The Minister of Tourism, David Collado, on Thursday handed over machinery for the removal of sargassum and beach cleaning, valued at more than 50 million pesos.
In a ceremony held on the Boca Chica beach, nine trucks were handed over at a cost of RD$20,245,500, special sweepers at a cost of RD$20,713,000 and tractors at a cost of RD$9,408,000.
“What we are delivering is not going to solve the sargasso issue definitively, this is a short-term, palliative measure to continue cleaning the beaches, a task that the Ministry of Tourism is carrying out at the national level,” said David Collado.
These teams will be distributed on the beaches of Boca Chica, Juan Dolio, Palenque and Barahona, to combat the sargasso which is a problem that damages the sand and the environment throughout the Greater Caribbean.
He indicated that no country has the solution to the problem of sargasso, therefore, palliative measures are being taken, which are not the best, nor the most environmentally friendly, but they solve the situation to keep the beaches clean for the enjoyment of Dominicans and foreigners.
“These tractors are specialised for the collection of sargassum and debris and mistreat as little as possible the ecosystem of our beaches. This problem does not only affect the Dominican Republic and we are working to find a solution,” said Minister Collado.
He said that the government will not rest until it finds solutions and that is why President Luis Abinader called on the countries of the region to create a fund and make a joint effort to collect the sargasso on the high seas and not on the beaches.
He also informed that the Ministry of Tourism is committed to investing an additional 50 million pesos to reach other beaches in the Dominican Republic.
He also pointed out that tourism and the benefits of this sector must permeate the communities in order to be sustainable over time.
David Llibre, president of the Association of Hotels and Tourism of the Dominican Republic (ASONAHORES), said that the problem of sargassum affects the visit of tourists and the community, which is being worked on by the public-private sector to find a solution.
He indicated that initiatives such as the one being carried out by the Ministry of Tourism to deliver equipment to clean beaches such as Boca Chica, is part of the efforts being made to attack the algae from the coasts.
The event was attended by the mayor of Boca Chica, Fermín Brito; Josefa Castillo, Superintendent of Insurance; Minoru Matsunaga, Director General of the Tourist Police (POLITUR); Deputy Ministers of Tourism, Patricia Mejía and Yaneris Then, among other personalities.
Source: Mitur.gob.do
