The project will be annouced today, Friday 9th, in Jarabacoa and is backed and supported by the German Government's GTZ assistance agency who have been involved and financed the North Yaque High Basin Conservation Project as well.
This wonderful progressive news has been dearly welcomed by many villages and towns in the vicinity especially the residents of Baitoa which is a town located at the foothills of the Central Mountain Range. Previously in 1970 this whole community was stripped of their water access to the Yaque North river when the hydroelectric complex Tavera-Bao-Lopex Angostura was built. During the Hipolito Mejia Presidency (2000-2004) the communities of both Jarabacoa and Baitoa fought against and successfully defeated a project that wanted the Yaque North river damming thus keeping the river flowing into their towns. The Mejia government at the time had no option but to abandon the project due to a massive strike victory by the local townsfolk which paralysed all activity in the mountain community.
One of the leading activists and key role players still today in keeping the river waters flowing is Marcos Pena, whom without his previous forsight and assistance would've left massive communities without water and a dry and barren riverbed where the Yaque North river still runs today.
