President Danilo Medina visited San Jose de las Matas yesterday, Sunday 18 January 2015 to share new expanded business ventures with local small-scale business owners. Roads have been built providing access to two recreational areas, the La Ventana Water Park and Agua Caliente thermal waters at the Bao River. Pools have been created where visitors can enjoy the flowing river waters, and local businesspeople are being encouraged to invest in the ecotourism ventures. In the San Jose de las Matas area, 200 young people received scholarships for English immersion programs.
A small hydroelectric and recreational area, Parque Tematico Arroyo Hondo has been restored at the Inoa River.
A packing plant for fruits and vegetables for export was also opened at the Sierra Farmers Association in Botoncillo with support from government small cooperative business plans that provide low-interest loans. The project has the capacity for packing 22,000 pounds of vegetables every eight hours. It will be used for 300 products and is expected to generate US$15 million in exports a year.
Minister of Public Works Gonzalo Castillo and Justo Guzman, who coordinates the President’s surprise visits, were present, along with Tourism Minister Francisco Javier Garcia, Administrative Minister of the Presidency Jose Ramon Peralta and Public Administration Minister Ventura Camejo.
The projects were coordinated by the San Jose de las Matas Development Association.
The Ministry of Public Works said that work has also begun on improvements to the San Jose de las Matas-Santiago road, and in February work will begin on the Sabana Iglesia-Caimito road, to complete a 240-kilometer circuit through the mountain area.
Tourism Minister Garcia said that cruise ship tourists arriving at the new Amber Cove port in Maimon starting in October 2015 will be given the option of visiting the ecotourism mountain recreational areas.
http://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2015/1/18/353018/El-presidente-Medina-inaugura-varios-proyectos-turisticos-y-otras-obras-eng
http://matense.net/obras-de-parques-tematicos-de-san-jose-de-las-matas-pronto-seran-inauguradas/
http://presidencia.gob.do/noticias/en-vivo-san-jose-de-las-matas-santiago-municipio-eco-turistico-y-productivo
http://hoy.com.do/gobierno-inaugura-cuatro-proyectos-y-carreteras-rurales/