Puntacana Foundation urges coral reef protection as national priority

Punta Cana.- Jake Kheel, vice president of the Puntacana Foundation, warned that environmental degradation—especially coral reef loss—poses a greater long-term threat to tourism in the Dominican Republic than infrastructure gaps.

Speaking via social media, Kheel backed concerns raised by Frank Rainieri about uncontrolled development in Punta Cana, but stressed that the real issue is being overlooked. “There is no prosperous country built on a dead sea,” he said, highlighting the irreversible damage caused by coral reef destruction.

He pointed to efforts like the Marine Innovation Center in Playa Blanca, which focuses on cultivating climate-resistant corals and training scientists, but emphasized that stronger private sector involvement is needed. Kheel concluded that while infrastructure can be developed over time, protecting marine ecosystems is urgent, as reef loss cannot be reversed.