A mega-project that will affect both banks of the Ozama River could get underway this month. However, some congressional leaders are saying that the project that already has the approval of President Leonel Fernandez needs their approval. For over 70 years, many similar ambitious projects have been presented to transform the old port facilities and part of the Malecon on the west side of the river mouth and the Sans Souci area on the eastern side.
DICONFO company, represented by engineers Lisandro and Leandro Macarrulla, received a 40-year concession on the area from the Fernandez administration, and has announced the start up of construction this month. But several congressmen mention that Paragraph 10 of Article 55 of the Dominican Constitution says that the President must ask for congressional approval for any project that affects the public treasury or that will transfer property rights for more than RD$20,000.
The president of the Public Works Committee in the Senate, Vicente Castillo, told reporters from Diario Libre that he is aware that the government has already granted a concession for the mega-project, but that it needs to be approved in Congress. He advocates that the project be put out for international bidding, given its enormous scale.
Deputy Alejandro Montas feels the project’s construction could start without congressional approval. Montas feels that the US$350 million dollar project has to be looked at closely since valuable land that is apt for tourist development will have to be put up as a guarantee for the project’s investors. The project area also encompasses area on the Malecon from the Obelisk to the Don Diego Tourist Dock and the area around Sans Souci. The tourist dock would be moved to the east side of the river. The project calls for the construction of new port facilities, marinas and a new ferry terminal.