SANTO DOMINGO.- Dominican Republic has more than 55 products with pre-market studies ready to industrialize, of which agreements were already signed to market them locally: bananas, flour wafers, cassava, yautía and squash; dry fruits, raisins from Neyba (southwest), Tabasco liquid, and hot red peppers in seasoning and powdered, raised in greenhouses.
Biotechnology and Industrial Innovation Institute (IIBI) director Bernarda Castillo said the Herrera industries agreed to adopt all lines of the brand Nopal, to make shampoo and a humidifier cream, and will also produce juice from the medicinal fruit jagua, as well as a personal hygienic product for women.
She said the first IIBI’s product is liquid ginger which already sells in Puerto Rico technological innovations which only the Dominicans know their value, citing cassava flour, plantains and bananas. "We’re overjoyed that the five products to be developed to sell in the local market are with Dominican industrialists ".
Castillo also revealed that the IIBI is funding research on a molecule of the plant maguey, used in the rural areas to fight infections and inflammations. “We are conducting research in which maguey was proven positive is an anti-carcinogenic by the University of Ohio, against lung, breast and prostate cancer, but it’s a long term study.”
Written by: Atabey, 12 Oct 2009 11:06 AM
From: United States
Excellent news and more of these ventures are needed for the future prosperity of the people and nation of DR. The educational system needs to develop people for these start-ups to produce the mutiplier-effect of greater economic development.
Written by: Escott, 12 Oct 2009 11:36 AM
From: Dominican Republic, Cabrera and Sosua a few days a month
Ah I think 24 hour electric and drinking water should be brougt to market first for some reason...
Written by: xwill7, 12 Oct 2009 1:09 PM
From: United States, Chicago
who will be incharge of the quality control?
Written by: anthonyC, 12 Oct 2009 2:15 PM
From: United States
"who will be incharge of the quality control?"
The free market is the best quality control there is.
Written by: xwill7, 12 Oct 2009 2:42 PM
From: United States, Chicago
stuff better not get rejected when it reaches Florida
From: United States
one word; ELECTRICITY.
Written by: xwill7, 12 Oct 2009 5:29 PM
From: United States, Chicago
Dominican avocados, cocos, and platanos have been reaching the Chicago market but more is needed. The supply is not consistant, many markets mix and match items
Written by: mrweepa1, 12 Oct 2009 7:11 PM
From: United States, Huntington Station NY. Juan Dolio DR.
Dominican avocados, cocos, and platanos have never been here in New York, Most are from Cost Rica or mexico.
Written by: dagtan, 12 Oct 2009 7:27 PM
From: United States
This is very since the DR can not continue to bank on the service economy for it survival in the future. It must next begin the process of importing skills into the island, so natives could be trained. China will serve as a good example, since Dominican money has the vale as chinese money. In china is any corporation is going to built a new factory, public work, they must train the locals and teach them the skills they bring with them.
This is the reason why china is only behind india in the production of software and its manufacturing industry has really developed in the last 20 years. This expansion has gotten china to even feel comfortable to compete with biggies as the U.S. and Japan in the auto industry. Moreover, they have put those skills to work by building around the world via loans to developing nations.
venezuela is another good example who is currently benefiting from russian skills importation and adaptation by locals in the country.
Written by: juanb, 12 Oct 2009 8:23 PM
From: Dominican Republic
The government will never allow the education system to improve. Independent, intelligent people would not put up with their BS.
Written by: bearcat, 12 Oct 2009 8:46 PM
From: Dominican Republic
Thank you again Dagtan,
We are here to build three alternative energy plants that pay US scale but we have to bring in techincal people from Asia and Europe which is 75% of the payroll because the skill level here is so poor. The reason poor schools. My grandfather taught me how to build a factory but never how to build a school. New products are great but you do not leave China with the money becuase they can produce the people who can do the work. Their is money in keeping people ignorant but more money in educating them. Government has not figured that out yet.
Written by: dagtan, 12 Oct 2009 9:30 PM
From: United States
juanb and bearcat, remember that the most difficult people to govern are those who are EDUCATED, HEALTHY AND COMFORTABLE. The government knows this and is clearly making sure that the population stays uneducated. The last time I checked only 65% of the Dominican population can be considered literate.
However, there some here that have been brain washed to think that all the misfortunes of the DR is due to the Haitian issue. I am very happy to find people like you, people who see the problem for what it is.
If the Lie-onel government really wants to help our people become competitive in the current global economy, he needs to remember that without a bio-chemistry, physic, architecture, software engineer, micro-biology, mba, ed.d, ph.d and others, the country will never stop being a service society. The country is currently used like a pleasure island, which is there to serve.
Written by: xwill7, 13 Oct 2009 10:34 AM
From: United States, Chicago
mnw,
I am shocked. I would think that NY would be stocked up on Dominican items. But its the same here, most avocados are from costa rica and the black mexican avocados are every where. Bananas are all from guatemala, costa rica, and equador. I even bought some pairs that were from south africa.
From: United States
dagtan offers this
. The last time I checked only 65% of the Dominican population can be considered literate.
and, dagtan, that means being able to read,only. what percentage of that 65% understands what they read? i posted before that there is a concerted effort in this country to restrict information and knowledge to a very few people. try this; stop a group of people in the street. ask them all what direction is Puerto Rico from us, north, south ,east, or west. see how many can answer that question.
Written by: xwill7, 13 Oct 2009 12:01 PM
From: United States, Chicago
have them spell Que... they will write Kue
Written by: dagtan, 13 Oct 2009 12:29 PM
From: United States
Well, yes, dread and xwill7, it is basic compulsory education. Meaning that they can read and write, but it does not mean that they are able to critically crtique a book or write a prublishable documents. That % is for thos who have a post graduate education and I do not have number since, it has never been published by the DR education department.
Understand that even LIE-ONEL has limited education to be the president of a nation. He has a master degree in social working or socialogy, I might be wrong on one of them, but it is close. I need to go to the DR institute at city college which is where he got is education.
There many of us Dominicans here in NYC who are working on doctorates from prestigious schools. This alone makes us more educated than our president.
He understand that by keeping the people ingnorant, hungry, sick and malnourished, they are easy pray to stereotypes and scape goating.
Written by: xwill7, 13 Oct 2009 12:44 PM
From: United States, Chicago
can win them over with a botellita de brugal
From: United States, New Haven, CT
I've been trying to start a Quality Control services company for over a year now to deal with the defficiencies in the pharmaceutical industry, but guess what because of a presidential decree the only place that can do the analysis is Laboratorios Dr. Defillo who lacks the technology, qualified personnel, and just plain old dedication to bring quality production standards to the island.
Why do they do this? well because they can, no one else can even get access to crucial market data for sales and productions so no investors will even touch it!!
and I'll tell you what those new products will never take off either as long as gov. stooges give preference in business dealings to their hick cousins...
And that's the Truth, with some Cheese on it!!
Written by: Atabey, 13 Oct 2009 2:09 PM
From: United States
Guys I think some of you are really missing point and can't see the forest for the trees. The main reason why our Dominican products are not sold in significant quantities here in NYC and elsewhere and those from Costa Rica and Mexico-and even Bolivia are is because those countries began the process of industrializion of their respective agro-sector some time ago. I've been to Mexico and Costa Rica and can tell you guys that both are well ahead of the Dominican Republic in institutionalizing their agro-businesses. Of course, Mexico having done so shopuld not be considered out of the question since its a very large and relative to the Dominican Republic, advanced industrial society. The case of Costa Rica is far better a measure for our republic to consider. The physical size of the national spaces are very similar, with Costa Rica is slightly bigger size. The population size is very different and we have roughly double the size of los Ticos. But by far the greatest difference
Written by: Atabey, 13 Oct 2009 2:21 PM
From: United States
Part 2
I could tell between the two societies, the DR and Costa Rica, was in the level of general education. The Costa Ricans are much better informed and educated than the general citizen from the Dominican Republic. And as is common knowledge, education is the key to modernization. Everything depends on it; for greater efficiency, better outcomes, and we should take Costa Rica as a guide in our own modernization drive. Their eco-tourism is better than ours, but this is not due to the physical beauties found in Costa Rica, we have beautiful physical wonders also; the key is the management and trained staff supporting the ventures. The political elites are also far better educated and organized than ours. Corruption and crime exist but on a different scale. In sum, the yuca I just had with some bacalao could very well have come from the DR, but it came from Costa Rica. I believe that soon we will see some yuca and other agro-products coming from the DR.
From: United States, New Haven, CT
Atabey,
I'm sure most people on this forum will agree with you, we all know that education is the driving force behind innovation and industrialization, and well The Dominican politicians also know that, trust me I've seen them speak at Yale and in the DR with charismatic rhetoric about making a better future; however the just of the matter is modernization is slow in DR because of the politicians blocking major avenues for new industries to be created.
for example you can't say Mexico and Costa Rica are more advanced in their industrial operations of agriculture, DR has been the craddle of agrobusiness since Columbus, Sugar, bananas, and other products have been exported throughout the world from that little island for over a hundred years. The reason its not as developed its because agrobusiness doesn't profit everyone, mostly the ones who have the land, everyone else ( workers, retailers, even exporters) get the shaft, the only people who make money are those who own the land
Written by: HONEST, 14 Oct 2009 11:30 AM
From: Netherlands Antilles
the only way we can change our future is by providing a good education to our kids, slowly but surely, as for the illiteracy rate, I used to have a data processing bussiness, I used to build many curriculums...only 4 out of 10 customers finished high school and 2 out of 4 finished university. Yes the goverment is some how responsible on this, but, many of us are too laid back
Written by: Atabey, 14 Oct 2009 11:49 AM
From: United States
IronThinker, I welcome your response. However, I could not disagree with you more on the point of agro-business dvelopment. As I stated to you before, I've been to both Mexico and Costa Rica, in the latter I stayed for 5 weeks and was able to travel and see the nation with my good friend and compadre El Tico. We visited many agricultural spots and I was very impressed by their overall development. Please check out the following site [http//:iadb.spitfirephoto.com] so you can assess for yourself some of the differences I observed. The Costa Ricans are well ahead of us in many matters of development, and I would urge fellow dominicans to open their eyes and copy some of their schemes. In addition, a good friend of mine from PR recently visited the nation of Costa Rica and was equally impressed by their advancement, especially in the agro-sector. He is a chef in Puerto Rico. The Eco-Tourist sector also impressed him vis-a-vis his stay in DR.
Written by: Trujillo, 16 Oct 2009 12:31 AM
From: Dominican Republic
This is great news and I'm tired of these people that love to put us down. No matter how good the news is, they always come up with something to ruin it. Why don't you people dig a hole and bury yourselves, you'll be a lot more productive there!
Written by: Atabey, 16 Oct 2009 7:49 AM
From: United States
Trujillo: I hope you're not referring to my constructive criticism. Countries develop in comparison to other countries, and our only legitimate comparisons come from viewing their respective achievements. If you look at the first post on this page, I state that this news is "excellent." Mexico is not necessarily the best unit of comparison for the DR because it's a huge country with too many important variables not viable vis-a-vis DR, in my opinion, for good comparative purposes.
Costa Rica, however, is a very interesting country for DR to compare itself to, and seek to emulate the positive elements of its social, political and economic modernization. The population size is only half our's, say 5 million to our 10; Costa Rica's GDP is greater than ours, they have implemented an electrical distribution system that we should look to copy-incorporating wind power as they have to their national system. The education system is vastly superior to ours, again we can learn how the
Written by: Atabey, 16 Oct 2009 8:04 AM
From: United States
instituted their system and maintained its development, what problems they've faced, etc., Csta Rica has a much better run health care system and here again we in the DR would gain from studying its development, its strong points and its weak points. Costa Rica's agricultural sector has incorporated a more sophisticated system of operation than our own. The use of organic farming, with the help of the Japanese, is much more advanced than what we have going on here in the DR. And because the Costa Ricans have been able to deal more efficiently and professionally with their power-electrical demand requirements, sanitation, water-treatment, and every other issue or concern that has electrical energy need requirement, have developed without the stagging loses associated with our (DR) developmental model. How far more advanced would our DR be today, had our leadership solved the electrical distribution demands? Electricity + education = modernization. Everthing else depends on it.
Written by: Atabey, 16 Oct 2009 11:03 AM
From: United States
Trujillo, check the Time Magazine article:
Costa Rica's President: It's Not Easy Staying Green
By Tim Rogers / San Jose Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009
You will notice that the article states positives, Costa Rica generates 95% of its energy from renewable sources, and 26% of its landmass is green and protected, 2 billion dollars are generated from just the Eco-Tourism sector, etc. And some negatives, balancing the Green Agenda with economic development, open pit mining for gold, and some corruption issues.
Written by: Trujillo, 19 Oct 2009 12:25 AM
From: Dominican Republic
Atabey, there's nothing wrong with constructive criticism and I didn't say it because of you. Constructive cristism is welcomed. I'm talking about people that no matter how good the news is they feel the need to leave a negative comment, no constructive criticism at all, just trolls.
From: United States
Atabey, a wondeful series of articles. i have said on far too many occasions that we suffer here from "resource complacency" on the one hand, and ignorance of others on the other hand. some people here seem to believe that we are the jewel of the region, and every body else is playing catch up. they see pictures of tall buildings with light blue stained glass windows, and think that we are in the vanguard of modernisation in this area. that is because most have not seen anything more distant than Bonao. they believe that the other caribbean islands are "backward", and fail to realise that all the so-called "sandbars" have free medical treatment, advanced education systems, superb IT services, and equally impressive tourism facilities. only when we realise that we can do much better will we ever get ahead.
Smaller
Bigger
Close Gallery
Facebook
Digg this
del.icio.us
Technorati
Yahoo
The free market is the best quality control there is.
This is the reason why china is only behind india in the production of software and its manufacturing industry has really developed in the last 20 years. This expansion has gotten china to even feel comfortable to compete with biggies as the U.S. and Japan in the auto industry. Moreover, they have put those skills to work by building around the world via loans to developing nations.
venezuela is another good example who is currently benefiting from russian skills importation and adaptation by locals in the country.
We are here to build three alternative energy plants that pay US scale but we have to bring in techincal people from Asia and Europe which is 75% of the payroll because the skill level here is so poor. The reason poor schools. My grandfather taught me how to build a factory but never how to build a school. New products are great but you do not leave China with the money becuase they can produce the people who can do the work. Their is money in keeping people ignorant but more money in educating them. Government has not figured that out yet.
However, there some here that have been brain washed to think that all the misfortunes of the DR is due to the Haitian issue. I am very happy to find people like you, people who see the problem for what it is.
If the Lie-onel government really wants to help our people become competitive in the current global economy, he needs to remember that without a bio-chemistry, physic, architecture, software engineer, micro-biology, mba, ed.d, ph.d and others, the country will never stop being a service society. The country is currently used like a pleasure island, which is there to serve.
I am shocked. I would think that NY would be stocked up on Dominican items. But its the same here, most avocados are from costa rica and the black mexican avocados are every where. Bananas are all from guatemala, costa rica, and equador. I even bought some pairs that were from south africa.
. The last time I checked only 65% of the Dominican population can be considered literate.
and, dagtan, that means being able to read,only. what percentage of that 65% understands what they read? i posted before that there is a concerted effort in this country to restrict information and knowledge to a very few people. try this; stop a group of people in the street. ask them all what direction is Puerto Rico from us, north, south ,east, or west. see how many can answer that question.
Understand that even LIE-ONEL has limited education to be the president of a nation. He has a master degree in social working or socialogy, I might be wrong on one of them, but it is close. I need to go to the DR institute at city college which is where he got is education.
There many of us Dominicans here in NYC who are working on doctorates from prestigious schools. This alone makes us more educated than our president.
He understand that by keeping the people ingnorant, hungry, sick and malnourished, they are easy pray to stereotypes and scape goating.
Why do they do this? well because they can, no one else can even get access to crucial market data for sales and productions so no investors will even touch it!!
and I'll tell you what those new products will never take off either as long as gov. stooges give preference in business dealings to their hick cousins...
And that's the Truth, with some Cheese on it!!
I could tell between the two societies, the DR and Costa Rica, was in the level of general education. The Costa Ricans are much better informed and educated than the general citizen from the Dominican Republic. And as is common knowledge, education is the key to modernization. Everything depends on it; for greater efficiency, better outcomes, and we should take Costa Rica as a guide in our own modernization drive. Their eco-tourism is better than ours, but this is not due to the physical beauties found in Costa Rica, we have beautiful physical wonders also; the key is the management and trained staff supporting the ventures. The political elites are also far better educated and organized than ours. Corruption and crime exist but on a different scale. In sum, the yuca I just had with some bacalao could very well have come from the DR, but it came from Costa Rica. I believe that soon we will see some yuca and other agro-products coming from the DR.
I'm sure most people on this forum will agree with you, we all know that education is the driving force behind innovation and industrialization, and well The Dominican politicians also know that, trust me I've seen them speak at Yale and in the DR with charismatic rhetoric about making a better future; however the just of the matter is modernization is slow in DR because of the politicians blocking major avenues for new industries to be created.
for example you can't say Mexico and Costa Rica are more advanced in their industrial operations of agriculture, DR has been the craddle of agrobusiness since Columbus, Sugar, bananas, and other products have been exported throughout the world from that little island for over a hundred years. The reason its not as developed its because agrobusiness doesn't profit everyone, mostly the ones who have the land, everyone else ( workers, retailers, even exporters) get the shaft, the only people who make money are those who own the land
Costa Rica, however, is a very interesting country for DR to compare itself to, and seek to emulate the positive elements of its social, political and economic modernization. The population size is only half our's, say 5 million to our 10; Costa Rica's GDP is greater than ours, they have implemented an electrical distribution system that we should look to copy-incorporating wind power as they have to their national system. The education system is vastly superior to ours, again we can learn how the
Costa Rica's President: It's Not Easy Staying Green
By Tim Rogers / San Jose Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009
You will notice that the article states positives, Costa Rica generates 95% of its energy from renewable sources, and 26% of its landmass is green and protected, 2 billion dollars are generated from just the Eco-Tourism sector, etc. And some negatives, balancing the Green Agenda with economic development, open pit mining for gold, and some corruption issues.