Coal-fired plant protest halts traffic on Dominican Republic highway

Bani, Dominican Republic.- Hundreds of farmers, homemakers and community leaders gathered early Wednesday in the main park of the town of Paya, with trucks and tractors, with empty pots and buckets, to demand water and the halt of the coal-fired plants being built in Peravia province (south).

The rally halted traffic on the Southern Highway for more than three hours, from the large number of people and the parked vehicles.

The National Police deployed antiriot agents, but after tense negotiations the protest leaders agreed to suspend the protest until Friday, when they say they’ll meet again to decide on other measures.

They warned the authorities to send water to the province and Bani within 48 hours, and desist from building the coal-fired plants at Punta Catalina.