High Court ruling against National Park ‘bushwhacked’ protected areas

Santo Domingo.- Former vice president, Jaime David Fernández Mirabal on Sun. warned that by declaring unconstitutional the executive order which creates the Manolo Tavárez Justo National Park, the Constitutional Court severely threatens the National System of Protected Areas (Sinap).

“It is very regrettable that with such superficial arguments, a vital area for the Monción Dam (northwest) and all the biodiversity of that territory have been left unprotected,” the former official said in a press release.

He said the high Court ruling “bushwhacked” the Sinap.

“It should be explained to the Dominican people who are behind the interest to establish a case law so disastrous for the life of the protected areas that are so important for the country,” said the former Environment Minister.

“When a protected area is declared for the collective interest, that is above particular interests, and reminded that in all the protected areas there are individual interests that can be claimed, but never affecting the collective interest that protected areas represent,” Fernández Mirabal said.