ATR72 PIC RECEIVES TKOF CLRNC FROM LCL CTLR BUT STOPS ACFT AS IT TAXIES ONTO THE RWY DUE TO OBSERVED CESSNA ON SHORT FINAL.

Narrative

WE (ACFT X) WERE HOLDING SHORT FOR RWY 35 AT LOS AMERICAS INTL; SANTO DOMINGO; DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. THE HOLD WAS FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD (IN EXCESS OF 5 MINS). DURING THIS PERIOD; THE FLC ENGAGED IN A CONVERSATION. I NOTED A CESSNA (ACFT Y) ON A WIDE DOWNWIND. THE RADIO XMISSIONS BTWN THIS ACFT AND TWR WERE IN SPANISH. WE CONTINUED TO HOLD FOR SEVERAL MINS MORE BEFORE BEING CLRED FOR TKOF. AS WE MOVED FORWARD; WE SCANNED THE APCH PATH AND SAW THE CESSNA ON SHORT FINAL. THE CAPT MANAGED TO STOP THE ACFT WITH ONLY ABOUT 5 FT OF THE ACFT BEYOND THE HOLD SHORT LINE; WHICH WAS STILL WELL CLR OF THE CESSNA ON THIS 200 FT WIDE RWY. THE CESSNA PASSED BEFORE WE COULD SAY MUCH BUT 'WE'LL HOLD FOR LNDG TFC;' AND THE CESSNA LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THE CONFLICT WAS TWR CLRING US FOR TKOF WHILE HE HAD AN ACFT ON SHORT FINAL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE TWR'S USE OF SPANISH; VICE THE INTL LANGUAGE OF AVIATION; AND OUR NOT MAINTAINING A STERILE COCKPIT DURING THE VERY LONG HOLD SHORT. FORTUNATELY; WE WERE VIGILANT AND BROKE THE ACCIDENT CHAIN.