Senate approves bill to elevate Verón-Punta Cana to municipality status

La Altagracia.- The Senate of the Dominican Republic has approved a bill to upgrade Verón-Punta Cana—currently a municipal district under Higüey—to the status of a municipality. Senator Aneudy Ortiz, who led the reviewing committee, presented a favorable report, confirming the area meets all legal and demographic requirements to be recognized as a full municipality.

If passed in a second reading on Friday, the bill still faces a tight deadline. The Chamber of Deputies would need to declare it urgent and approve it in an extraordinary session by Saturday, July 26, the final day of the legislative term. Failure to do so would require the bill to be reintroduced after August 16, as it has already spent two terms in Congress.

Once approved, the new municipality will be officially named the Verón-Bávaro-Punta Cana Tourist Municipality. It will include 138,919 residents and encompass the Juanillo area (including Cabo Engaño, La Salina, La Cuevita, and Suero) and El Salado (covering Bávaro, Cortecito, Cabeza de Toro, Arena Gorda, Macao, and Uvero Alto).

Verón-Punta Cana already has extensive infrastructure, including over 10 bank branches, health and educational centers, energy facilities, and the Punta Cana International Airport, which receives more than 4.5 million tourists annually.

The bill, originally introduced by Senator Rafael Barón Duluc of La Altagracia, had previously faced concerns over tax collection responsibilities in the newly proposed municipality.