The appointment of Ángel Estévez, former minister of Agriculture, as the new Minister of the Environment, has brought concern to environmental groups in the country as they feel will result in conflicts of interests. The new incumbent has ties to the import and production of fresh produce.
Leaders of the SOS Environment RD movement have demanded the continuation of the environmental plans started during the time in office of the previous minister, lawyer Francisco Domínguez Brito, such as the rescue of Valle Nuevo and the co-management plans in the Sierra de Bahoruco.
The SOS Environment RD press release highlights their concern that an official linked with agriculture would be appointed as Environment Minister, given that the main threat to protected areas is indeed agriculture that was prohibited in several protected area when the Ministry of Environment was under Domínguez Brito.
The legal financial declaration made by Minister Estévez in 2016 states he has a worth of RD$164.4 million, with invested capital of RD$620,000 in Eurosuministro SRL; RD$3.6 million in Tavan Caribe SRL; RD$2.9 million in Agroterra Dominicana; RD$30.3 million in Comercial Estévez , SRL, and RD$50,000 in Joara Import, SRL.
In addition, there were issues in 2015 when national parks were “kidnapped” by avocado growers, operating illegally inside protected areas, and at that time they were publicly supported by the then Minister of Agriculture, who is now on the other side of the fence as head of the Environment.
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Diario Libre
15 May 2018
