SANTO DOMINGO- "Failure to comply with the provisions established in the Construction Code of the Dominican Republic will lead to the application of the sanctions established in chapters V and VI of law 687," warns chapter 1.3 of the new instrument, dedicated to establishing the rules of national buildings and circulated last week by the Ministry of Housing, Habitat and Buildings (Mivhed).
Chapter 5 of the law proposes the suspension of any work in progress that does not comply with the provisions established in the regulations issued by the Executive Branch, that is not provided with the corresponding authorization or license, or that is not under the responsible supervision of a director or person in charge.
“That it does not conform to the approved project, that the inspection or any other function of the personnel authorized by the Ministry of Housing has been obstructed or prevented in some way.
Chapter 6 refers to the fact that violations of the provisions established in the law or in regulations issued by the Executive Branch will be condemned to a fine of 3 to 6 percent of the total amount of the work, according to the appraisal made by the Mivhed, through its corresponding departments, or to correctional imprisonment of 10 days to 6 months or both penalties at the same time, according to the seriousness of the case.
Its considerations state that the Dominican Republic's Construction Code has been designed to adapt to technical and scientific advances and the changing needs of the construction sector.
He assures that to guarantee its validity, the new tool that will serve as a guide for construction entrepreneurs will be subject to systematic reviews and periodic updates, under the supervision of the Ministry of Housing, Habitat and Buildings (Mivhed), for which he says the following will be done:
– Call for public consultations, in order to gather input from professionals, institutions, associations and interested citizens.
–Participation of multi-sectoral technical subcommittees, responsible for analyzing, validating and proposing regulatory adjustments.
– Publication of modifications and updated versions on the official Code portal, ensuring free, transparent and timely access to all changes made.
The proposed modifications will be subject to technical review by the corresponding Committees and will require validation by the National Council for Technical Regulation of Buildings (CONARTED), as the governing body.
Aim
The Dominican Republic's Construction Code establishes the minimum requirements for the analysis, design, and construction of buildings erected within the national territory, ensuring that their structure remains stable and primarily guaranteeing human safety.
