The Coalition for the Defense of Protected Areas considered “extremely unfortunate” the statement made by Felix Jiemenez who accused sectors of having dubious interests linked to drug smuggling, for opposing tourism investment in the Bahia de las Aguilas biosphere reserve area.
The president of the Academy of Sciences, Nelson Moreno Ceballos said that the government officer should retract his statements or present proof that environmental groups are linked to drug smuggling. He said that if Jimenez chooses to maintain his accusation, he should present the evidence.
“As Felix Jimenez should know, the Coalition for the Defense of Protected Areas includes dozens of organizations, such as the Consorcio Ambiental Dominicano, the National Hotel & Restaurant Association and the state university, UASD,” he said. In his opinion, the motivation behind linking drug trafficking to efforts to defend the nation’s natural and cultural heritage shows a lack of respect and is completely inappropriate, as reported in Hoy newspaper. He also commented on the opinion that the Coalition seeks to halt progress, stating that the DR only protects 16% of its national territory, including just 300 kilometers of coastline, out of a total 1,500 kilometers. “It is evident that our only intention is to guarantee respect for the few protected areas that still remain, which are precisely the backbone of progress in our nation,” stated Moreno Ceballos. He rejected that the tourism minister disqualify local environmental professionals to justify the need to hire foreign technicians to design the Development Plan for the Southwest.