El Pueblo de los Pescadores Ya No Existe

 

El Pueblo de los Pescadores Ya No Existe

Por José R. Bourget Tactuk

(Originalmente publicado el 17 de enero del 2022)

Debiera ser obvio, pero muchos persisten en la fantasía de un Pueblo de los Pescadores, algo que feneció cuando fue comprado y alterado a pedazos, cuando se quemó la primera vez hicieron algo pero ya no era el Pueblo de los Pescadores.  Y ahora, después del segundo fuego, seguirá no siendo el Pueblo de los Pescadores.

El concepto de un centro culinario de primer orden donde se junten la excelsa cocina Terrenera, la música y el arte, el cielo, la luna, las estrellas, los cocoteros y el inquebrantable romanticismo del Atlántico que nos besa debe persistir, ampliarse y pulirse.  Hay muchas ideas novedosas y posibilidades inmensas y únicas.

Pero su antiguo lugar debe ser otra cosa, porque no podrá ser lo que no es ni lo que ya fue.  Necesitamos ahí un espacio que capture la esencia del océano, cree una nueva dinámica abierto y de mejorada funcionalidad, que destape el tránsito y diversifique el atractivo para el peatón y para el turismo familiar.  Podría incluir un parque, un multiuso abierto, un mirador, una fuente de agua, un faro simbólico, un puente peatonal que entre al mar y tantas otras cosas que encajan ahí y no en ningún otro sitio.  

El lugar donde estuvo el fenecido Pueblo pudiera ser el primer y gran atractivo visual en Las Terrenas, aportando un pequeño museo interpretativo sobre el Pueblo de Las Terrenas en el marco del Faro Las Terrenas y del puente mirador.  Inclusive, el pequeño museo podría ser una réplica de una de las casitas originales.  Aceptemos lo que es, ya el Pueblo dejó de existir y hace mucho.

Como pueblo progresista abramos paso a un nuevo concepto, construyendo sobre el éxito del anterior y mejorando su oferta (incluyendo su gerencia).  Necesitamos facilidades para el peatón como para los vehículos.  Necesitamos pistas de baile bajo la luna y allende al mar.  Necesitamos áreas de descanso no comercial y necesitamos locales dinámicos, clásicos, modernos, diversos que potencien los talentos culinarios existentes y los nuevos.  Necesitamos sanitarios donde se pueda comer en el piso y necesitamos nuevas y variadas ofertas de empleos, incluyendo quizás gift shops y centro de información y promoción del destino y sus ofertas.

Un futuro nuevo debe comenzar con un concepto nuevo, ágil y atractivo.  Un viejo Pueblo en el mismo sitio es una idea desgastada.  Las Terrenas puede hacer algo nuevo y mejor. Un nuevo concepto en un sitio nuevo es prometedor, ambicioso e innovador.

Y unamos al Faro/Puente Mirador al lado del río Las Terrenas, saneado y canalizado, con el nuevo centro culinario/recreativo en el otro lado del pueblo mediante un sistema de transporte ecológico y constante que revitalice toda la costa, a través del cual el turista nativo y extranjero pueda subirse y bajarse en múltiples puntos, reduciendo así el tránsito vehicular pero aumentando el tránsito peatonal y colectivo mientras multiplica el potencial de consumo y disfrute de la ruta.  

Además de ese transporte ecológico (carritos de golf o minibuses abiertos eléctricos), ampliar el sendero creado por el nuevo farallón artificial de gaviones para así unir al Faro con el nuevo centro en lo que sería un verdadero parque peatonal para disfrute de individuos, grupos, familias y convertir a Las Terrenas en una mayor y mejor oferta culinaria, recreativa, social y cultural.  Muchas otras innovaciones se añadirían a ese trayecto.  Todo eso aumentaría las posibilidades de empleo, de consumo y diversificación de la oferta.

No podemos seguir arrastrando lo que dejó de ser, pero honremos su memoria haciéndolo mejor.  Estoy totalmente a favor de un nuevo concepto y de un rediseño del espacio anterior.  Es tiempo del cambio y de dar pasos gigantesco hacia nuevas, mayores y mejores ofertas.

La Aldea--A Blatant and Unnecessary Provocation

The reconstruction of the Aldea de los Pescadores is a provocation.
Let me explain.

Like most people who frequented the Aldea de los Pescadores, I rather enjoyed and appreciated its existence and its many contributions to the social and cultural life in the community. At the same time I was painfully aware of its noticeable security problems, the environmental pollution caused by kitchens and toilets, and of the obvious consecuences of a highly attractive but monolithic tourism offer. I was not, nor am I now opposed to the fabulous culinary offerings and the enchanting nature of diverse environments that such a concept can offer. I'm neither opposed to sustainable economic development or to meritorious benefits to workers, investors and entrepreneurs.

The list of assets and benefits of the former Aldea, what's about to happen is truly a crude provocation created by those least in the position of being provocateurs: the central government and the local government. As far as I know, the Ministry of Tourism lacks the presidential decree necessary for the building of structures such as the one that appears to be under construction at the former site (though the Minister of Tourism is eagerly pursuing it). The local government has not intervened, so far, to prevent the obviously illegal reconstruction at a place where it shouldn't be.

As expected, the level of misinformation and the lack of transparency creates confusion and blindness in everyone. What's being done, who is doing it, how, for how much, directed by whom? We don't know. As rumored, are they going to give each of the previous owners 10 million pesos? We don't know. Are the previous owners receiving the new locations for free? We don't know. What are the legal, social and economic basis for doing one thing or the other? We don't know. In the presence of clearly stated, legal statutes governing the building of such structures so close to the water and in the midst of fragile ecosystems, why do it at all and why do it this way? Is it true that powerful people, well-connected to the government, are among the beneficiaries? We do not know....and so forth!

At the end the Minister of Tourism will get away with murder on this one and, according to rumors, will finish the work before August 16. In doing so, he would have fulfilled a promise made the afternoon of the fire and will consequently embellish our memories with yet another demonstration of how to make fun of Dominican laws and the Dominican Constitution, all in the good name of tourism development, as demonstrated by his opportunistic leadership style worthy of a troglodyte. Once everything is done, we will go to eat, drink, dance and enjoy wonderful new locations and will be reminded of how it was done, by whom and why, and will all share in the knowledge of the failed state in which we live, where those most called to enforce the Constitution and the laws are the first ones to use them as toilet paper.

Is it possible that the “Monte Carlo of the Caribbean" will be built on similar foundations, using similar methods, without regards to the laws, environmental regulations, without the proper decrees and always looking after the benefits of the few over the benefits of the majority?

(Left: From these ruins we should build what's legal, sustainable, viable, equitable, transparent and in compliance not only to the Constitution and laws but also to the best practices in sustainable tourism development. It is counterproductive for the Minister of Tourism to be the principal culprit in the violation of Dominican laws, provoking with his actions the worst possible inconsistencies in regards to principles of sustainable tourism development)


I, among many others who love the concept of the Aldea, feel that it doesn't have to be built at its former site. We can built something similar and even better, but elsewhere. In a previous article I suggested the area further ahead towards Playa Las Ballenas as a possible location and, in a recent contribution, architect Marcelo Albuquerque has suggested the area around the current police station.

I'm sure there could be other viable proposals and the one suggested by architect Albuquerque may even add the entire section from the cemetery to the former Aldea de los Pescadores, and could even include the construction of a pedestrian bridge over Rio Las Terrenas, the design of an attractive cultural center that includes boutiques, artisan shops, art galleries, as well as plenty of gastronomic offers. Not everything has to be in the same place the way it was in the former Aldea and nothing prescribes that things have to be as they were, particularly if something better and more beneficial is possible.

On the other hand, the town of Las Terrenas as a legal, civic, political and autonomous entity should intervene through its City Council (I do not think that the Mayor has the least interest in going against the wishes of the Minister of Tourism). If the City Council does nothing, then no one could prevent the Ministry of Tourism and other entities, governmental or private, to commit similar violations of the law and the Constitution. What is happening now is more of the ongoing demonstration of how the city has lost its autonomy and sovereignty in the years since Mr. José Alexis Martinez has been Mayor. Inaction on the part of the City Council will provoke additional dents to city processes and procedures.

I'm fully in support of a reconstruction of the Fishermen's Village but better, which means that no environmental laws would be violated, that we would broaden and enrich the economic potential of the resulting model and that the sovereignty of the city would be respected.

We cannot build a future on the quicksand of intransparency, the abuse of power and the absence of institutionality. In fact, many social problems and much of the economic problems we face today are the result of having acted that way years ago. Why provoke similar results now?

What to do now? Stop the construction! At a town hall meeting in City Hall inform what the plans are. Consult with broad sections of the community, making sure you make it possible for diverse views to be heard. Ensure that the intentions and the actions comply with current laws and the Constitution. Acting unfairly to the economic community at large will create disastrous results because whatever it's done cannot be just for the benefit of the lucky few. Hopefully, the potential beneficiaries themselves can see and understand these factors and will push for legal actions that favor the common good. If not, they'd be contributing to the planting of a pernicious, harmful, painful and fruitless weed, to the detriment of all of us.

Consciousness, gentlemen, conciencia!