Dominican Republic bauxite mine roils sleepy southwest town

Pedernales, Dominican Republic.-The Coalition Save the Cabo Rojo-Aceitillar Road on Sunday said it opposes the Energyand Mines Ministry’s authorization to the miner DOVEMCO to destroy the roadbetween Cabo Rojo and Sierra de Bahoruco National Park and Hoyo de Pelempito toextract bauxite.

It says its destruction would seriouslyhurt Pedernales’ tourism development and called on president Danilo Medina toreconsider the decision to cut a road that is emblematic of the province.

It said the agreement between Minesand DOVEMCO would destroy 700 meters of road by mining areas rich in bauxite,the raw material for aluminum.

The coalition on February said Mines’lawyer Susana Gautreaux told a delegation of the Pedernales Tourism DevelopmentAssociation (ASDETUPE) and province governor Angel Zabala that the deal was promptedby DOVEMCO’s threat to file suit against the Dominican State for unilateraltermination of the contract to mine bauxite from 2014 to 2018.