President Luis Abinader visited Monte Plata on 2 September 2021 to meet with select neighborhood associations. The President promised repairs through the Social Policy Cabinet of the Presidency for 1,000 dwellings this year.
The President also met with dairy producers and that complain of difficulties in competing with the import of milk from the United States under DR-CAFTA, as reported in Listin Diario. The President also promised to repair roads and low-cost housing for around 1,000 persons.
Zacarias Bonnat, a native of Monte Plata and winner of silver medal in weightlifting in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, requested more support to sports in the province. Monte Plata is known for producing some of the best Dominican athletes, including Bonnat and 2012 London Olympics silver medallist Luguelín Santos. Santos won silver in the Tokyo 2020 4x 400 m mixed relay.
Residents of Peralvillo and Cuance in Yamasa, Monte Plata province held a protest to remind President Luis Abinader they will fight the construction of a mining tailings dam in the province. Barrick Gold has located a possible site for the tailings dam at the Cuance River that would enable the mining company to expand its mining exploitation. President Luis Abinader visited Monte Plata on 2 September. The province is a major farming center, with a large production of pineapple and organic chocolate.
Farmers and Monte Plata community activists say they are not willing to trade their water for gold. The protesters rejected that experts visit the area to conduct environmental and feasibility studies before making recommendations for the tailing dam location.
They demanded that the President speak up clear about the intentions of Barrick Gold to build a tailing dam in river waters that flow through Monte Plata.
Last year, the Catholic Church proposed instead that micro-dams be built to contain the waters of the Ozama, Isabela, Guanuma, Pantoa and Yamasa rivers to use this water for drinking and farm purposes.
The protestors said they were not allowed to enter the sports arena where President Abinader would speak and waited outdoors with their protest.
Read more in Spanish:
Listin Diario
Hoy
Diario Libre
Acento
3 September 2021