President Luis Abinader announced that by December 18, 2023, the first cruise ship will arrive at the port of Cabo Rojo, Pedernales province, which will boost tourism and generate jobs and income for residents of the various communities in the area.
This first cruise ship scheduled to arrive to the southern coast of the country, of the Royal Caribbean company, will have about 3,000 cruise passengers plus crew, who will be able to enjoy this natural beauty and its different destinations.
“We are working so that the cruise passengers can enjoy the best experience and at the same time the people of Pedernales will be ready to satisfy their requirements and have a social and economic impact on Pedernales and the entire Enriquillo region”, said the governor.
In order to achieve these goals, the tourism development plan of Pedernales contemplates the readjustment of public spaces for recreation, knowledge of the culture and gastronomic enjoyment of the cruisers.
Among these are ecological destinations such as the Oviedo Lagoon, Hoyo de Pelempito, Bahía de las Águilas and Pozos de Romeo.
In addition, the rehabilitation of the boardwalk and the artisans’ plazas, as well as artistic murals, will be added.
The head of state reiterated that this project will become the engine of economic development in the southern region, specifically in the Enriquillo region and also in the Valley region, because it will impact San Juan and Elías Piña in their agricultural production.
Port zero plastics
In line with the protection of the ecology, President Abinader emphasized that within the port the use of plastics will not be allowed, thanks to an agreement between the Ministry of the Environment and the developer, ITM Group.
During the development of the work table, the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, expressed that the promotion of Pedernales as a tourist destination will be developed together with the private sector.
In addition, the companies and services to be offered to each visitor will be inspected to guarantee their quality, as well as the safety of the destination.
Meanwhile, Rafael Santos Badía, director of INFOTEP, revealed that they have already certified some 7,000 people in areas such as nursing, customer service, waitressing, baking, electricity, craftsmen, among others. A training center will also be set up in Oviedo.
The Director of Public-Private Partnerships (DGAPP), Sigmund Freund, reported on the water, electricity and road works, the recovery of the waterfront, solid waste management and the construction of the first hotels, in which US$400 million have been invested to date.
He explained that in the days prior to the date indicated for the opening of the port, the treatment plant, the aqueduct, the infrastructure for electric energy, as well as the access roads and highways will be ready.
Regarding the Pedernales International Airport, he stated that aeronautical feasibility studies are being contracted and progress is being made in the clearing and clearing of the runway. The georeferenced altimetric survey was concluded and the process is being prepared to start the bidding process to contract the designs, as well as for the construction of the airport infrastructure and services.
The process of rescuing the coastal strip was also initiated and the solid waste management plan was detailed in order to achieve the closure of two current landfills, the construction of an emergency cell and the construction of a definitive sanitary landfill.
Visit to the construction of the Iberostar hotel
Finally, the President toured the area where the 580-room Iberostar hotel is being built, which together with the Secrets and Dreams hotels of the Hyatt chain, will total 1,591 rooms.
These will be ready by the middle of next year, so that “by the high season of December 2024 there will be rooms available and we will be able to have tourists arriving”, said Freund.
Also present were the Minister of the Presidency, Joel Santos; the Administrative Minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza; the Minister of the Environment, Miguel Ceara Hatton; the Minister of Public Works, Deligne Ascensión; the Minister of Housing, Carlos Bonilla, and the Minister of Culture, Milagros Germán.
Likewise, the director of Apordom, Jean Luis Rodríguez; of INDRHI, Olmedo Caba; of Border Development, Ramón Pérez; of the Airport Department, Víctor Pichardo; of INAPA, Wellington Arnaud, and of Promipyme, Porfirio Peralta, among others.
Source: presidencia.gov.do
