Francisco Domínguez Brito, Minister of Environment, was in Samana over the weekend inspecting Samaná beaches. He also visited several protected areas in the province and met with business, community and government authorities. On Friday, he visited the beaches of Cosón, Punta Popy and Playa Bonita en Las Terrenas to see firsthand the erosion of the area’s beaches.
The Ministry also reported Dominguez Brito observed cases where businesses have not observed the law that requires at least a 60 meters buffer from the shore to the business establishment. The Minister stressed the need to bring order to these public spaces.
He also spoke with the fishermen in Playa Popy about the need to organize the beach front and create spaces where they can carry out their work more efficiently and with more safety and convenience for their selves and their clients. At present, the fishermen sell fish right on the beach in back of the cemetery.
During the visit, he also met with representatives of the Samaná Tourism Cluster about taking measures to improve Samaná beaches as a tourist destination.
The Minister said he wanted to tackle these problems and provide solutions without long bureaucratic processes. “The protection of ecosystems and the dynamics of the beach are essential for sustainability of the tourism product, so that we do not kill the chicken that is laying the golden eggs.”
Domínguez Brito also discussed garbage disposal solutions in the tourism areas and proposed a dialogue with technicians of the Ministry to find solutions in the short, medium and long term. He said in an ideal scenario less garbage would be generated because most of it would be recycled.
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Ministry of Environment
3 April 2017
