Boca Chica.- The Minister of Tourism, David Collado, led the delivery this Wednesday of equipment valued at RD$128 million aimed at strengthening the cleaning of beaches and tourist areas in the country, as part of the sustainability strategy promoted by the Government to address the effects of sargassum and improve solid waste management in tourist destinations.
During the event, Collado stated that the Ministry of Tourism’s vision is to support municipalities and municipal districts with tourism potential to ensure cleaner and more sustainable environments, at a time when, as he said, other competing destinations in the region have neglected these aspects.
The official reported that on this occasion 30 dump trucks, six tractors, and six specialized beach sweepers were delivered, equipment that will be distributed in tourist locations such as Punta Cana, Bayahíbe, San Pedro de Macorís, Boca Chica, Barahona, Puerto Plata, Cabrera, and Samaná.
Collado highlighted that the investment seeks to offer immediate solutions to the growing arrival of sargassum on the Dominican coasts, a phenomenon he described as one of the main environmental and tourism challenges in the region.
“The Ministry of Tourism and the Tourism Cabinet have shown a clear sign of sensitivity regarding this sargassum issue,” he expressed.
The minister recalled that, since the beginning of his administration, an agreement was established with the private sector to seek technological solutions to the problem, including the creation of a 15 million dollar fund through an escrow account at the Banco de Reservas. However, he explained that those resources have not yet been used because an effective and sustainable alternative for collecting sargassum at sea has not been identified.
In his view, the only viable long-term solution will be one that allows for the removal of sargassum before it reaches the beaches, as current methods remain artisanal and limited in the face of the large quantities arriving in the Caribbean.
Likewise, he reported that part of the equipment delivered was acquired thanks to a donation of RD$41 million from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), while the Ministry of Tourism contributed around RD$86 million.
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Collado announced that a third and final delivery of equipment will be carried out, which will include another 30 trucks and about 20 additional sweepers. In total, the Government expects to invest between RD$400 and RD$450 million in initiatives aimed at the cleaning, sustainability, and preservation of Dominican beaches.
The official reiterated that, although no nation affected by the phenomenon has found a definitive solution to sargassum, the Dominican Republic will continue to promote international alliances and short-term measures to mitigate its impact on national tourism.
