Hatillo mayor criticizes ownership transfer of Camuy Caves

The Camuy River Caves National Park encompasses a vast network of natural limestone caves and underground waterways spanning the municipalities of Camuy, Hatillo and Lares.

By THE STAR STAFF

Hatillo Mayor Carlos Román Román has firmly criticized House Joint Resolution 147, which seeks to transfer the Camuy River Caves National Park to the Municipality of Camuy.

The park encompasses a vast network of natural limestone caves and underground waterways spanning the municipalities of Camuy, Hatillo and Lares.

“Upon learning of this development, we immediately reached out to the mayor of Lares,” Román emphasized in a radio interview. “Neither of us, as mayors with vested interests in this ecological and tourism treasure, received any notification. There were no public hearings conducted, which is unacceptable.” “This bill blatantly disregards the interests of the people of Lares and Hatillo, facilitating a completely covert transfer,” the Popular Democratic Party (PDP)-affiliated mayor added. “We have been kept in the dark. The district representative, who is supposed to advocate for the interests of Hatillo, Camuy, and Quebradillas, never contacted me.”

Former PDP Sen. Ramón Ruiz Nieves also expressed serious concerns about the resolution, pointing out critical flaws in the process leading up to its submission.

“The mechanism for this transfer via a joint resolution is alarming,” said Ruiz Nieves, who chaired the Senate Government Committee during the inspection of the park’s conditions after Hurricane Fiona. “Public hearings and memoranda that should have informed this decision were completely ignored. There are no accompanying memoranda supporting this resolution; it’s being rushed through without due diligence. We must question the true intent behind this.”

The former senator challenged whether Camuy has the financial capability to invest over $30 or $35 million in ecotourism development or if “we should instead focus on a $3.5 million initiative to revive and reopen a park that historically drew over 150,000 visitors each year.”

In a stern rebuttal, Camuy Mayor Gabriel “Gaby” Hernández Rodríguez insisted that Román has shown a complete lack of concern for the park for the past 30 years.

“The caverns have remained closed for nine years, and no actionable solutions have been proposed. For four years, I have been working diligently with [the Department of] Natural Resources to reopen the caverns sustainably and fully, but that has not materialized,” he stated. “Our objective is to manage the Cave Park as a municipal entity to ensure its transformation. This transition will involve a partnership with either the private sector or a non-profit organization. It is imperative that any partner possesses the necessary financial resources to meet the park’s demands.”

In the past, the government proposed transferring the management of the caves to a private operator. However, in 2023, the Puerto Rico Public-Private Partnerships Authority unequivocally informed the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources that it does not endorse pursuing a public-private partnership for the Camuy River Caverns project. The initiative was meant to rehabilitate, operate, and manage the natural tourist attraction.