The Minister of Tourism, Felix Jiménez, told the press last week that a financial and legal audit of the construction of the international airport at Arroyo Barril in Samana showed irregularities have taken place. He said that the airport does not have an approved construction plan and there is no budget earmarked for the project in the Oficina de Ingenieros Supervisores de Obras del Estado, that oversees the construction of government works.
The Arroyo Barril airport was designed by architect Fred Goico, who was responsible for the Las Americas International and Puerto Plata International Airports. Airport construction began in October 1995, but the contract to build it was only signed on the last day of the Balaguer administration, 15 August 1996.
By that date, the government had already disbursed some RD$223 million towards its construction.
The builder is Jesus Rodriguez Sandoval who was involved in the construction of the second phase of the Las Americas airport and the expansion of the Puerto Plata International Airport.
The Minister of Tourism’s principal complaint is that, despite the high cost of the airport, it will not be able to handle the wide body aircraft that are needed to service the demand which will be generated by the some 2,000 hotels rooms planned for Samana.
There have been differences between the present government and the builders. Mr Sandoval said that the it owes them RD$25 million. He told the press that if the government provides the missing funds, the new airport could be in operation by the year end.