The government included lands belonging to Bay of Eagles in deal
The Academy of Science and the UASD call for Danilo to correct "Technical errors"
Diario Libre
SANTO DOMINGO. At least two parcels of land among those mentioned in the Special Power 7-13, in which President Danilo Medina authorizes the Presidential Legal Consultant to sign a settlement agreement with the supposed owners of lands in and around the Bay of Eagles, are included in the Jaragua National Park and therefore are part of a protected area.
This was established yesterday by the heads of the Academy of Science and the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, Milciades Mejia and Mateo Aquino Febrillet, during a press conference held in the UASD. There technicians from the institutions showed reporters and commentators a map in which parcels 215-A and 215-B appear within the core area of the park, which includes the Bahia de la Aguilas, nearly all of the coastline and other sensitive areas.
"This act (Special Power 7-13 of 15 January) recognizes parcels that are integral parts of the protected area, as being private property, in spite of having shown the illegal origin of the titles, the limitations and prohibitions that establish the ranking level in the SINAP (The National System of Protected Areas) and of the powers established in the Constitution, the general law of the Environment and the law of the Protected Areas," indicated Mejia as he read the joint document.
In the opinion of the members of these institutions, "it (7-13) gives the impression that because of a mistake, the map technicians of the ministries of Tourism and of the Environment, did not realize that the immense majority of the parcels of land cited in the Settlement Act are inside the core area of the Jaragua Park."
They recalled that when the announcement of the negotiations with the alleged property owners was announced, the government swore that "they would not touch even a centimeter of the protected area."
A call to amend the "error"
In this sense, the two institutions asked President Medina to amend the "technical errors," which emanate from this "incorrect map" since they convert the President into a violator of the law. They pointed out that "for this it is necessary to exclude the parcels that are inside the protected area in the Settlement Act, and avoid any bogus land title being validated in this settlement," the academics stressed.
The rector of the UASD, Mateo Aquino Febrillet, said that as a university they greet the decision of the President to develop the southwest region, but they feel that before this comes to pass it would be good that they listen to the positions and suggestions that seek to preserve the protected areas and that are in harmony with the development and the environment.
Remember the proposal
The UASD and the Academy of Science recalled that some 11 years ago, in a similar debate, their technicians created a proposal for the integrated development of the southwest region, called "Bahia de las Aguilas Tourist City," where the economic activities were compatible with the environment. It proposed that the hotel infrastructure be set up between Cabo Rojo and Pedernales, outside of the protected area.
Puig says the case weakens the government
The former minister of the Environment, Max Puig, said yesterday that the decision by the administration to develop the southwest region based on negotiations with persons under indictment by the courts, is the worst possible, since it "weakens and takes away the government's credibility."
"To say that they have to hand over the property to a mafia, lands that they obtained illegally and improperly, is to recognize that the state has no authority, and is the worst of all possible arguments," said Puig.
In his opinion, the government had other options, such as expropriation the lands outside of the Bahia de las Aguilas through a decree of eminent domain. "The lands of the Bahia de las Aguilas do not need to be expropriated because they belong to the state," stressed Puig, who in his tenure had to go to the Senate to defend the protected areas. He favored the development of the area, taking advantage of the proposal by the UASD and the Academy of Science.
They do not oppose development of the South
In a special bulletin, the Academy of Science made it clear that they support the integrated tourist and ecological development of the Bahia de las Aguilas. "Some sectors have attempted to present the Academy of Science as being opposed to the tourist development of this area....All this is false. If the preservation of the environment and the biodiversity make sense to us it is because they should be used for the enjoyment and welfare of all human beings."
This was established yesterday by the heads of the Academy of Science and the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, Milciades Mejia and Mateo Aquino Febrillet, during a press conference held in the UASD. There technicians from the institutions showed reporters and commentators a map in which parcels 215-A and 215-B appear within the core area of the park, which includes the Bahia de la Aguilas, nearly all of the coastline and other sensitive areas.
"This act (Special Power 7-13 of 15 January) recognizes parcels that are integral parts of the protected area, as being private property, in spite of having shown the illegal origin of the titles, the limitations and prohibitions that establish the ranking level in the SINAP (The National System of Protected Areas) and of the powers established in the Constitution, the general law of the Environment and the law of the Protected Areas," indicated Mejia as he read the joint document.
In the opinion of the members of these institutions, "it (7-13) gives the impression that because of a mistake, the map technicians of the ministries of Tourism and of the Environment, did not realize that the immense majority of the parcels of land cited in the Settlement Act are inside the core area of the Jaragua Park."
They recalled that when the announcement of the negotiations with the alleged property owners was announced, the government swore that "they would not touch even a centimeter of the protected area."
A call to amend the "error"
In this sense, the two institutions asked President Medina to amend the "technical errors," which emanate from this "incorrect map" since they convert the President into a violator of the law. They pointed out that "for this it is necessary to exclude the parcels that are inside the protected area in the Settlement Act, and avoid any bogus land title being validated in this settlement," the academics stressed.
The rector of the UASD, Mateo Aquino Febrillet, said that as a university they greet the decision of the President to develop the southwest region, but they feel that before this comes to pass it would be good that they listen to the positions and suggestions that seek to preserve the protected areas and that are in harmony with the development and the environment.
Remember the proposal
The UASD and the Academy of Science recalled that some 11 years ago, in a similar debate, their technicians created a proposal for the integrated development of the southwest region, called "Bahia de las Aguilas Tourist City," where the economic activities were compatible with the environment. It proposed that the hotel infrastructure be set up between Cabo Rojo and Pedernales, outside of the protected area.
Puig says the case weakens the government
The former minister of the Environment, Max Puig, said yesterday that the decision by the administration to develop the southwest region based on negotiations with persons under indictment by the courts, is the worst possible, since it "weakens and takes away the government's credibility."
"To say that they have to hand over the property to a mafia, lands that they obtained illegally and improperly, is to recognize that the state has no authority, and is the worst of all possible arguments," said Puig.
In his opinion, the government had other options, such as expropriation the lands outside of the Bahia de las Aguilas through a decree of eminent domain. "The lands of the Bahia de las Aguilas do not need to be expropriated because they belong to the state," stressed Puig, who in his tenure had to go to the Senate to defend the protected areas. He favored the development of the area, taking advantage of the proposal by the UASD and the Academy of Science.
They do not oppose development of the South
In a special bulletin, the Academy of Science made it clear that they support the integrated tourist and ecological development of the Bahia de las Aguilas. "Some sectors have attempted to present the Academy of Science as being opposed to the tourist development of this area....All this is false. If the preservation of the environment and the biodiversity make sense to us it is because they should be used for the enjoyment and welfare of all human beings."
Diario Libre
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