Former National Parks director Omar Ramirez Tejada says that when he was at the head of the agency, he certified that the controversial land plot 24A of La Altagracia province, where hotel construction has been announced, was within the then National Park of the East, today National Cotubanamá Park. He says the certification establishes that no infrastructure can be built in the area.
Ramírez said the certification was issued to correct a previous certification signed by himself on 1 October 1997 that had stated that the plot was 300 meters outside of the protected area.
Ramírez says that the first of the rectifications was issued on 22 May 1998. At the time, the Ministry notified to Norka Espaillat Bencosme, legal representative for the company Corsario, C. por A., of the Canadian Charles Thomas Ogryzlo, then owner of the land, that this plot was part of the Parque Nacional del Este. She was referred to go to the General National Assets Agency (Bienes Nacionales) to seek economic compensation because the land had been declared of public utility.
He added that later, on 29 July 1999, the Legal Advisor of the Presidency requested a report on the status of parcel 24A, in which it was established that the land in question did indeed belong to the Parque Nacional del Este. He indicated that both clarifications were made before October 2000, when the company Globalia said it had bought the land from the company Corsario.
“Globalia, of Juan José Hidalgo, must find out who sold him the land and perhaps did not offer him all the information, and disassociate me in my management at the National Parks Agency from the whole process of buying and selling that parcel,” Ramírez said, warning that if this is not the case, he reserves the right to take legal action.
The construction of the Leaf Bayahibe, a proposed luxury development of 96 cabañas in the beach plot, was announced at the Madrid Fitur trade show this 2020. The development has the backing of the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Environment. After environmentalists objected the constructed, the Presidency ordered that a commission head by Presidency Minister Gonzalo Montalvo, legal advisor to the President Flavio Darío Espinal and Environment Minister Angel Estevez prepare a report on the legalities that have led to the granting of permission for the exploitation of the hotel.
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Hoy
El Dia
3 February 2020