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BiggerCanadian tourist drowns on San Pedro de Macoris hotel beach
On Sunday afternoon, a Canadian tourist drowned while bathing on the beach of the Costa Caribe hotel in San Pedro de Macorís, where he had been staying since Saturday. Marier Pierre, a 73-year-old Canadian national, was dragged by the currents of the Caribbean Sea.
His wife, Lucie Royer, also a Canadian national, identified him. They were scheduled to leave the country on April 8. Hotel security members alerted the authorities, and the tourist’s corpse was sent to the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) in San Pedro de Macorís for autopsy.
May Marier Pierre RIP.
You would think with the large amount of revenue in the Ministry of Tourism’s pocket it would have the money to hire lifeguards for resort and public beaches, noting that all beaches in the country are under the control of the government, including resort beaches.
The Ministry of Public Works and Communications has roadside assistance (MOPC) vehicles on the major roads of the country, The Ministry of Tourism should take that hint and consider lifeguard and first aid assistance at beaches. It has the money for God’s sake.
Paul
I am not a national and only a resident of the RD for 2 years.
I have read and seen what all “it appears” the RD government and tourism director Collado are doing for the hotel / resort industries in the RD INCLUDING confotur allowing tourism resorts a special tax reduction and reduction of import custom duties… including advertising for the hotels at conventions and doing all types of promotions.
Why should the Resorts not give the same security on the beach at their expense that they put into advertising how “safe” and secure their respective resorts are??
It should be a question any tourists that wants a beach resort ask (question) before booking their stay.
“Do you have lifeguards on your beach:”? Trained?
The RD government IS the MOPC for for the tourists, nationals and foreigners and supported … (probably even funding assistance by the Ministry of Tourism ) for the MOPC roadside assistance on the Autopista del Coral SD to Punta Cana and SD to Santiago (and i personally experienced their services when a car I rented at the PC airport RAN OUT OF GAS before i could get to La Roman!! They saw me and turned around and came back, left a guard brandishing a uzi type rifle, returned with Gas and would NOT take a Propina!!)
I am very sorry for this mans death and it should never have happened however putting the blame on the government for an accident that could (and should) have possibly been avoided to me is on the shoulders of a resort not hiring life guards.. or placing buoys on the beach swim area.
Lifeguards, lights, Wifi, CCTV cameras and beach police patrol are being implemented on public beaches for ALL tourists, nationals and foreigners alike… at the Governments expense.. keyword PUBLIC.
The resorts and hotels that restrict the public should be responsible for their Private Guests safety…. The roads the MOPC service should not include inside the expansive and expensive Resort Walls.
Just my opinion.
Oh.. and hopefully the government “somehow” restrict the public beach lifeguards from texting on their cell phones on Boca Chica beaches like was reported to me by tourists.
The strives the government is dong and HAS DONE for tourism during and SINCE Covid that provides over 20% employment to tourism industries… helping employment stay up during a PANDEMIC and keep mouths fed for families,,, a GNP of over 30% and included FREE health insurance for every tourist that entered the country… and especially inside Resorts . covering accidental harm, illness, COVID, quarantine, and paying for missed return flights…. For over Two Years…
Statistics show over 400,000 tourists were treated under the policy.
We all know there is a lot still can and to be done.. but give the government SOME credit where it is due.. and have the RESORTS take the responsibility and common sense. And Bu$$ine$$ $en$e says they should be required to do.. at the expense of the bad media exposure they will receive when something like this happens.
When what 2,500 to 5,000 pesos for the “beach protection for their guests would cost”.
I am just saying….. and sorry to the family for their loss.. but not to blame the government for security that goes on behind the Pearly walls and private security gates of the resorts. That also try to take away the beach public access to nationals, foreigners and other tourists.