He has two weeks on the job. Environment Minister Orlando Jorge Mera highlighted for a TV interview several of the Ministry of Environment’s main objectives and plans. Summing up: National Parks are for the people; enter the rule of law.
In an interview on Esta Noche con Mariasela, Jorge Mera said the Ministry is acting from the start to make visiting National Parks more friendly with better signage. He announced environmental education programs because environmental issues touch upon all sectors of Dominican life. He said the first virtual children’s camp to visit National Parks would start this September.
Jorge Mera says his main objective at the Ministry is to establish what is private and what is National Park land. He explained in his first two weeks on the job, he met with his staff, environmentalists and the key government officials in charge of land registration. A letter was issued to the Supreme Court of Justice president to instate new intra-agency communication and coordination between the Ministry of Environment and those that deal with property titles (Registro Nacional, Mensuras Catastrales, Administración de Jurisdicción Inmobiliaria). “One of the most important achievements of this administration will be to put in black and white what is National Park land,” he said. He stressed that “for once and for all we all know belongs to the national park.” National Parks can only be owned by the government.
Jorge Mera stressed he intends to comply with the law and enforce the law. He said he is working to strengthen and activate the two auxiliary bodies of the Ministry – the Military Service for Environmental Protection (Sempa) and the Special Prosecutor in Charge of Environmental Affairs. These entities will enable the enforcement of the law.
The Ministry of Environment under his predecessor Angel Estévez was criticized for widespread blatant violations to the environmental laws. Jorge Mera said on day one, he met with environmentalists to begin to establish priorities of actions at the Ministry to correct these situations.
During the interview with Mariasela Alvarez, Diana Lora and Camila García, he mentioned several environmental cases his office is already tackling. These include the avocado plantation in Sierra de Bahoruco, the drying of the Rincon Lagoon in Barahona, the Baní Dunes, Pedernales beaches, farming in Valle Nuevo mountain, aggregate mining near the Pomier Caves and recent attempts at privatizing land in Montecristi’s Morro National Park.
Sierra de Bahoruco
Jorge Mera said that he is aware of the situation with the avocado plantation that was allowed to develop inside the Sierra de Bahoruco National Park during the Estevez administration. He said he has not yet visited the area. But he advanced: “We are not going to allow appropriation of national park land for farming under the umbrella of the government.” He says the Ministry of Environment can act with its auxiliary prosecution and military services executing what the Ministry’s technicians determine is in violation of the Environmental and Protected Areas laws. He said the case is being developed. “We have a single direction: To reinstate the rule of law in the Dominican Republic and this means the enactment of the Environment Law and the Protected Areas Law.”
Laguna Rincon in the southwest
This large lagoon in Cabral, Barahona, is drying up. He said Ministry of Environment technicians are compiling information on-site to determine the reasons for the situation and to find solutions.
Los Tres Ojos in Santo Domingo
Contaminated water is affecting one of the water holes. He said Ministry of Environment technicians are analyzing what has caused this situation to correct it.
Dunas de Bani
The Ministry of Environment is working with municipal authorities and community leaders to develop an ecological route of the salt mines and dunes to promote tourism. He said this area will benefit from the strengthening of the Environmental Military Service (Sempa) and the environmental prosecutor agency that are in charge of actions to stop the invasion of these areas. He explained the restructuring of these teams is essential. “We do nothing at the Ministry by giving an order if the environmental prosecution and the military auxiliary bodies do not act in the same direction,” he said.
Pedernales
26 km of beaches between Cabo Rojo and the city of Pedernales in the southwest are identified for the development of 3,000-4,000 hotel rooms without affecting the area’s natural beauty. Jorge Mera said that the developers need to present environmental impact studies before approval of the constructions.
He said the beaches will not be privatized. He stressed that the Bahia de las Aguilas beach area is protected as a National Recreational Area.
He said that during the past weekend, he accompanied President Luis Abinader in Pedernales where they met with the civil society to identify the areas tagged for tourism development. The Medina administration delivered a Lemay Master Plan under review to serve as base for the development plans. Jorge Mera said that everyone understands the area cannot be developed Punta Cana resort-style as it has other characteristics. He said the project contemplates a boardwalk for Pedernales, docks and a station for the Armada.
Valle Nuevo
Jorge Mera says he is waiting to receive from his team the details on farming violations in the area to have the legal base upon which to act. “There is the Environmental Law, and the Protected Areas Law. Our role is to be the guardians, temporary administrators of that law. And we are going to act accordingly,” he said.
Cuevas del Pomier
There is concern aggregate mining can affect the extensive caves system and its invaluable heritage in rupestrian art. Jorge Mera says he has ordered an investigation into the case. He said he is aware the company has permits for dynamiting in the area. “We cannot allow the destruction of the Pomier Caves. We will do what we have to do to preserve this national heritage. Our role is to avoid that the caves be affected by exploitation. We are aware and I can ensure that we will be taking actions to protect the caves,” he said.
Punta Catalina
There is concern about the outdoor deposits of fly ash at the Punta Catalina 752 MW thermoelectric coal-fired plant in Peravia. Jorge Mera said it was one of the cases he had not yet looked into.
Morro de Montecristi
He said one of his government’s first actions was to stop violations of this park he had received in his first week on the job. The military service was ordered to act and the violations were contained.
Follow the story at:
Esta Noche con Mariasela
Esta Noche con Mariasela
4 September 2020