Environment Minister Francisco Dominguez Brito, told El Nacional reporters on Wednesday, 18 January 2017 that the Valle Nuevo National Park has suffered “irreparable” damage. He said, however, that the Ministry was working to return this protected area to its former splendor. As he took part in a brunch organized by the National Network of Business Support of Environmental Protection, the Minister said that he hopes that there will be no violence when the 120-day grace period ends on 29 January.
“Everything is going according to plan, everything is going according to the procedures which we talked about, it is simply not possible to delay this decision and as a result we expect that everything will occur as orderly as possible,” he said.
Dominquez Brito suggested that talks are ongoing with individuals and sectors that may be affected by the government’s decision, but to continue farming in Valle Nuevo “is not open to discussion.”
The Minister said that because of the cold weather that occurs in the area it is almost impossible to reforest the Valle Nuevo area.
Likewise the official guaranteed that as soon as the process in Valle Nuevo is finished, the other protected areas that will be looked after by the Ministry are the Sierra of Bahoruco and Los Haitises. He expressed his appreciation for the assistance the private sector is providing to the environment.
19 January 2017
