Attorney General Francisco Dominguez Brito recently announced the arrest of anyone caught soliciting the services of prostitutes. He said that especially in Puerto Plata officers would be alert in an effort to reduce the harassment currently experienced by visitors. A new controversy on the issue has come forth after a former mayor of Sosua, Vladimir Cespedes advised the Ministry of Tourism to be tolerant towards prostitution in the North Coast. As reported in Hoy, he said eliminating prostitution would be disastrous for businesses that operate in Sosua. He said that new hotels were needed to attract family tourism to Sosua because the only ones that are operating are Sosua Bay and Casa Marina.
In contrast, the president of the Sosua and Cabarete Hotels and Restaurants Association (Ashoresoca), Tomas Callendar was quick to reject the statements. “The statement by Mr. Cespedes demonstrates the level of ignorance and lack of knowledge of the situation of tourism today. Cespedes does not understand that his statements harm the very destination that we are working to rescue.” He said that 80% of the prostitutes in Puerto Plata come from other areas and mentioned that the new mayor of Sosua had attended an international workshop on Best Practices to Prevent the Sexual Exploitation of Children and Teenagers in Tourism and Travel, organized by the Ministry of Tourism, the Hotels & Tourism Association and UNICEF.
Calendar stated that as part of the work being done to eradicate prostitution in the North Coast, mayor Ilana Neumann has the firm support of Ashoresoca because she has shown a clear vision of what a family destination should be.
www.hoy.com.do/provincias/2013/6/4/483591/Funcionariopide-tolerarturismo-sexual