the approval of President Hipolito Mejia.