The Deputy Minister for Protected Areas and Biodiversity of the Ministry of Environment, Angel Daneris Santana said that his department is ordering an investigation into construction works at the Cayo Levantado out island in Samana Bay. He said that the Grupo Pineiro has not received permission from the Ministry of Environment to increase the number of hotel rooms on the island. Hoy newspaper says that workers interviewed said that the plan calls for adding 160 rooms to the already existent 40. Santana says that permission from the Ministry of Environment was required because it is a protected area. Hoy newspaper mentions that construction is taking place alongside an island beach area. He explained that any construction needs a special handling plan due to the island’s natural characteristics.
The Grupo Pineiro has invested heavily in Samana, taking over majority ownership in the Gran Bahia hotel (103 rooms), long term leases of the Cayacoa (to be expanded to 223 rooms) and Cayo Levantado hotels, and the purchase of Portillo in Las Terrenas, on the north shore of the Samana peninsula.
The company recently announced a US$60 million investment in the purchase and remodeling of four hotels, with a total of 900 rooms.