SANTO DOMINGO.- The famed treasure salvage expert Burt Webber Jr refutes reports that his current project within Dominican territorial waters has encountered friction with the Government in his ongoing operation in the Silver Banks protected area, as Dominican Today published recently.

The treasure hunter also specifies that his current venture seeks to recover artifacts on the sunken Spanish galleon "Solo Dios Gloria" and not the French "Scipion" as the article states.

Webber, who contacted DT just days after the article "Doubts surface as treasure hunter hits it big off Dominican Republic” was published, notes that he’s been conducting salvage operations in the country for 32 years, during which he has “had no problem with any Dominican governmental agency.”

In that regard, the Culture Ministry’s Sub-aquatic Patrimony Office director Wilfredo Feliz on Tuesday confirmed Webber’s assertion that the salvage work continues, and that the agreement to search for the artifacts is in effect. “There’s a contract between the Dominican Government and Webber’s venture which is in effect, he has the concession for his operations to go about his work.”

In a telephone interview the official also hailed the treasure hunter’s effort in the waters he describe as “very difficult” and affirmed that the operation wouldn’t affect the imminent arrival of the humpback whales to their breeding grounds around Samaná peninsula, just south of the Silver Banks Protected Area. “Webber still has a lot to do, there’s been no suspension of the work, the entire Sliver Bank is very difficult, the climate allows it only a few times per year, very few seamen would venture to explore in that area,” the official said, adding that the salvage is low depth underwater archaeology with no link to the whales.

The complete statement emailed by Burt Webber Jr. to Jorge Pineda, editor of Dominican Today:

“Jorge.....It was a pleasure having the opportunity to speak with you yesterday on the phone. As regarding the article "Doubts surface as treasure hunter hits it big off Dominican Republic", I promised you that I would take the time and define the errors respective to the information that outside sources gave you.

As you are aware, I have been working here in the Dominican Republic for 32 years now under multiple exclusive contracts with the Submarine Archaeological Recovery Commission/Casas Reales, and now with the Sub-Aquatic Office under the Ministry of Culture. My current contract is in good standing and my entity Hispaniola Ventures, LLC, funded by my joint venture partner Marine Explorations, Inc. have had no problem with any Dominican governmental agency including the National Park Service. In the article there is reference made to the French Warship "Scipion". This shipwreck has nothing to do with our activities. As this particular wreck is located with Samana Bay, it falls under contract to Capt. Tracy Bowden who has in turn sub-contracted (with government approval) the current salvage to an entity named Deep Blue, Inc.

I believe it is important that interested persons realize that I am the first to actually pioneer professional, scientific remote surveys of the Silver Bank. In 1977 I produced the first aerial mosaic mapping of the entire 17 mile north reef, services performed by Aero Services, Inc. out of Philadelphia, Pa. More recently, I commissioned the production of the aerial mosaic mapping of the 9 mile long south reef that isn't even shown on any of the modern navigational charts. With regard to the comments made by a number of your readers, they obviously don't have any comprehension or true realization of the fact that neither I or Capt. Tracy Bowden's entity Tesoros del Caribe, S.A. are in no way robbing the cultural heritage of the Dominican Republic. To the contrary we both have greatly contributed to it. In the past three and going on four decades, had it not been for our efforts and successes, there would be absolutely no representations of underwater cultural heritage in the country. The recoveries that we have made collectively, now represent the finest collections in the Western Hemisphere. Sadly, what is of more concern to me is how the government has shown there respect in recent years for this priceless collection. As human nature is and always has been, there are always people filled with jealousy and resentment. Mostly, these are the "I wanna be's" that never will be......Burt Webber

As final comment I can tell you that we are currently working an early 18th Century Spanish galleon that we name the "Solo Dios Gloria" which is the name on the ships bronze bell dated 1694 which I had previously recovered.”