Joel Santos highlights the importance of streamlining processes, strengthening communities, and balancing investment with Environmental protection
Santo Domingo.- The Minister of Energy and Mines, Joel Santos, stated this Wednesday that the modernization of the Mining Law constitutes a fundamental step to guarantee clear rules, strengthen institutionalism, and consolidate a sustainable mining model in the Dominican Republic.
He recalled that a draft of the bill already exists, which is currently under discussion with the various stakeholders linked to the sector.
"The Government has been working on that bill and with the different sectors they have been working hand in hand with us, proposing which aspects they understand should be included," he explained.
The statements by Minister Santos were made during the presentation of the technical document “A new mining law: clear rules for the development of the Dominican Republic”, prepared by the Mining and Petroleum Chamber of the Dominican Republic (Camipe), an initiative that is part of the discussions linked to the RD 2036 Goal.
The Minister of Energy and Mines specified that the goal is to introduce the initiative in the next legislature, with a view to providing the country with a modern regulatory framework, aligned with the 2010 Constitution, current environmental standards, and the sustainable development goals established for 2036.
In that context, when referring to the aspects that the proposal should consider, it was pointed out that updated legislation should include greater agility in the permitting processes, an element that is considered key to attracting investment and, at the same time, strengthening the relationship between mining operations and the communities near the exploitation areas.
He indicated that these communities should have available and properly audited resources for their strengthening, while emphasizing the importance of ensuring transparency, with information and studies accessible to citizens.
Balance between investment, communities and the environment
The minister maintained that the legal reform must guarantee an adequate balance between investment, environmental protection, and territorial development. "That there be sustainable mining in every sense of the word," he emphasized.
Santos valued the technical dialogue spaces promoted by Camipe, in which representatives of the Government, academia, Church, specialized guilds and the business sector participated, as part of a multi-sector debate on the future of the regulatory framework.
Within these discussions, Santos also highlighted the economic importance of mining for the country, noting that it represents approximately 50% of national exports and about 2% of the gross domestic product (GDP).
He also indicated that it is the industry with the highest average salary in the Dominican economy, doubling the national average, which contributes to the generation of quality jobs.
The minister added that the sector contributed last year around 45,000 million pesos in tax revenue and considered that, with the right conditions, mining could double its share of GDP in a short time.
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