Dominican grassroots group slams the Govt. on ´secret contract´

Baní, DominicanRepublic.- Forming a human chain in front of the coal-fired power plants beingbuilt at Punta Catalina, the grassroots group Poder Ciudadano (Citizen Power) onTuesday demanded that the government file charges against those who allegedly balloonedtheir construction cost, and that it comes clean on the “secret contract.”

It also demands thatthe government find solutions with society to forge the Electricity Pact and addresscitizens´ concern about its "questionable" energy policy.

"We demand that presidentDanilo Medina explain the country´s reality and stop citing excuses ofpolitical conspiracy against the coal plants. The theft and overvaluation inPunta Catalina are too obvious, the government must take responsibility or facethe political and legal consequences of this dark transaction," theprotesters said.

Poder Ciudadano accusedthe government of obstructing the development of renewable energy projects thatwould more than 1,300 megawatts over the next few years without indebting thecountry, as the efficient and renewable energy companies (ASEEFEER) allege.

They said Medina´sadministration must explain why it chose the most expensive and pollutantoptions.

"How is itpossible that the government surprised the country with a secret contractwithout tenders for a third 600MW coal-fired plant with a virtually unknowncompany, amid the electricity pact, and amid all that thinks it can correct everythingby saying that it sent a simple letter to rescind the contract without establishingany responsibility for this nonsense? Could it be that the country´s greatproblems are going to be dealt with such flightiness?" the group said.