Dominican Gov. plays blame game as 2 dam workers die, 18 sick

Santiago.- The deathof two workers and 18 others severely ill at Tavera dam (central) has led to ablame game among Dominican Republic´s canals and dams agency (INDRHI) and the hydroelectricgeneration utility (EGEHID).

"The INDRHI hasn’t lifted a finger and whatit has done is misinform," said EGEHID hydroelectric generation operationsdirector Claudio Alcantara, who affirmed that if his agency hadn’t intervened, allworkers would’ve died.

He called INDRHIofficials irresponsible with the workers who fell ill when after having cleanedthe tunnels at the Tavera-Bao-Lopez-Angostura hydroelectric complex nearBaitoa.

José Ignacio Diaz(Yorkis), 21, of La Lima, Baitoa, and Brígido Acosta, 36, of Monte La Zanja,Sabana Iglesia died reportedly from histoplasmosis, a liver infection caused by secretionof bats, thousands of which were seen nesting within the gallery of the dam´stunnels.

The 18 workers were takento private hospitals in Santiago, after spending several days in rural clinicswithout proper treatment.

Blame game

On Monday INDRHIdirector Olgo Fernandez blamed a private contractor for the fatalities, butacento.com.do on Tuesday reports having a copy of a communication rejecting hisversion.