Waldys Taveras, a former city councilor for the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), said on La Cuestión radio talk show with Diana Lora and Patricia Solano on Monday, 21 January 2020, that the 17 January decree issued by President Danilo Medina to formalize the technical closing of the Duquesa landfill is not good news. It could cost the government losing the suit in a Florida court with the former operator of the dump, the Lajun Corporation.
Taveras says the government has yet to contest the title for Duquesa land held by Lajun, the former operator of the Greater Santo Domingo landfill, despite clear evidence the land sale did not follow regular procedures.
He says this was up to the State Sugar Council (CEA). He said neither the CEA nor the Attorney General have not followed up and disputed the sale of the land to Lajun. Lajun operated the dump until it was taken over by the Ministry of Environment. Evidence has shown there were irregularities in the congressional authorization of the sale of the land of the State Sugar Council to Lajun.
Taveras said until the government claims the land, Lajun can continue to claim that it owns the land. The ownership is the base of a legal case the company has against the Dominican government.
Taveras says the decree benefits those who are suing the state. He said the decree gives those suing a legal document to help them win the suit in a Florida court for compensation for their eviction from their private property. They are demanding US$300 million in benefits for the violation of private property.
A study by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) says the remediation of the landfill will cost more than US$14 million to recover the area, not taking into account the high cost of treating the landfill leachate.
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La Cuestion
Lajun case
Jamaica Gleaner
22 January 2020