For their Esta Noche con Mariasela evening variety TV program, Mariasela Alvarez and Diana Lora interviewed municipal legal expert Waldys Jaquez and garbage recycling specialist Jorge Rizek to better understand the reasons behind the present crisis at the garbage dumpsite for Greater Santo Domingo. That same evening, dense smog had covered Greater Santo Domingo.
Jaquez explained that Japan had installed the landfill for operation by its technicians and a team of trained Dominicans in 1997. At the time, recycling was not considered because the Japanese argued that Dominican garbage was mostly organic. He said, unfortunately, that operation was disbanded in 2007, coinciding with the division of the city of Santo Domingo into four municipalities. The landfill fell under the administration of Santo Domingo North.
Jaquez explained that a tender was held and the management was awarded to Lajun Corporation that argued it would make needed investments to enable recycling and the use of methane to generate energy. He said that was the turning point for the landfill to become merely a dumpsite.
He said the conflicts of interest throughout the years would result in the company changing hands five times from 2007-2015. He said the change in administration would usually coincide with a fire or chaos. The situation worsened to the point that in 2017, the Superior Administrative Court (TSA) annulled the contract on grounds of irregularity. The Foundation for Institutionalism and Justice (Finjus) and the Adoco submitted the case to the TSA. The TSA awarded the management of the dumpsite to a commission made up by the ministries of Environment, Public Health and the Santo Domingo North Municipality.
Jaquez says that was has been missing is the political will so that the State Sugar Council (CEA) can certify the land sale is fraudulent. The Attorney General also needs to complete the investigation and issue a legal opinion on grounds of documentation it has already received. He said President Danilo Medina needs to order the CEA to act correctly so that a court can issue a statement annulling the fraudulent sale document.
Jaquez says that from 2017-2020 the fires and chaos at the dump had been under control. Both he and Rizek coincide that the recent fires were man-made. Jaquez remarked that the new chaotic situation coincides with the upcoming hearing of the case of the Jamaican owner of the garbage dump in arbitration against the Dominican government in the United States. Jaquez explains that if the State Sugar Council acted and the Attorney General acted correctly, the Lajun Corporation litigation would be just a case of the foreign investors against their local partners, and not against the Dominican state. Jaquez explained that Jamaican Michael Lee Chin alleges he has invested US$5 million to purchase the property, and has invested in restructuring another US$60 million for US$165 million. He is suing the Dominican state for US$300 million for being divested of a property of his ownership.
Jorge Rizek argues there is sufficient know-how in the Dominican Republic to adequately operate the site. There are organizations that are willing to provide the financing. Jaquez says the Inter-American Development Bank requires the situation of the property titles to be resolved. The IDB estimates that it will cost US$15 million to resolve the environmental situation of the Duquesa dump. There is an adjacent land where an adequately managed landfill can be developed. The proposal is for recycling centers to be located in the municipalities so that non-organic material can be removed prior to reaching the landfill.
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Jamaica Gleaner
6 May 2020