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Santo Domingo .- The Dominican capital’s rivebanks are an “environmental tragedy” whose intervention can’t wait, as piles of garbage and untreated water enter the tributaries putting at risk the hundreds of families living there.

National District mayor Roberto Salcedo made the statement during a boat tour along the Ozama and Isabela rivers, together with his colleagues of Santo Domingo East, Juan de los Santos and Santo Domingo North, Jesus Féliz, Navy chief Julio Cesar Ventura Bayonet and other officials and experts.

They also found that despite that hundreds of families living beneath the surrounding cliffs are vulnerable to mudslides, the land-squatting continues, with several houses under construction on both sides.

Technicians will now prepare a plan of possible solutions for the mayors, who’ll in turn submit it to president Leonel Fernandez, who could authorize a portion of the funds to clean up the rivers.

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COMMENTS
10 comment(s)
Written by: gouletcolonial This user is banned, 18 Sep 2008 10:15 AM
From: Cuba, it is a secret the censors are looking for me
A feeble and cynical attempt at humor on my part will not do anything for the poor people who try to live here this problem has to be at least 50 years old ....now they want to build condos or something so they give these people the heave ho...I hope I am wrong
Written by: bernies, 18 Sep 2008 10:39 AM
From: United States, key west fl
it happens before remember the avenue mexico was a rat hole and balaguer ask the people living there then to vacate to be relocatebut they refuse so balaguer remove them by force and look at avenue mexico now. but also balaguer builded apartment complex on los arcariso for those people. these will refuse to leave so they can keep sucking up to the goverment. the mayors and the navy chief should do the same and them have them relocate to an area like san isidro were there is a lot of land unuse. or maybe haina mosa.
Written by: pappabowie, 18 Sep 2008 10:42 AM
From: Afghanistan, BAF
Tell me why a nice condo wouldn't be an improvement over the numerous shanty towns constantly dumping raw sewage and trash into the river ?
Written by: anthonyC, 18 Sep 2008 11:42 AM
From: United States
Those people living along the riverbanks are not just an ecological disaster.

Back in 79 there was a huge shantytown on both sides of the Ozama. Then Hurricane David and Fredrick came.
The shanty's disappeared. Nobody knows how many were washed out to sea. With the prevailing currents the bodys never washed up so no official count could have been made.
Written by: hectorvargas, 18 Sep 2008 11:50 AM
From: United States
There was a time and then another time when these people were offered a place - homes - . The results of the different time were the same. People got their homes and then sold them and these same people went to formed other places such as the one mentioned here. To build for them is the same as to build for government officials and for people in general that will make offers to these people to sell. Money in hand they will think in thier ignorance, is better than a home. Interviewed these people and you will find how many times they had ......
Written by: TexasBill, 18 Sep 2008 12:22 PM
From: United States, Killeen, TX - Home of the 1st Cavalry
Move the people, build apartment complexes to house them, destroy the shanties, establish an armed "River Patrol" to keep the shanties from being rebuilt, clean up therivers andthen see how much more needs to be done to eliminate the squalor permiating the landscape. Hire the people, living in these shanties, to participate in the building of the apartment complexes. If they are too "proud" to participate, then let them go their own way without recompence.
People need to start helping themselves instead of "sucking off the teat of the public funds".
The Government, by continuing to condone, encourage , and ignore activities of this type, is perpetuating the problem and needs to change their philosophy.

TexasBill
Written by: bernies, 18 Sep 2008 12:42 PM
From: United States, key west fl
nicely say texasbill...love that state specialy austin where i use to go to lake austin or lake travis in the summers of 98-99-2000. going there from wdc.
Written by: TexasBill, 18 Sep 2008 1:12 PM
From: United States, Killeen, TX - Home of the 1st Cavalry
Well, hopefully I'll be returning to Ft. Hood area before the first of the year with my family in tow.

I'll still deep in touch with the DR trough these pages, however.

TexasBill
Written by: snoopyy3k, 18 Sep 2008 1:33 PM
From: United States
Hector Varga and Texas Bill you both are so right in your ponits of view. The problem is with all parties inlvoved. There is not just only one group to blame. I think that everyone involved should get together and correct this problem. For years I've been listening to people talk about solutions to this problem, really good solutions, but nothing has gotten done. When something has gotten done to solve the problem, these people for some reason or another find themselves right back in the same place. But I hope that this time once and for all the government and the people involved get their acts together and solve this problem , before a major castastrophy occurs.
Written by: TexasBill, 20 Sep 2008 7:47 PM
From: United States, Killeen, TX - Home of the 1st Cavalry
William;

If you can't put posts on these pages without using that sort of vile language, then stay off.
yiur language is NOT ACCEPTABLE.

TexasBill
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