Mayors agree to put an end to the crisis over the landfill

Santo Domingo.- The mayors of the five cities that comprise Greater Santo Domingo, and Boca Chica on Wednesday agreed to seek a long term solution to the problems of the waste dump at Duquesa, and asked to meet with president Danilo Medina to discuss the issue.

The agreement was unveiled after a meeting attended by National District mayor Roberto Salcedo, Francisco Fernandez, of Santo Domingo North; Juan de los Santos, of Santo Domingo East; Francis Peña, of Santo Domingo West; Junior Santos of Los Alcarrizos, and Daniel Ozuna, of Boca Chica.

Greater Santo Domingo Commonwealth secretary Onofre Rojas read the document in which the mayors agreed to appoint a technical director at Duquesa, "with academic qualifications and the experience necessary to manage waste dumps or sanitary landfills."

Rojas said the mayors of the Commonwealth agreed to operate the landfill from 6am to12pm, but noted that the cities that need to send garbage collection trucks outside those hours must maintain their representatives at the site.

The agreement also calls for a working group formed by representatives from the city councils, and from the Public Works, Environment and Public Health ministries.

The crisis, which arose nearly two months ago when Fernandez took over the landfill alleging contract violation by Lajun Corp., led to piling heaps of trash on of Santo Domingo’s streets and avenues.