El Caribe dedicates its front-page story today to the changes the Senate has made to authorize commercial development of large areas of national parklands. On Tuesday, the Senate voted to reform 24 articles of the original bill prepared by the Ministry of Environment and introduced changes that are being rejected by environmentalists. The changes affects the protected limits of the Pomier Caves in South-Western San Cristobal, the Dunes of Las Calderas in Peravia (Bani), Playa Blanca in Azua, the Macao and Boca de Yuma (in the East) rivers, and especially the Bahia Las Aguilas in Pedernales and the National Park of the East.
Furthermore, El Caribe reports that among the modifications is one that would curtail the role of the Ministry of Environment, leaving it in charge of planning, supervising, regulating and controlling activities within protected areas only. The department would no longer authorize which projects can be developed, a direct contravention of what is established in Environmental Law 64-00.
The Association of Hotels of La Romana and Bayahibe protest the changes in an email referring to the ?mutilation? of the National Park of the East by the Senate and urging a nationwide protest. ?Apparently the ?investors? have become aware of the critical institutional moment we are living, and have blinded legislators with their talk of development for the country. The blinded Senate is using a full flame to cook this special dish that two or three ?wiseguys? have prepared, rubbing their hands together with mouths watering,? says the hotel association that has objects to the development of park areas. Lisette Gil, speaking for the hoteliers, urged that Dominicans not let themselves as a nation be blinded and instead repudiate the changes.
El Caribe has highlighted that President Mejia himself backs the relinquishment of lots 20A and 24A from the National Park of the East for major hotel development, representing about 60 square kilometers of park area. While the owners of the much-smaller Lot 24A is known to be Globalia, a company associated to Air Europa, the identity of the owners of Lot 20A lot has not been made public.
The newspaper emphasizes that Environmental Law 64-00, one of the first signed by President Hipolito Mejia at the start of his administration, expressly prohibits modifying the limits of national parks. Regardless, shortly after signing the law, President Mejia issued Decree 657-00 that excluded Lot 24A from the National Park of the East?s protected status. While the director of National Parks, Julio Cesar Urena, issued a document to certify that Lot 24A was part of the National Parks, Globalia went on to finalize its purchase. The newspaper says that in January 2003, President Mejia sent the Senate a bill to exclude both parcels of land from the park, a move that was met with heavy local opposition. Then in January 2004, President Mejia instructed Jose Hidalgo to go ahead with the construction of the Gran Palace Bayahibe Beach Resort on Lot 24A of the park. In February 2004, the Senate held hearings in La Romana to consider the opinions of various sectors on the bill to tamper with the park?s boundaries.
The law has yet to pass a second reading in the Senate prior to being forwarded to the Chamber of Deputies for ratification.