JUNE 2008

1:30hr to Samana

There will be a RD $350 toll

Minister of Public Works Victor Diaz Rua has announced that the authorities will be opening the new 106km highway to Samana from Km14 in Santo Domingo this Sunday, 1 June.

The road cuts driving time from the current four hours to under two hours, a considerable saving with gasoline at around RD $200/gallon. Diaz estimates that drivers will save some RD $1,200 in fuel costs.

There will be a RD $350 toll, nevertheless.

The tollbooths are located at Las Americas, Naranjal and Guaraguao. Fees are RD $650 for buses and RD $860 for trucks. He said the company would be constantly maintaining the highway, and that security and an ambulance service will be provided.

The early opening on 1 June responds to public demand. Hundreds of vehicles are already using the road, given the considerable savings for travel. Road construction will continue, nevertheless, as it is far from completed.

Armin Garcia Acuna, president of Autopista del Nordeste, which has the 30-year concession for the road, said that while some paving and signage is missing, most of the principal structures are in place.

Construction continues also on the bridge over Rio Yuna, which should be finished by August.

The route by way of San Francisco de Macoris from Santo Domingo requires a drive of about 220 kms to get to Samana vs. the 106 kms of the shorter highway.

The Carretera Santo Domingo-Cruce de Molinillos was begun in Feb 2006. As reported in Diario Libre, it was budgeted at US $150 million, including US $30 million contributed by the Dominican government.

DR1, 02.06.08

Weather office still forecasts rains

Alarm weather for 23 provinces

The low pressure zone will continue to influence the weather conditions by producing weak to moderate rains, electric storms and occasional wind gusts over the Dominican Republic, informed the National office of Meteorology (ONAMET).

The organization announced the possibility of flash floods and landslides in 23 provinces.

The ONAMET issued a recommendation for the residents of the low zones close to the rivers and small valleys for the provinces of Montecristi, Valverde, Puerto Plata, Santiago, Santiago Rodríguez, Dajabón, Elías Piña, San Juan, La Vega, Monseñor Nouel, Sánchez Ramírez, Espaillat, Hermanas Mirabal (Salcedo) and Duarte (especially for people living close to Bajo Yuna).

While the Office maintains a weather alarm for Hato Mayor, Altagracia, El Seibo, Samaná, La Romana, San Pedro de Macorís, Monte Plata, Santo Domingo and María Trinidad Sánchez.

Al Momento, 04.06.08

Decision still not taken concerning the rockash

Fight for the defense of the environment

The Environmental Progressist Movement (MAP) deplored that once more one commemorates the Environment World Day and that the Dominican Justice did not punish the persons responsible of the introduction into the country of more than 50.000 tons of rockash in Samaná and Manzanillo.

The engineer Paíno Abreu Collado, coordinator general of the MAP, said that since 2002 the case is broken down in the courts and that no measures were applied to date, situation which causes the breathlessness of the environmentalists of the country. However, he said that the people who is fighting for the defense of the environment and the protection of the natural resources still believes that justice will punish the persons responsible of the introduction of this material in Samaná and Manzanillo.

He considered that a legal sanction would motivate the environmentalists to continue their fight for the defense and the protection of the environment and of the natural resources.

He affirmed that they have the conviction that the Penal Chamber of the Justice Supreme Court will impose the sanctions deserved by the former under-secretary of the Environment and the former director of the Harbor authority.

The case is currently brought before the Supreme Court of Justice.

Hoy Digital, 05.06.08

AltaVista in Samaná

1rst « Café del Mar » in America

The executives of Puerto Bahía made public the details of their new AltaVista project, which will enjoy a wonderful panorama on the Bay of Samaná.

Among the guests who attended the ceremony of launching of the project, there were the Tourism Minister Felix Jiménéz, managers of hotel companies and special guests. They were received by Juan Bancalari, president of Puerto Bahía; Jose García Armenteros, associate in the project and by the architect Incola Fina Fini, responsible of the design of AltaVista.

Juan Bancalari, while offering details on the project, declared that it was situated in a paradisiacal place from which we will be able to enjoy the one of most beautiful landscapes of the Caribbean.

He indicated that the first phase of AltaVista is composed of mountain villas, of apartments with sea view, El Valle and El Valle Alto, of the town house of the Marina and La Playa and of the hotel suites.

For all those who have a passion for the sea, he said that close to the project there are twelve of the most captivating nautical destinations: Cayo Levantado, Los Haitises, Playa Rincón, Puerto Escondido, Bahía de San Lorenzo, the Port of Samaná, Punta Icaco, Cabo Samaná, Playa del Valle, Playa Morón, Playa Bonita and Playa Cayo Jackson.

1rst « Café del Mar » in America

The tourist proposal presented by the company Puerto Bahía also includes the first « Café del Mar » in America.

The « Café del Mar » will propose gastronomy and music in very trendy and fashion way in all the most sophisticated destinations in the world.

AltaVista

The project will be composed of seven constructions with four levels with view on the bay, of apartments from two to four rooms with the finest completions and details, with vast balconies and covered car parks.

There will be also a head porter and room service, a fitness center, a Marina being able to accommodate up to 106 boats and a special quay to anchor the mega yachts measuring up to 150 feet.

The project will also include also an Equestrian Club of world notoriety designed by the Venezuelan Leopordo Palacios and the Mexican Javier Fernández, a tennis club, a Spa and a gymnasium.

Hoy Digital, by Yoany Cruz, 09.06.08

Altavista: A place created to cherish the spirit by offering the better of the life

The union of the Caribbean warmth and the European sophistication

This project is strategically located in a paradisiacal place offering one of the most beautiful landscapes of the Caribbean, the Bay of Samaná.

Place known for having the greatest concentration of coconut trees per square meter in the world, for its majestic landscapes of beautiful hills, for its superb white sand beaches, its crystalline water and for the privilege to welcome every year, from January to March, the visit of the humpback whales.

The first stage of the project, made up of villas La Montaña, of apartments with sea view El Valle and El Valle Alto, of the town houses of the Marina and La Playa and the hotel suites, is in phase of termination.

Puerto Bahía, in its constant research to satisfy those who like the blue of the sea and who want to enjoy a wonderful view on the Bay of Samaná since the top of a mountain, almost finished the first step of its construction : Altavista.

The sunset is a very special moment in Puerto Bahía, and it could be enjoyed with plenitude in the modern and exclusive atmosphere of the first « Café del Mar » in America thanks to its special gastronomic offer and its music which are famous in the most sophisticated destinations worldwile.

In Puerto Bahía, everything is taken care over, until the last small detail. Puerto Bahía, a particular experience !

El Nuevo Diario, 10.06.08

Rockash case

The MAP congratulated the sentence of the Supreme Court

The Progressist Environmental Movement (Map) greeted the sentence of the Supreme Court of Justice which returns the file of the people accused to have introduced more than 50 thousand tons of rockash into the country, before the Court of Appeal of the province of Santo Domingo.

Engineer Paíno Abreu Collado, national coordinator of Map, said that with this decision, the Supreme Court sends a sign of positive recognition to the people and to the organizations who are fighting for the safeguarding of the environment and the protection of the natural resources.

He said that the decision of the Supreme Court of Justice to not recognize the sentence which had been dictated by the Court of Appeal of San Francisco de Macorís, which had then discharged the defendants from their responsibilities, makes that this punishable act is made public.

He affirmed that the sentence of the high court is positive and correct because it answers the requests of the groupings that fight for the defense of the environment and so that one punishes the persons responsible for having introduced the polluting material in Samaná and Manzanillo.

Abreu Collado specified that the judges of the Court of Appeal of the province of Santo Domingo, who have now the responsibility to treat the case, will correctly interpret the law and that consequently the culprits to have violated Law 64-00 on the environment and the natural resources will be punished in an exemplary way.

Diario Digital, 12.06.08

Café del Mar in Samaná

The first destination in all America

The Autumn of 2008 Cafe Del Mar will inaugurates a new local in Puerto Bahia.

It will be the first Cafe del Mar in America, located in the beautiful place of Samaná. Cafe del Mar Puerto Bahia will be the first destination in all America.

Puerto Bahia is a paradise for all the sail boating and nature lovers and with Cafe del Mar will be a part of the entertainment in Puerto Bahia.

Puerto Bahia’s project has in the first phase a port with 110 moorings and 200 luxury properties, including villas, apartments and a hotel, all with spectacular views to the sea.

It has an exclusive spa, a beach club, an important commercial area and a Riding Centre of world class.

Source : www.cafedelmarmusic.com

New tourist complex

Angsana Samaná Bay

The Restaurant Samurai in Santo Domingo was the place chosen by the group Angsana Resorts and Spa to present its style and its services in Dominican Republic, with the residential and tourist Community in the famous Samaná Bay, proposed by Nexus RD.

During this evening, where met the principal executives of the companies related to the project, they formally launched Angsana Samaná Bay, the first five stars tourist-real estate complex of international category in the Samaná Bay.

El Listín Diario, by Jhanyl Moreta, 16.06.08

Tourist war in Dominican Republic

Associated Press blunder

Why if the public warning of the United States to its citizens who travel to Dominican Republic is from 2005, the embassy of this country in Santo Domingo did not make a denial through an official statement ?

If an agency like the Associated Press, AP diffuses as actual a warning document, the ideal would have been that it made a public denial through the same agency, or by a press document and not through a very discrete visit to the chief of the National police force.

It is probable that the civil servants of the embassy answer diplomatic requirements that we are unaware of. The representation of this nation gave explanations to our authorities. However, we think that publishing this information was not a responsible attitude.
And until now, AP still not present excuses for the generated damages.

Moreover, it was then checked that it was not a reliable information because it did not include in its official statement the positive evaluations on the Dominican Republic contained in the US official document, nor on the position of this nation with regard to security in comparison with other countries of the area.

One can thus conclude that the diffusion which dates of three years, moderated by the non diffusion of all its analyses, answers to what seems a tourist war in the area.

In Latin America there are several tourist centers, and among them, Dominican Republic is one of the most powerful and attractive.

To diffuse negative images and information of our country could be an excellent windfall for our competitors.

To publish old images of violence having occurred years ago or old information would be a manner for designating our tourist destination as a high risk place and the effects could be catastrophic for the future of the national economy.

It should not be denied that we have security issues, that this security must be improved including in the centers visited by the tourists, but we are not stupid, tourism is a business, there is competition and within this competition, there are those who are willing to use any weapon, including the diffusion of negative information.

I do not believe that it is in the interest of the United States or of some of its organizations.

Do not forget that the great tourist businesses of the world have great investments in communication, and this is not for nothing.

Diario Digital, by José Tejada Gómez, 19.06.08

Fondesa will grant credits for SME of Samaná

Solidarity

Funds for the Development (Fondesa), non-profit-making organization created by the Association for the Development of the Cibao in 1982, guarantees the financing to contractors and chiefs of small and medium-size companies and has 19.600 customers and a wallet of loans of 600 million pesos.

Fondesa is an organization directed towards the financing of the micro-companies and is transformed into the « friendly hand » for these contractors interested to develop a real business idea and who by their economic condition don’t have access to the official banks.

At the time of his visit in Listín Diario, president of Fondesa, Cristian Reyna, said that 36% of the funds granted by Fondesa went to women of Cibao, since this ONG is located in 20 localities of this area (Bonao, Cotuí, La Vega, San Francisco de Macorís, Jarabacoa andSantiago, among others).

But next year, Fondesa will extend its branches to Samaná and then to the East zone from Bavaro and the littoral to Santo Domingo to join the Southern area of the country.

More than 150 people, almost all professionals and an important number of technicians offer technical assistance which they present to a committee of preliminary credit to approve the financing, with as unique conditions the presentation of the the ID card and history of credit.

Listín Diario, by Cándida Acosta, 24.06.08

The emblem of Samaná threatened of disappearance

The « Church de Samaná »

The San Pedro church, traditionally known as the « Church de Samaná », is about to disappear for lack of resources to repair its infrastructure, which has more than one hundred years.

This church, which was built in 1905, is the only historical symbol which still remains in Santa Barbara de Samaná.

The church was inaugurated on this date by the congregation and the architect Tashy Green.

Every year this church is visited by thousands of tourists who want to know the history of the Peninsula. Every person who visits the region makes a stop in the only construction which was built in London and which was brought by boat directly to the port of Samaná for then being built there.

Unfortunately, today with its old benches corroded by the termites, the centenary church presents also broken stained glasses and woodworks deteriorated by the passage of time and the lack of resources to achieve what much calls a miracle.

The few reparations which were carried out were carried out thanks to the contribution of a million and half pesos given by the Secretariat of Tourism (Sectur), and by the private hotels of the zone, in particular the Bahía Principe which made gift of a half million.

During the offices of Sunday, we still can listen to canticles as well as some sermons in English language since the majority of its congregation speaks this language.

Samaná Live, Editorial staff, 30.06.08

The Dominican press

The American press

The French press