SANTO DOMINGO– Addendum No. 3, through which the Executive Branch seeks to guarantee the conservation of protected areas within the Pedernales Development Project, was approved yesterday by the Senate of the Dominican Republic. It was signed between the Dominican State and Fiduciaria Reservas, SA, to the Trust Agreement for the tourism development of the Pedernales province.
The Executive Branch, in submitting the annex, explained that the changes were made "with the express purpose of avoiding the inclusion within the group of properties to be exploited for tourism of any portion legally declared as a protected area, thereby ensuring our commitment to the protection of the environment and sustainable development.".
Thus, in paragraph VII of clause six, it is established that “it is understood between the parties that the Real Estate to be contributed to the Pro-Pedernales Trust does not include within its boundaries, either totally or partially, lands that form part of the Jaragua National Park, Sierra de Bahoruco National Park, Cabo Rojo Bahía de las Águilas National Recreation Area with its four polygons: Cabo Rojo-Pedernales Beach, Bahía de las Águilas, Playa Larga and Playa Blanca.”.
The bill submitted yesterday received 24 votes in favor and 3 against, and returns to its origin for promulgation or review. Addendum No. 3 was signed on January 14, 2023, and has already been approved by the deputies.
The President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, explained that he submitted two modifications to the aforementioned addendum No. 3 relating to clauses four and six.
The modification to addendum No. 3 to the Pro-Pedernales Trust contract was signed by Sigmund Freund Mena, executive director of Public-Private Partnerships (DGAPP), as trustor representing the Dominican State and by Andrés Vander Horst Álvarez, general manager of Fiduciaria Reservas and trustee manager.
The act is endorsed by the lawyer and notary public Ramón de Jesús Mora Reyes.
Changes
The latest changes made regarding clause four include in the first of the three properties contributed to the trust that this “will be subject to a subdivision process before the Real Estate Jurisdiction to exclude the polygon included within the Protected Landscape of Cabo Rojo-Pedernales Beach”.
This is the property identified with the cadastral designation No. 291886569074.
The amendment states that no protected area will be included and that those properties located on the plots to be contributed to Pro-Pedernales will be subject to a subdivision process in the real estate jurisdiction.
All of the above, prior to or in conjunction with the contribution of said properties to the trust estate, and that the lands located within the protected areas excluded from the trust estate must be maintained in all cases.
