MARCH 2009

Architecture of Samaná

An interesting amalgam of beautiful styles

BREAKING NEWS: Blue water beaches, green palm trees, smiling people, and beautiful twilights. The panorama of Samaná is enchanting.

Moreover, the inhabitants of Samaná have a very special way to build their constructions.

The amalgam of the races left here its traces in the language, the gastronomy, the folklore and also in the architecture.

We know that in the peninsula of Samaná, groups of emigrants coming from the Canary islands, from France, from the English islands of the Caribbean, Haiti and mainly from the United States. All these groups left their trace in the architecture, indicates the architect Esteban Prieto.

Thus, while circulating through the province, we can observe how Victorian constructions follow in time and space others of Afro American influence and temples of traditional ecclesiastical style.

A good example of these influences is the St Peter church, better known under the name of « La Chorcha », in the town of Santa Bárbara de Samaná, which was prefabricated in England and was transported by boat to Dominican Republic in February 1901.

This church is built out of wood covered outside by blades of zinc, a Victorian style, very used during these years, adds Prieto.

Victorian architecture

Prieto indicates that in the town of Sánchez, whose foundation dates from the last years of the century XIX, following the construction of the railroad which connected the Bay of Samaná with La Vega, are still very good examples of Republican or Victorian architecture, although in the last few years, some of the most beautiful constructions were demolished, like the house of Doña Trina De Moya and the Edificio de Aduana.

Popular architecture

The architect indicates that as for the popular architecture, there are several models gathered in three types, repeated with regularity in the whole province, all built with industrialized wood or boards of palm tree, and covered in all the cases with zinc blades. Among those, the most representative model is that of the rectangular ground floor with a frontal supported by wood columns.

Tourist architecture

With regard to the contemporary tourist and residential architecture built in the zone, we find very various types of constructions going from the minimalist ones, where the nature of the place is the protagonist to the traditional architecture, where one tries to concretize the permanence of the past in the present.

Samaná is a marble peninsula; a bay of labyrinths, cliffs, coves and beaches along the coast, which surround land and sea in an ambitious and universal way. Something important in the’ structure of the province of Samaná is that the height of the houses does not exceed that of the coconut trees which abound and which constitute the image of the area underlined Prieto.

Samaná Live, 02.03.09

They want to prevent the whale hunting

Marine mammals program

BREAKING NEWS: A work group of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meets in Rome from today to March 11, to examine the proposal which would possibly make it possible for Japan to hunt Minke whales (in danger of extinction) in its coastal water.

The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) wrote a document signed by the most important pro whales’ organizations of the world and which condemns the proposal of the president of the IWC, William Hogarth and the ambassador Álvaro de Soto, who works as special adviser.

The agreement suggested that it would give the authorization to Japan to hunt whales in its coastal water, in exchange of a « reduction » of its camouflaged program of scientific hunting in the South Sea whales’ sanctuary.

The document of the NGO entitled Answer to the suggestion of the presidency on the future of the IWC exposes the latent dangers of this treatment, including that to consign an extremely significant precedent.

The WSPA and several members of Whalewatch, a global network of organizations opposed to whale hunting, will attend the meeting of the work group like observers.

Claire Bass, Director of the Marine Mammals Program of the WSPA affirmed that Japan cruelly killed more than 11.000 whales by clearly defying the international moratorium. The proposal of the President (of the IWC) would be like rewarding this blameworthy behavior and offering even more whales on a silver plate to Japan.

Samaná Live, 10.03.09

A new route of the Secretariat of the Culture through the Peninsula of Samaná

Cultural and tourist wealth

BREAKING NEWS: After the success obtained in Moca, where hundreds of people appreciated their cultural wealth, the program of Cultural routes, created by the Secretariat of Culture, will go to the beautiful Peninsula of Samaná, for a day which will leave an unforgettable souvenir among the visitors.

The appointment is for next Saturday March 21, and with this escapade, the visitors will be able to appreciate the great cultural and tourist wealth of this portion of the Dominican land, located in the North-East of the island, at 245 kilometers from Santo Domingo.

This zone of the country is rich in marble, coconut trees, is charged of history and of amazing views all along its 853.74 square kilometers.

For this travel, the Secretariat of Culture conceived an interesting program which includes folklore, gastronomy and the multiple legends of the province.

Among the special places that the group will visit there are the church of Our Lady of Lourdes, the legendary Saint Piter church, the Methodist Episcopal African church, the Cayo Levantado, the Anadel beach and caves where the ciguayos sheltered.

Samaná Live, 13.03.09

The President subjects a loan for the aqueduct of Samaná

It will guarantee drinking water to the inhabitants of the Province

BREAKING NEWS: President Leonel Fernández subjected yesterday to the Senate a loan of 50.3 million dollars allocated by the National Bank of Economic and Social Development (BNDES) to finance the extension of the multiple aqueduct of Samaná.

The loan will finance 100% of the value of materials, equipment and services intended for the project; the extension of the aqueduct of Samaná.

Part of the funds will be also used for the payment of the insurance premium of exportation credit which derives from this transaction. The project will be carried out by the National Institute of Drinking Water and Sewers (INAPA). The work is intended to guarantee drinking water to the inhabitants of this province.

The financing will be of 50,286,572.24 US $, expresses the message of the chief of the State, addressed to the president of the Senate, Reinaldo Pared Pérez.

The interests of the loan will be calculated at LIBOR rate over 60 months, with in addition one margin of 1%. The total time of payment of the loan is over 12 years and half, including two years of tolerance for the principal payment. The capital will be repaid in l7 semi-annual, equal and consecutive quotas.

In the same way, the State will pay administration commissions of 1% « flat » on the total quantity of the contract. One will also pay a commitment fee of 0.50% calculated on the spent quantity.

The loan was handed over for study to the Finances committee.

Samaná Live, 18.03.09

The « While Progressing » Program in Samaná

The First Lady inaugurates a center of qualification

BREAKING NEWS: The First Lady of the Republic, Doctor Margarita Cedeño de Fernández, inaugurated a modern center of qualification in Samaná, with an aim of continuing to bring an integral development of the families of this part of the country.

The center has 510 square meters of construction, distributed in data processing classrooms, two multi-purpose rooms, a kitchen, two bathrooms, three offices, and has also a room for the electric generator and an interior garden.

The infrastructure was carried out by the manufacturer Norberto Oderebrecht and was equipped by the Office of the First Lady.

This infrastructure forms part of a convention of collaboration signed by this company and the Office of the First Lady in 2007, through which the Brazilian company complies its social responsibility in the country by supporting the program « While Progressing » developed by the Office in various provinces of the country.

During the inaugural ceremony, the First Lady was accompanied by Marcos Cruz, supervisor of Oderebrecht for the Dominican Republic, the local authorities and the families belonging to the While Progressing program.

Samaná Live, 23.03.09

The Ministry of Public Works repairs subsidences

In the municipality of Sánchez, Samaná province

BREAKING NEWS: Sánchez .- The Ministry of Public Works is working on the subsidences of the Sánchez municipality, Samaná province, area where the geology fault caused the fall of houses and roads. The engineer Víctor Díaz Rúa promised to resolve the problem as fast as possible and permanently, in order to put a stop to the worries of the community inhabitants.

The works consist in excavating and removing 800 meter of material in the affected areas, and then stuff them with granzote a kind of more resistant material. They plan to correct the pluvial drainage under the principal road of Sánchez.

The Odebrecht company, who directs the works, said that, because of the conditions of the ground, the pedestrian and road circulation has to be interrupted in the affected zones.

Díaz Rúa visited the zone the past February 8^th, 2009, in order to determinate the magnitude of the damages, and then, researches necessary to the realization of the permanent work were elaborated.

Samaná Live, 23.03.09

A loan of 50 million dollars approved

For the aqueduct of Samaná

BREAKING NEWS: The Senate approved the contract of financing of the extension of the aqueduct of Samaná for a sum of 50 million dollars, with the Economic and Social Development Bank(BNDS).

The president of the Senate, Reinaldo Pared Pérez informed that the financing will be carried out by the National Institute of Potable Water (INAPA) and that the total sum is of US $50 million 286 thousand 572.24.

He added that the time was of 12 years and half, including two years of tolerance for the principal payment and that the capital would be paid in 17 semi-annual quotas.

The loan was approved at the first reading.

Samaná Live, 30.03.09