Development Project in the Dominican Republic

Sustainable Saona is a development project that seeks to dignify the inhabitants of Saona Island in the Dominican Republic. The intervention plan seeks to have an impact on the quality of life of the inhabitants as well as the potential for the correct control and sustainable use of the protected area in which the locality is situated.

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On July 22, Dominican President Luis Abinader visited the island to see the progress of the project, which is not only financed by the government but also by private institutions. This has allowed it to raise 600 million Dominican pesos (about 10 million, 700 thousand dollars) and to start the intervention work immediately after the passage of Cyclone Fiona through the area.

During his visit, the president met with community leaders and government representatives, where he expressed his interest in making the island a model and sustainable community. Already, Saona Island stands out for being the only one in the hemisphere with renewable energy 24 hours a day. During his visit, Abadiner also walked through the tourist pier, the handicrafts market, the Navy detachment, and the solar energy project.

Minister of Economy Ceara Hatton informed that the government has reinforced the medical and housing infrastructure of Saona, with the incorporation of new and modern equipment and the construction of about 90 houses, in addition to other investments in the educational sector.

The tweet reads, "We are on Saona Island! The President Luis Abinader
 along with Miguel Ceara Hatton Minister of the Environment, presented the Master Plan for the Sanitation and Sustainable Management of Saona Island, with an investment of around 600 million pesos in the first stage."

The plan also includes the operation of a collection center, the consolidation of the process of eliminating single-use plastics, and the construction of a wastewater plant.

In addition, the reconstruction of a community center, the repair of the Dominican Navy and National Police detachments, and the facility of an office of the Ministry of the Environment have also been included.

Saona Island is known for its beaches and coral reefs and is visited by almost a million tourists every year, who, after the interventions of the development project, will be able to add greater security to their stays. They will also be able to participate in the long-awaited and planned self-management of the island by its inhabitants through a comprehensive tourist product respectful of culture and the host environment.

The "Sustainable Saona" project will run from 2021 to 2024. One of the most urgent tasks is the relocation of houses built in wetlands, which make them vulnerable to flooding during rainy periods. Providing the 500 inhabitants of the locality of Mano Juan with access to drinking water and sanitary sewage, as well as organizing the island's tourist flow, are other tasks aimed at benefiting the inhabitants' trade.

During the execution of the project, the Environment Department has clarified that, without forgetting that communities were already settled before the area was declared a protected area under Decree 1311 of 1975, the role of the institution is to regulate the use of natural resources.

In this sense, it was assured that Saona Island will not allow any action that is outside the law or that contradicts its management plan.