President Luis Abinader was in Puerto Plata on Thursday, 28 January 2021 to announce efforts are underway as part of a Master Development Plan for the Touristic Zone Development of the North.
As part of the visit, President Abinader inaugurated the wastewater treatment plan in Luperón in western Puerto Plata. He said the effort is part of a National Plan for Water to give definitive solutions to aqueduct and sewage problems nationwide.
President Luis Abinader was in Luperón in western Puerto Plata on Thursday, 28 January 2021 for the inauguration of the wastewater treatment plant, a RD$320 million investment. Tourism Minister David Collado attended. The Executing Committee for Infrastructure in Tourist Zones (Ceiztur), the Puerto Plata Aqueduct and Sewage Agency (Coraapplata) were the active partners in the funding and implementation of the project.
The main objective is the collection and sanitation of wastewater in the municipality of Luperón, to serve a population of more than 20,000 inhabitants. The system operates by gravity. It will benefit the community and the hotels and tourist lodging in the area.
Businessmen Fernando Capellán and Ricardo Brugal participated in the meetings with President Abinader in Luperón. Among the projects discussed is the development of small boat tourism in Luperón Bay. Luperón Bay is considered one of the largest and most protected in the Caribbean region.
Abinader visited La Puntilla in Puerto Plata for the start of the construction of a RD$140 million dock for fishing people in Puerto Plata Bay. The dock is built where the old dock was built in 1918 during the first US occupation. Attending were Jean Luis Rodríguez, director of the Dominican Port Authority, and Mauricio Hamui, CEO of ITM Group that is building the multi-purpose port (Taino Bay) in Puerto Plata city.
President Abinader later met with Puerto Plata businessmen at the Hotel Emotions in Playa Dorada. Area leaders met to discuss the government’s Master Development Plan for the Touristic Zone Development of the North that calls for 40 investment projects, including the Costa del Ambar new highway that reduces driving time from Santiago. President Abinader was accompanied by Administrative Minister of the Presidencia, José Ignacio Paliza; Tourism Minister David Collado; Puerto Plata senator Ginnette Bournigal, among others.
President Abinader announced the creation of a Nautical Tourism Agency to develop an action plan to develop this kind of tourism in Puerto Plata and Samana.
Contemplated in the plan is creating the Route of Columbus, a historical corridor that would include the attractions in Santiago, Puerto Plata, and Valverde’s provinces. Real estate projects, theme and ecological parks, underwater diving and a 250-km coastal maritime route between Punta Rucia in the west and Rio San Juan (Cabrera) to the east is contemplated in the plan. The plan contemplates new projects in the municipalities of Puerto Plata, Sosúa, Cabarete, Maimón, Luperón and Imbert.
President Abinader said that a trust mechanism is available to kick start the projects.
Architect Shanny Peña, director of planning and projects at the Ministry of Tourism made the presentation at the Emotions Hotel.
During the meeting, Tourism Minister David Collado said that the pandemic has meant losses for the local tourism industry of around US$3 billion.
On Friday, 29 January, President Abinader is scheduled to participate in the Abraham Gómez bridge’s inauguration in Santiago province.
The President has on agenda a visit to the Hospital Cabral y Báez, the largest regional hospital in Santiago where the government has accelerated the renovation works.
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29 January 2021