The Diario Libre reports that the remodeling of the Port of La Romana is sparking expectations for larger numbers of cruise ships calling at Dominican ports. The reconstruction of the wharf at Puerto Plata and the multi-modal port at Caucedo are also seen as excellent indicators for growth in the cruise ship industry. La Romana will have the capacity to receive cruise ships of up to 70,000 tons and will allow for the renewed visits by Carnival and Costa Cruise lines. The reconditioning of the docks at Sans Souci in Santo Domingo is continuing, where tour operators look forward to their completion. In a related story in El Caribe, the governor of the Puerto Plata province, former senator Ginette Bournigal, says that the provinces of Santiago, Puerto Plata and Espaillat must unite to push Congress to pass legislation favorable to the development of the region. For example, the governor said that while the Congress is happily passing bond issuances for hundreds of millions of dollars, for a highway in the East, nothing is being done for the highways of the North Coast. She warned that if the North Coast does not revitalize its offerings to tourists, soon they will have nothing left to offer. Miguel Jim?nez Messon, president of the Free Zone Association of Puerto Plata, explains that the proposal for a new proposed Tourist Wharf, along with the removal of the floating generators in the bay, will convert Puerto Plata into a ?mother port?, where tourists can fly in, stay at a hotel and then leave by ship. He pointed out that these types of tourists are much different from those that visit the all-inclusive hotels of the region, saying, ?They spend more, they like to go to restaurants? and they bring money to spend.?