President Luis Abinader has a lot of issues on his plate but he is certainly betting on the success of his development initiative for the distant province of Pedernales, on the border with Haiti.
Abinader had returned the day before at 8:30pm from his participation in Switzerland in the World Economic Forum and showed up by 10am in Pedernales on Thursday, 26 May 2022. He was present for the start of construction on a new water drainage and sewer system for the town. This project alone is estimated to cost well over RD$1 billion.
The President pitched the first shovelful for the construction of a US$98 million tourist wharf for cruise ships in Cabo Rojo. The port would be under the Dominican Port Authority and would be built and marketed by the ITM Group that at present operates the Taino Bay cruise ship port in Puerto Plata. The Dominican government bank Banco de Reservas is funding the construction.
Mauricio Hamui of the Mexican ITM Group said the Cabo Rojo Port is scheduled to open on 15 December 2023. It is a project of the Pro Pedernales Trust, a public-private trust.
President Abinader also was present for the start of the infrastructure works to build a 8.3 km pipeline for potable water, and 9.2 km of sanitary sewage pipeline for the Pedernales area. The project has an 18-month timely and is an RD$1.18 billion investment of the Dominican government. The initiative also encompasses the construction of a residual waters treatment plant.
The initiatives in Pedernales call for the Abinader government to invest over RD$7 billion.
The enormous potential of the Pedernales beaches is behind the President’s move in the area. Previous to these efforts only the Sur Futuro Foundation was really active in what is regarded as the poorest corner of the Dominican Republic. During his visit to Pedernales, the President also announced RD$45 million in loans for goat and sheep farmers in Pedernales.
Read more in Spanish:
Listin Diario
El Caribe
Listin Diario
El Caribe
30 May 2022