Environment Minister Jaime David Fernandez claims that Dominican and Haitian farmers are being contracted to grow vegetables in Los Haitises National Park for sale in Puerto Rico. Fernandez explained that these crops can't be farmed in Puerto Rico. Fernandez's latest comments come as part of his ongoing bid to protect the National Park, which is being farmed by squatters. Fernandez has declared the Park a national security issue and says that many of the country's rivers and streams originate there. Knowingly at odds with a series of business interest groups, Fernandez has made it clear that he will guarantee the DR's environmental safety during his tenure. Most recently he closed down three companies that were illegally extracting sand from local rivers and refused negotiate with the owners.

More...