President Leonel Fernandez struck the first blow of a pick-ax to begin the construction of what will be Santo Domingo’s new port in an inauguration ceremony that took place yesterday. The project, called “The Revitalization and Enlargement of the Port of Santo Domingo” will require a US$400 million investment by Sans Souci Tourist Investments (ITSS), the promoters of the whole deal that is located on the port’s eastern shore. Lisandro Macarrulla, ITSS president, said that he expects the new enlarged port facilities to produce US$130 million in revenues for the small and medium-sized businesses that will provide services for tourists visiting the port on cruise ships. Public Works Minister Freddy Perez and Tourism Minister Felix Jimenez accompanied the President.
Macarrulla added that if the money spent by crew members while in port, estimated to be about US$70.00 per day, the total sum that would be added to the economy of the port would grow to US$150 million. The ITSS goal is to bring one million tourists to the port every year. In his speech, which was interrupted several times by electricity problems and a heavy downpour, Macarrulla pointed out that the project would provide jobs for 20,000 and put an additional RD$3.97 billion into the national treasury as a result of the VAT, property taxes, and payroll taxes. The project aims to convert Santo Domingo into the Caribbean model for service. Hotels, a 500-slip marina and a convention center are also part of the plan. A commercial center will be built on the land currently occupied by the Dominican Port Authority warehouses, and 200,000 square meters of land will be used for housing construction on the land currently used by the Dominican Navy.
Public Works Minister Freddy Perez pointed out that the project includes the seashore and adjacent land from the Eugenio Maria de Hostos Park around to the Alcazar de Colon (the Columbus House) on the western shore of the Ozama river and the Caribbean Sea. On the eastern shores the project includes the area currently belonging to the naval base and school as well as the land around Sans Souci.