NewsWhore
10-23-2007, 05:20 PM
Deputy Minister Jose Manuel Mateo, the director of Protected Areas at the Ministry of the Environment announced his department has empowered the Attorney General for the Protection of the Environment to proceeed legally against the sale of protected land property by the Municipality of Bani in the southwest, as reported in the Listin Diario.
Mateo has clarified that Parcel 977 of Land District No. 5 located in Calderas de Puerto Hermoso in the municipality of Bani, under Title 3406, which the Presidency had authorized ship-building company Ciramar to use for their company's expansion, is part of a protected area within the Felix Servio Doucudray Scientific Reserve, known as the Bani Dunes, as per Law 2002-04.
He disputes information contained in an advertorial by Bani's Mayor, Nelson Camilo Landestoy, who originally stated that if this were proved, the deal would be revoked. Environmentalists also point out that the land is within a coastal area that falls under Law 3005, meaning that infrastructure cannot be installed there and the area cannot be developed for commercial ends. He said that ministry experts had met with Landestoy and used maps to prove that the property that was leased is within the limits of the protected area.
"It is unfortunate that after he (Landestoy) said that he would not allow the dunes to be damaged and that he would rescind the contract, for which he was congratulated, and now is pointing out something totally different. That shows inconsistency," says Mateo. Mateo questioned the mayor's advisors.
Regarding the authorization for the sale carried out by the Executive Branch, Mateo clarified that the Mayor's office did not request a certification from the Ministry of Environment that confirmed whether the property was within the protected area zone prior to requesting permission from the Presidency.
Mateo stressed that when appointed mayor, Landestoy received a mandate to preserve and care for the areas that are part of the nation's natural and cultural heritage.
In a paid advertisement yesterday, Landestoy had stated that the transfer of the property to Ciramar was conducted with the same interest shown by the President of the Republic to facilitate the operations of the company, which has a strategic value for the province and the country. He said the decree issued by President Fernandez had the support of the Dominican Municipal League, the Ministry of Interior and Police, the Administrative Secretary of the Presidency and the legal advisor to the Executive Branch.
Ciramar paid RD$10 million to the municipality for the deal that was authorized by Presidential Decree 450-06 to Ciramar International Trading Co. Ltd. Payment was received by the municipality prior to issuing the decree.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#3)
Mateo has clarified that Parcel 977 of Land District No. 5 located in Calderas de Puerto Hermoso in the municipality of Bani, under Title 3406, which the Presidency had authorized ship-building company Ciramar to use for their company's expansion, is part of a protected area within the Felix Servio Doucudray Scientific Reserve, known as the Bani Dunes, as per Law 2002-04.
He disputes information contained in an advertorial by Bani's Mayor, Nelson Camilo Landestoy, who originally stated that if this were proved, the deal would be revoked. Environmentalists also point out that the land is within a coastal area that falls under Law 3005, meaning that infrastructure cannot be installed there and the area cannot be developed for commercial ends. He said that ministry experts had met with Landestoy and used maps to prove that the property that was leased is within the limits of the protected area.
"It is unfortunate that after he (Landestoy) said that he would not allow the dunes to be damaged and that he would rescind the contract, for which he was congratulated, and now is pointing out something totally different. That shows inconsistency," says Mateo. Mateo questioned the mayor's advisors.
Regarding the authorization for the sale carried out by the Executive Branch, Mateo clarified that the Mayor's office did not request a certification from the Ministry of Environment that confirmed whether the property was within the protected area zone prior to requesting permission from the Presidency.
Mateo stressed that when appointed mayor, Landestoy received a mandate to preserve and care for the areas that are part of the nation's natural and cultural heritage.
In a paid advertisement yesterday, Landestoy had stated that the transfer of the property to Ciramar was conducted with the same interest shown by the President of the Republic to facilitate the operations of the company, which has a strategic value for the province and the country. He said the decree issued by President Fernandez had the support of the Dominican Municipal League, the Ministry of Interior and Police, the Administrative Secretary of the Presidency and the legal advisor to the Executive Branch.
Ciramar paid RD$10 million to the municipality for the deal that was authorized by Presidential Decree 450-06 to Ciramar International Trading Co. Ltd. Payment was received by the municipality prior to issuing the decree.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#3)