VULNERABILITY & HAZARD ASSESSMENTS FOR PUNTA CANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

INFORMATION VALID AS OF: 07 April 2013

***SUPERCEDED!***

See our updated Vulnerability assessment here.

INTRODUCTION & CURRENT SITUATION

1.                    This report is produced for Mr., upon request for information.

Always register at the nearest Embassy or consulate with points of contact information. Always leave an itinerary with a third party of trust as well as pertinent related information such as hotels, etc. Travellers to the Dominican Republic (DR) should exercise a high degree of caution mainly due to a high crime rate. Hazards associated with health and diseases are higher than in Canada and preventive measures are highly recommended.

ASSESSMENT OF VULNERABILITY FACTORS

2.                    Government/security forces: Reports of criminals impersonating police officers have been reported, particularly after departure from the Las Americas International Airport near Santo Domingo. Similarly it is possible that this may occur in the Punta Cana area. For example, demands for immediate payment of traffic fines were witnessed. Actual cases of security forces or real police officers posing a threat to tourists or demanding bribes remain isolated and therefore vulnerability from government or security forces remain low.

3.                    Kidnappings: Kidnappings continue to be an issue, and the country is becoming a victim to “express kidnappings," a method of abduction that is used to obtain small amounts of money by driving the victim from one ATM to another to withdraw the victim’s account limit. Instances of kidnappings for the Punta Cana area remain rare compared to the capital city area. Therefore the risk of kidnapping is assessed as low.

4.                    Crime: While violent crimes including assault have affected a few foreigners, petty crime is common in urban areas. Thefts have been reported in resorts. Exercise caution and be aware of your surroundings, especially after dark. Avoid showing signs of affluence, never openly display your cell phone as “snatch and run” crimes are reported and do not leave your personal belongings unattended on the beach. Theft from hotel rooms and hotel room safes has occurred. Some tourists have been victimized in taxis.

Gangs: gangs and organized crime groups are present in the region. Drug traffickers are also active; the DR is a transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe. Although there has been an increase in violent crimes and homicides, tourism resorts are unlikely to be targeted. The overall vulnerability from crime is assessed as medium. The risk from crime can be lowered if precautions are taken.

5.                    Biases: No recognized threat to tourists in the vicinity of resorts.

6.                    Terrorism: No terrorist groups are known to operate in the DR, however it is likely a transit point for extremists. Additionally, there are no insurgent groups present that have been identified. There have been no terrorist or armed insurgent acts reported in the past year, however two occurred in 2011. Based on the above, the Punta Cana area is assessed as a low risk from terrorism.

7.            Civil unrest/violent protests: In the past year there have been popular protests against the government – sometimes quite violent and involving the death of protestors. Similar protests and demonstrations are likely during 2013, to include road blocks. Tourists are unlikely to be directly affected but are likely at risk if in the vicinity of large and sudden crowd gatherings. The possibility of such unrest/protests in the area of tourist resorts is assessed as low.

ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS

8.            Health: Dengue fever is endemic to the DR. More than 15,000 suspected cases of cholera and 262 related deaths have been reported in the past few years. There are occasional reports of cases of malaria. Water-borne, food-borne, parasitic and other infectious diseases (including hepatitis, HIV, filariasis and leptospirosis) are prevalent. Medical care in Punta Cana should be adequate for most problems. Due to the above health issues, the risks of being exposed to diseases or contracting a medical disorder are assessed as medium. Take preventive measures such as vaccines and the purchase of medical insurance before travel.

9.            Risks from climate: Tropical storms, tropical depressions and other natural disasters (including earthquakes, floods, and droughts) do occur in the DR. Hurricane season is between the months of May and November. There are two rainy seasons, the heaviest being from May to August. Visitors to the island need to be aware that many buildings may not be in compliance with Canadian codes. Since natural hazards such as earthquakes are unpredictable and that historically, natural disasters have occurred on the Hispaniola Island, the risks from climate are nonetheless evaluated as low.

10.          Topography: The eastern part of Hispaniola Island, which the DR shares with Haiti, is mostly composed of rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys. No volcanic activity as well as no landslides was reported in the past year. Therefore there are no recognized hazards associated with the Punta Cana area.

11.          Infrastructure: Traffic laws are similar to those in Canada but are often not respected. Outside major towns, road quality varies. Driving after dark is not recommended due to poor lighting. Public transportation is not recommended. For those planning to drive in the DR, be aware that offensive and defensive driving skills are a necessity. Outside the capital, emergency services range from extremely limited to nonexistent. Telecommunications and internet services are usually reliable. The electricity system capacity is inadequate in many areas and power outages do occur. Do not use tap water or ice in areas away from the resort or hotel, unless otherwise reputed. Hazards associated with the existing infrastructure in the Punta Cana area are assessed as low.

OUTLOOK

12.          While most visits to the Punta Cana area are trouble-free it is recommended to exercise a high degree of caution to ensure a memorable holiday. Do not divulge the name of your hotel or room number to strangers. Avoid unnecessary interaction with strangers. Be aware of the surroundings. Obey local laws. Do not touch unknown animals and insects. Tourists are often considered attractive targets for criminal activity and you should maintain a low profile and never venture alone, especially after dark. Credit card cloning and fraud are common. It’s generally safer to use cash. Safeguard your personal belongings, passports and other travel documents at all times and make photocopies. The tourist police (POLITUR) provide a security presence in tourist areas and first response assistance to tourists. The most significant risk and hazards associated with travel to Punta Cana are from crime, health and diseases. Those factors are assessed at medium and can be alleviated.

VULNERABILITY FACTORS	ASSESSMENT
GOVERNMENT/SECURITY FORCES	LOW
KIDNAPPINGS	LOW
CRIMES & GANGS	MEDIUM
BIASES	NO RECOGNIZED THREAT
TERRORISM/INSURGENCY	LOW
CIVIL UNREST/VIOLENT PROTESTS	LOW

HAZARDS	ASSESMENT
HEALTH & DISEASES	MEDIUM
CLIMATE RISKS	LOW
TOPOGRAPHY	NO RECOGNIZED HAZARD
INFRASTRUCTURE	LOW

Annex A – Threat and Operational Hazard Definitions

Vulnerability Factors Definitions

NO RECOGNIZED THREAT: No threat has been identified.

LOW: Possible hostile intent. Although it may occur, threat is lessened if certain precautions are taken. Risk is less than 25%.

MEDIUM:  One or more individual(s) has(ve) the incentive to carry out hostile intent.

This is based on one or more indicators such as opportunity to act. Risk is 50%.

HIGH: One or more individual(s) is(are)  highly likely to commit an hostile act. The associated course of action is to be avoided at all costs and is based on the current assessment of the vulnerability factor. Risk is higher than 75%.

Hazard Definitions

NO RECOGNIZED HAZARD: No hazard(s) have been identified.

LOW: The hazard(s) posed by the mentioned factors are greater than in Canada. Serious illness, injury, death are moderately more likely. Precautionary measures may be necessary. 

MEDIUM: The hazard(s) posed by the mentioned factors are such that serious disease, injuries, fatalities are probable and the chances of surviving injuries are less than in Canada. Precautionary measures are necessary.

HIGH: The hazard(s) posed by the mentioned factor(s) are such that serious disease, injury or fatality is/are extreme. Prolonged exposure will result in serious injury/illness and/or fatality and this hazard is to be avoided based on the indicators for the assessment.

Annex B – Terminology

Definitions

Government Forces: Military, Police, para-military members. Uniformed or not. Bribes, corruption, unreliability, illegal arrest or detainment.

Kidnappings: actual acts reported, known areas renowned for and opportunities for.

Crimes: Crimes against persons to include assault, robbery, carjacking, rape, murder, crimes of opportunity and by profiling. Crimes against property to include burglary, identity theft, larceny, auto theft, carjacking, cyber scams.

Gangs: Crimes that include multiple perpetrators, access to prostitution, bribery, extortion, and blackmailing.

Terrorism/Insurgency: Areas with history of acts, presence of, popular or perceived support for.

Biases: How will the traveller(s) be perceived in host country. Vulnerabilities may include one or a combination of the following; race, religion, ethnic background, language(s) spoken, skin color, gender, sexual orientation, mixed-race couple, past visas in passport(s), political affiliation, financial status, nationality, employer, etc.

References were intentionally omitted. In the original document we also had access to two confidential sources.

Contact Par-Sec Consulting for all your travels to non-occidental  or third world countries.

Attribution: copies and redistribution of the above material in any medium or format is authorized providing full attribution is credited by using full link of present blog.