Yesterday we reported the Minister of Tourism was preparing to face charges before the Supreme Court of the Dominican Republic, today Felix Jimenez is defending himself.

The charges are referring to his exploitation of the Dominican Republic’s National Park in the east (one of the protected areas in the DR) for his own personal financial gain and construction of a hotel project.

In response Mr. Jimenez said that selling off protected areas is done in dozens of other countries with tourism as one of its main activities, though with regulatory mechanisms to prevent depredation and he added the Dominican Government should not be “blackmailed” by “eco-terrorists”.

Felix Jimenez favors the new boundaries in the protected areas because in his view those in effect before, were traced without adequate scientific criteria.

Dating back to the 1970’s was the last time when the boundaries were drawn up. Mr. Jimenez consulted with one of the original technicians who participated in the process over 37 years ago. The information from the technician said that the borders were drawn up without any information or research with what would now be considered internationally accepted scientific criteria for such cases.

He said that when the then president Joaquin Balaguer issued the first decrees for the protected areas no scientists, marine biologists, zoo technicians, botanists and geographers where ever consulted to suitably trace boundaries based on their technical criteria/results for protected territories.

Felix Jimenez stands firm and said that the Dominican State cannot be let “blackmailed” by “four of five eco-terrorists’.

Jimenez was being interviewed by the Corripio Media Group, the case continues….