Environmentalist: Bill reduces National Park a monstrosity

Santo Domingo.- A bill sent by president Danilo Medina to Congress on Tuesday divides Los Haitises National Park (northeast) in two and reduces its size by nearly 200 square kilometers, which prompted a prominent environmentalist to call the proposed legislation a “monstrosity.”

Medina said the bill is necessary to ensure the park’s sustainable use as a prerequisite to “ensure the future viability of the Dominican people.”

He said it would eliminate human activities such as farming and cattle ranching in the park, and improve living conditions of inhabitants in adjacent areas.

Monstrosity

For environmentalist and former Environment deputy minister Eleuterio Martinez however, the bill "is a monstrosity" because the Constitution bans the reduction in size of Los Haitises,

He said the new boundaries would reduce the park’s 900 square kilometers of territory by around 200; one of 704 and another of 42.