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WORLD NEWSThursday 19 November 2015
US, Cuba sign first environmental accord since thaw Puerto Rico seeks
bills to clinch debt
CHRISTINE ARMARIO that they would resume servation plan. And in April, come under new threats as restructure deals
Associated Press diplomatic ties, and for- NOAA and Cuban scien- Cuba continues to search
HAVANA (AP) — The United mally did so in July. tists circled the island on for offshore oil and tourism DANICA COTO
States and Cuba signed an Environmental cooperation a research cruise to study booms. Associated Press
agreement Wednesday to has been one of the most the larvae of bluefin tuna, Billy Causey, a regional SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico
join forces and protect the (AP) — Puerto Rico leg-
vast array of fish and cor- A diver makes an immersion at the International Diving Center Maria la Gorda on the islators have approved
als they share as countries an amended bill restor-
separated by just 90 miles Guanahacabibes peninsula in the province of Pinar del Rio, Cuba. The United States and Cuba ing more power to a fiscal
(140 kilometers), the first en- control board in an effort
vironmental accord since signed an agreement Wednesday to join forces and protect the vast array of fish and corals to appease bondholders
announcing plans to renew and help pull the island out
diplomatic relations. they share as countries separated by just 90 miles (140 kilometers), the first environmental of an economic crisis.
“We recognize we all share The move comes as the
the same ocean and face accord since announcing plans to renew diplomatic relations. (AP Photo/Chris Gillette) U.S. territory runs out of time
the same challenges of to approve measures as it
understanding, manag- visible areas of progress in a highly threatened and director with NOAA who seeks to restructure $72
ing, and conserving critical the relationship as the Unit- commercially valuable helped broker the accord, billion in public debt that
marine resources for future ed States and Cuba nego- species. said the pairings were de- the governor has said is
generations,” said Kathryn tiate and discuss a num- “We trust this document termined in part by the unpayable. Gubernatorial
Sullivan, chief of the U.S. ber of issues. They include marks the start of a sustain- challenges that the sanc- Chief of Staff Victor Suarez
National Oceanic and At- much thornier matters on able process of exchange tuaries share. said Wednesday that the
mospheric Administration. which the two countries re- that lets us develop scientif- Guanahacabibes National government will meet this
The memorandum signed main far apart, such as the ic investigations and share Park is one of Cuba’s larg- week with advisers of the
by U.S. and Cuban officials U.S. embargo and the na- best practices in manage- est and most isolated re- bondholders to present a
in Havana directs scientists val base at Guantanamo, ment and conservation,” serves. It is home to a large restructuring plan.
with the Florida Keys and as well as Cuba’s record on Fernando Mario Gonzalez population of sea turtles, He said that Gov. Ale-
the Texas Flower Garden rights and democracy. Bermudez, Cuba’s first vice spiny lobsters and contains jandro Garcia Padilla is
Banks national sanctuar- U.S. Secretary of State John minister of the Ministry of what is considered one of pleased with the amend-
ies to collaborate with re- Kerry announced in Octo- Science, Technology and Cuba’s most robust coral ed bill that legislators ap-
searchers at two similarly ber that the countries were Environment, said Wednes- reefs. It is still out of reach proved late Tuesday and
fragile and protected re- working on a marine-pres- day. for many tourists, though expects to sign it in up-
serves: Guanahacabibes ervation accord. That same Cuba’s marine ecosystem more travelers and boats coming days. Lawmakers
National Park and the month, Cuba and the U.S.- is considered one of the are beginning to arrive. last week had agreed to
Banco de San Antonio, lo- based Environmental De- best preserved in the re- Scientists there will be strip the board of most of
cated on the island’s west- fense Fund unveiled an ini- gion, with large reserves of paired with researchers at its powers, but revised the
ernmost region. tiative designed to protect relatively untouched coral the Florida Keys sanctuary, bill after a lengthy debate.
Ocean currents carry many shark populations, record and large populations of an area that receives more The board now has the au-
of the same fish and organ- fishing vessel catches and fish, sharks and sea turtles. than 3 million visitors each thority to endorse a five-
isms off the coast of Cuba develop a long-term con- But such ecosystems could year.q year fiscal reform plan but
into the Gulf of Mexico and it does not have the power
the Atlantic Ocean, mak- as originally proposed in
ing collaboration on topics Garcia’s measure to ap-
like preservation and sus- prove government agen-
tainability an area of mu- cies’ budgets or demand
tual interest for scientists in cuts.
both countries. It is unclear yet whether
“Fish, marine mammals, bondholders will welcome
sea turtles, birds and other the bill as the restructuring
marine life exist in ecosys- process begins. Both the
tems that rarely fall within government and bond-
maps drawn by man,” said holders have signed confi-
Jonathan Jarvis, director of dentiality agreements.
the U.S. National Park Ser- Melba Acosta, president of
vice, which also signed the Puerto Rico’s Government
accord and will participate Development Bank, has
in the new exchange. said that creditors informal-
Washington and Havana ly demanded a fiscal con-
announced last December trol board, and that some
of them sought a federal
Dominican Republic: government-appointed
board. However, legislators
5 judges accused of releasing prisoners for bribes and other officials includ-
ing Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto
SANTO DOMINGO, Domini- General Prosecutor Fran- said the judges are ac- The judges rejected the Rico’s representative in U.S.
can Republic (AP) — Five cisco Dominguez says the cused of working with law- accusations in an inter- Congress, have rejected
judges in the Dominican government took action yers, ex-judges and others view with a local radio sta- such a proposal.
Republic have been sus- against the judges after a to release criminals includ- tion and said a political Pierluisi compared the cre-
pended amid accusations yearlong preliminary inves- ing those facing murder campaign was mounted ation of a federal board
that they released violent tigation. Three of the judg- and drug trafficking charg- against them. The order to to a dictatorship during a
criminals from prison in ex- es have been suspended es. Authorities are now re- suspend the judges was is- forum co-hosted by The
change for bribes. without pay. Dominguez viewing those cases. sued Monday.q Hill, a Washington, D.C.
newspaper.q
