Groups want Congress’s rebuke of US-funded military facility on island

SANTO DOMINGO. – With the chant “Saona’s not for sale” Dominican youngsters and environmentalists will gather near Congress Wednesday, to demand that the government put a halt to any military construction on Saona Island.

They’ll ask Congress to rebuke the construction of the U.S.-funded naval station in the island on the country’s extreme southeastern point.

The demonstration, the second in as many weeks, is slated for 4pm in front of Congress Wednesday, said Johan Balbuena, one of the coordinators.

He said since Saona is part of the National Park of the East no military facility should jeopardize that environment. “Under the excuse of drug trafficking, they can neither intervene in our country, nor construct military installations which will injure our sovereignty."

Despite the Government’s repeated assertions that Dominican military will control the facility and won’t harm the environment, the youngsters want a stop to any construction on Saona, until society is totally satisfied with and forms part of the decision.