In a ceremony held at the Presidential Palace, President Luis Abinader formally swore in the management committee for the San Juan de la Maguana Botanical Garden, a project the administration has designated as a matter of “high public interest.” The initiative, established under Decree 38-26, is framed as a cornerstone for the province’s environmental conservation and scientific education.
The newly formed committee, headed by the Bishop of the Diocese of San Juan, Monsignor Tomás Alejo Concepción, includes top-tier officials such as the Minister of Environment, the Governor of San Juan, and the Mayor of San Juan de la Maguana. In his remarks, Bishop Alejo Concepción hailed the project as a “historic milestone” and an “act of justice” for the southern region, emphasizing its potential to strengthen the local academic and social landscape.
However, the government’s swift formalization of the botanical garden stands at a time when the Romero gold-copper project in the same province is still in the government books. People of influence in business and government are pushing for the government to ignore the environmental and health objections to the project, especially taking advantages of the lure of the all time high prices for gold.
While the botanical garden moves forward with full executive backing, GoldQuest Mining Corp. awaits presidential approval for its exploitation license. Goldquest promotes the plusses of its environmentally conscious underground design. Promoters have said they will use rainwater. Nevertheless, the project has faced significant pushback from local environmental groups concerned about the impact on the San Juan River’s headwaters.
The Romero mining project is located in the San Juan Province of the Dominican Republic. It is situated in the Central Cordillera, approximately 35 km north of the provincial capital, San Juan de la Maguana. The project, owned by GoldQuest Mining Corp, consists of the Romero and Romero South deposits. The construction would require major roadworks through national park areas and intense usage of water in a farming area. Environmental damages in the provinces of Monseñor Nouel (Falcondo) and Sanchez Ramirez (Barrick Gold) are evidence of what mining could bring, outside of the lure of wealth during the years the gold is extracted.
The Romero Project is a resource development gold and copper project owned 100% by GoldQuest Mining Corp. (GoldQuest) and is located within the Tireo property (3,997ha) of the Central Cordillera of the Dominican Republic, 35 km north of the provincial capital of San Juan de la Maguana. The project consists of the Romero and Romero South deposits with thick intervals of gold and copper mineralization.
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Presidency
Goldquest
25 February 2026