Cut down a tree, go to jail, Dominican leader warns

San Juan de la Maguana,Dominican Republic.- President Danilo Medina on Sunday made another surprisevisit to the interior, this time to farmers and villagers of the town Sabaneta,where he warned them to "save the mountains, because if not, there will beno water."

The inhabitants reacted with surprise at Medina’s warning,who stressed the importance of reforesting the hills that supplies water to theSabaneta dam.

It’s Medina second stern warning against deforestation inas many weeks, after last Sunday’s call to the residents of Juan Santiago to savetheir mountains.

Cut down a tree, go to jail

The president said once the reforestation project isapproved and enforcement starts, deforestation cannot continue and again warnedthat the practice faces serious punishment, "because after we get into theproject, anyone who cuts down there, I’ll put them in jail."

While flying over the hills that supply water to the Sabanetadam, Medina spoke with some local farmers to incorporate them to thereforestation and production plan, which includes a subsidy for the families whichwill work in the project.