DECEMBER 2010

The Ministry of Tourism wants the same budget as Education

Through tourism, the country can grow in a sustainable way

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- The Ministry of Tourism, in an effort to avoid its budget cutting, asked the authorities to have the same budget than education sector.

In an article, entitled: Tourism vs Education the Deputy Minister Iris Pérez Arias, explains that education costs are a social investment, while tourism is oriented basically to promote the country through the world, with the aim of maintaining sustained growth in tourist arrivals to the country, which creates permanent employment for professionals.

Tourism should receive a significant institutional support since it’s an activity that has an impact on multiple sectors, she added.

Las Terrenas Live, 01.12.10

Marriages between tourists will cost 800 US $

Asonahores rejects this decision

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- The Association of Hotels and Tourism of the Dominican Republic (Asonahores) has described as nonsense the decision of the Central Electoral Board (JCE) to increase from 300 US $ to 800 S $ the cost of marriages between foreigners who marry in hotels located in tourist areas.

Asonahores president, Julio Llibre, said he immediately requested an interview with the president of the Central Electoral Board, Roberto Rosario Márquez.

Llibre said that the 800 US $ this institution is asking for is the same price that costs a tour package for a tourist to come and spend a week in the Dominican Republic.

That’s crazy, this is much higher than in the others countries, as Jamaica charges 60 US $, Cuba 30 US $ and Mexico, which is the country with the highest rate, 300 US $.

Asonahores president announced that he was waiting to meet the president of the Junta Central Electoral in order to discuss about this situation that could seriously affect the tourism industry.

Las Terrenas Live, 03.12.10

Samaná and the Environment

The point of view of Elsa de León, vice minister of tourism

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- According to the article published in this media, on November 24^th, the Ministry of Environment, said it did not understand the position stated by Tourism vice minister Elsa de Leon and some investors, who seek a disorderly and harmful development.

In relation to this article, I can say that the disorder and damage in the Samaná province are caused by the Ministry of Environment. Now it’s me who doesn’t understand, because the law must be applied equally to everyone, but the law of the Environment in Samaná, seems to be only applied to some people.

In another article, the Ministry of Environment, accused Las Terrenas investors to falsify Certification of No Objection, and I want to say this is not true, investors in Las Terrenas have never falsified any certification !

I think the Ministry of Environment, should be more careful and review its priorities. Official documents are only emitted by the institutions with the help from an insider. I wish I could justify the Ministry of Environment actions, but Samaná is simply beautiful, and no one notices the environmental problems we have in this province immediately.

These problems are a time bomb and have nothing to do with the construction sector, because there are so many requirements for a project to be admitted that some investors may abandon the construction.

I can affirm that the only personal interest I defend is that there are many environmental problems in this province, but unfortunately, these do not generate economic benefit to the Ministry of Environment, contrarily to the administrative sanctions it applies for alleged violations of the law.

If natural resources belong to everyone, the economic benefits obtained by their use should also be distributed to everyone.

A portion of these funds should be invested to educate people to take care of these natural resources. In our case, Samaná, is a province which has many exploitable natural resources (Waterfall, rivers, freshwater springs, beaches, caves, whales, birds), however, not a single penny is invested in these areas.

What does the Ministry of the Environment has to say to this province and in particular the town of Las Terrenas, regarding the disorganization, the visual and noise pollution, the pollution of the rivers Caño Seco, in Las Terrenas, and Pueblo Viejo in Samaná, and the excessive extraction of caliche ? These are problems of the Environment as well.

The source of income of Samaná province depends on tourism and construction, and both sectors have suffered because of the actions of the Environment Ministry.

In the municipality of Las Terrenas, 90% of commercial and residential properties are unoccupied, because the people who occupy them can not pay the rent, since they are unemployed. There are investors who have left the country in order to invest in other nations where It’s less complicated.

The Ministry of Environment must realize that in these times of crisis no one should be happy to see this money leave the country, because it discourages foreign investment. Samaná depends on local and foreign investors, who are our main source of employment.

To finally close this disagreement, I want to say to the Ministry of Environment, that Elsa de Leon, Vice-Minister of Tourism of the Northeast, is ready to work with this institution, as I’ve been doing 24 / 7.

Las Terrenas Live, 06.12.10

Greenpeace urges the Dominican Government to fight the hunting of humpback whales

25 000 tourists observe the whales each year

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- Greenpeace urged the Dominican Government to fight the hunting of humpback whales, around 900 of which visit the country every year, whose killing the International Whaling Commission authorized in June after a 20 year ban.

Greenpeace Latin America campaign coordinator Milko Schvartzman, quoted by Efe in Santo Domingo, said the Caribbean country joined the Whaling Commission in 2009, but hasn’t paid the annual fee of around 10,000 dollars which gives a voice and vote in the entity’s meetings, the last one held June in Morocco.

The lack of a vote allowed Greenland an annual quota of nine humpbacked whales during three years, issued by the Commission of 88 countries which regulates the hunting and other actions regarding their study and tourism policies that affect their populations.

To us it not only matters that Dominican Republic has voice and vote in commission but its presence in the organization is important because it’s the most important whale watching country in the entire Caribbean , Schvartzman said.

Samaná peninsula (northeast) has the Caribbean’s only humpbacked whale sanctuary, where the cetaceans visit every year to mate and birth.

Schvartzman said each vote counts in the International Whaling Commission, for which the Government’s presence in that forum is fundamental for their protection, because each one killed is one humpbacked whale less which comes to the Dominican Republic.

Commercial hunting of humpbacked whales had been banned since 1966 and since 1986 for subsistence, but in Morocco’s meeting Denmark managed authorization to hunt whales for the subsistence of communities of Greenland.

Las Terrenas Live, 08.12.10

Launching of the book Reinventing Pueblo de Pescadores

Produced by Miami University professors

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- The book Reinventing Pueblo de Pescadores (fishing town) was launched. It was created by the American architect of Dominican origin Carmen Guerrero and the architect Victor Santana, sponsored by the Dominican bank Banco Popular.

The authors are Miami University professors.

The book details six proposals for the town of Las Terrenas, illustrated with photos, drawings and models provided by Miami University students and graduates in architecture.

The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Elsa De Leon, said this work of the architects will be part of the plan that will be applied to the entire peninsula of Samaná, which could become the Monte Carlo of the Caribbean. She praised the efforts of the architects Guerrero, and Santana and of the University of Miami who also worked with the architect Luis Enrique Sanchez.

Las Terrenas Live, 13.12.10

Environment Ministry says the time to issue environmental permits has been shortened

From six months to 51 days

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- Environment minister Jaime David Fernandez Mirabal affirmed yesterday that in two years the time to issue environmental permits has been shortened from six months to 51 days, a 600 percent improvement.

He said the reduction has been possible with the opening of unified windows and the installation of a computer system in alliance with the United States Agency for International Development.

He said however that there’s still much to do, because the goal is shorten the time to an average of 30 days.

He said the goal will be met with the entry in operation of the Environmental Regulation Authorizations System, through the Logistics and Environmental Authorizations Agency (unified windows).

Las Terrenas Live, 16.12.10

Renewable energy workshop was organized in Las Terrenas

For small and medium hotels

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- The Swiss Foundation for Technical Cooperation (SWISSCONTACT) and the Association of Hotels and Tourism Companies of Samaná (AHETSA), organized and funded the workshop on Performance and Installation of Solar Thermal Systems, held from December 2 to 4, 2010 in Las Terrenas.

The maintenance staff was trained in order to learn the advantages of using renewable energy systems for the protection of the environment

The workshop was conducted by Swiss expert on renewable energy, Mr. Reto Rechsteiner and participants were encouraged to use this technology in order to save up to 80% on electricity consumption and gas.

This training was attended by technical staff of the following hotels: Coco Plaza, Residence Viva, Viva Bahia Estela, Amhsa Marina Grand Paradise and the Hotel Corte del Mar.

Enrique De Marchena made available the meeting room of the DMK law office in the town Las Terrenas, which hosted the theoretical part of the workshop.

Las Terrenas Live, 21.12.10

Foreign investment reaches US $11.8 billion in six years

The real estate sector leads the Direct Foreign Investment

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- During last the six years foreigners invested nearly US $11.8 billion in the Dominican Republic, mostly in real estate, mining and tourism, followed by retail businesses, manufacturing and telecommunications.

Energy, finances, free zones, transport among other sectors also posted growth.

Figures from the Central Bank and the Dominican Export and Investment Center (CEI-RD) place the real estate sector at the leader of the Direct Foreign Investment, with US $2.6 billion, for 22.3% of the total during the 2004-2010 period.

Las Terrenas Live, 27.12.10

Cold temperatures will remain until end of the year

Dangerous surf in the Samaná Bay

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- The heavy snow storms in the United States are the causes of the cold front that is being felt over a large part of the national territory. All this is being brought by a cold polar wind and is reflected in the agreeable temperatures that will continue at least until the weekend.

A low pressure system from a cold front continues causing higher than normal surf in the country’s Atlantic coast, for which the National Meteorology Office ONAMET maintains the warning for small craft to remain in port and possible coastal flooding in low lying zones.

It also warns swimmers against using the beaches until the waves return to normal.

ONAMET said the system will begin affecting the country tonight with a slight increase in cloudiness, scattered showers, and some wind gusts expected tomorrow Saturday in the north, northeast and the Central Mountains.

Today will be partly cloudy with light rains on the provinces of Puerto Plata, Santiago, Samaná, Hato Mayor, Sánchez, El Seibo and La Altagracia.

Yesterday, temperatures remained low with 16 degrees Celsius in Santiago 17 in Puerto Plata, 10 in Jarabacoa and 11.8 in Constanza.

Las Terrenas Live, 29.12.10