Another fine example of corruption and failure to use competent professionals is the Higuero airport that was built to the north of the existing Herrera International Airport.

The Dominican Government under Leonel Fernandez built a state of the art airport just 5 miles north of Herrera International Airport. This airport's final approach was built exactly over the City of Santo Domingo's municipal dump. That's right. Birds!!!!!! They cannot get approval for the use of the airport. So here you have a beautiful airport with modern connecting highways built by Leonel Fernandez but the road goes to a closed airport. Who wants a bird sucked into a turbine on final.

How was some of this paid for?

Construction of the highway and airport in part was paid for by Leonel Fernandez giving parcels of land from Herrera International Airport to the Construction Companies. Now the poor construction companies want their land in payment for work performed. This matter has somewhat calmed down and one can only question what they were given in exchange for Leonel Fernandez squandering of $$$$$$.

February 16, 2006

Higuero & Pan Am Games
Metro Minister Diandino Pena avoided replying to questions of the press during the presentation he made to these last week. Among the questions avoided were why his calculations for the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo and Higuero airport were so wrong. Pena estimated the Pan Am Games would cost RD$500 million and the constructions ended up costing more than RD$8 billion. He also estimated the Higuero (La Isabela, Joaquin Balaguer airport) would cost RD$200 million and it has cost more than RD$2.3 billion. The airport had many detractors who alleged technical reasons, but at the time President Leonel Fernandez said it was a decision of the President. The airport has not opened yet because of technical reasons.

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