The Supreme Court of Justice ruled in favor of the Corporacion de Fomento de la Industria Hotelera y Desarrollo del Turismo (Corpohotel) in the Dimargo/Hostal Nicolas de Ovando case. The Supreme Court judgement puts an end to the Dimargo contract. Dimargo can now only claim a reimbursement for investments made in the colonial city hotel property. This leaves the way open for the completion of the hotel and its expansion, entrusted to the French hotel chain, Accor. The Hostal Nicolas de Ovando will operate under the Sofitel brand name. (10 April 2001) ———————————————————————— Caribbean Sea: a Peace Zone? Miguel Ceara Hatton, of the Association of Caribbean States, advocates that the Caribbean Sea be declared a Peace Zone. The 2.5 million square meter body of water, the second largest sea in the world, is an important navigation route for cruise ships, cargo ships, petroleum tankers and garbage transport ships. Ceara warns the regional governments of the high-risk potential of this kind of traffic. He said given the fact that tourism revenues represent the main source of income for 24 of 37 Caribbean nations, special attention should be given to the sea. He says the present international rulings are not enough to provide protection to the area. He said governments should consider the Caribbean Sea an essential part of their national security policies and the axis of their foreign policies. (10 April 2001)
