Medina: I apologized, not asked forgiveness, to offspring of Haitians

Cotui, Dominican Republic.- President Danilo Medina on Tuesday confirmed he apologized, not asked forgiveness, to the groups which defend Haitian immigrants, during their visit to the National Palace on Monday.

He said their meeting let him see the real human drama those people live under, but told them that the Executive Branch cannot meddle in the Constitutional Court ruling and Central Electoral Board resolutions.

He did promise them however, to contact those branches of government to find a satisfactory solution to the problem.

Medina spoke to reporters during a tour of the Barrick Gold Corp. mine, accompanied by senior vice president Kelvin Dushnisky, Barrick Pueblo Viejo president Manuel Rocha, and Canada ambassador George Boissé.

The executives told Medina about the miner’s investments and the security measures they’ve implemented.

Rocha said they’ve invested more than RD$700 million in various social responsibility platforms and have paid supply companies more than RD$80 million.

"Today I want to talk to you about the issues that are closest to the hearts of our people. I want to talk environment and improving the quality of life of more than 90 communities which we have influence over, we are committed with the Government to invest remedying the existing environmental problems,” Rocha said.

"Those rivers, which before showed a dark red color for their high acid content, today carry within their crystalline waters, the hope of a change in the environs of those communities.”