Developers fume at Tourism, Environment ministries’ “hurdles”

Santo Domingo.- The head of the housing builders and promoters grouped in Acoprovi yesterday said the Tourism and Environment ministries have become a hurdle to invest in hotel zones, since the process to approve construction permits in tourism regions is practically paralyzed.

Fermín Acosta said his impression is that “Tourism are on vacation” because they don’t even pick up the phone when builders call to ask about their permit request.

As to Environment, the business leader said the process to obtain construction permits was more expedient when former minister Jaime David Fernandez headed the entity.

He said Acoprovi’s members complain daily because it often takes more than 60 days to know whether the permit request has been approved or rejected.

Acosta said more than one year ago permits were requested for numerous tourism projects in Bavaro among them, but Tourism “has neither said yes or no”, but doesn’t provide explanations either.

The business leader, interviewed on Uno + Uno on Teleantillas, also railed against what in his view is the Environment Ministry’s delays to discuss and approve an environmental guide for urban infrastructure development, which in his view is necessary.