Well, well, well I gues that Leonel and his cronies were wrong with regards to the immunity of the DR to external forces of the recession.
I wonder how the next election will go for the communist (Castro-Chavez) shoulder rubbing of the PLD and Leonel.

Not good news at all. The economy of Santiago will suffer greatly from this. Leonel and the government better get working real quick to find a solution.

Does anyone remember some guy talking about they were done with firing people at freezone guess not

Platano..This is not a problem ... Did you not get the news recently, that over 100 new companies are opening up businesses/operations in the ZFs of the DR. That was announced made by the director of ZFs, about 2-3 months ago, right here on DT and other national press. Those new operators, will hire the lay off workers. The new SOLAR POWER PLANT will employ 2500 people.. that will take care of 50% of these dismissed employees. LF is not worried, the DR is like Teflon when it comes to the Global Economic Crisis.

Juango I hope all this is true because friends of our family were laid off and they are looking for new jobs but it is rough right now.

Juango must be wearing his purple colored glasses today. Have you spoken with anyone in Santiago recently? Grupo M is on the verge of collapse. Then what happens? DR is not teflon in regards to the world's economic conditions.

Hey guys,, It was all said "tounge in cheek". LF and his cabinet are incompetent. The DR is about to fall into a deep recession/depression. All Crime will increase as hunger prevails amongst the masses (pueblo dominicano) ! Even less money will circulate on the streets and food will get more expensive. Trouble is lurking just ahead. No Purple colored lentes for me... and this is the good news folks..

yes, Juango, and the new biodiesel plant will provide jobs for 25,000. so, all those laid off in the free zones have many jobs to choose from.

Brotto:

The guy who said the layoffs were finished is the same guy(FM) that laid off 1000 workers this week.

Question, does anyone know if any televisions are manufactured in the zones?

WHAT? Layoffs in DR:? I thought the administration said we were immune to the world's economic woes? I tell you, you can't believe a word out of a politician's mouth.

No country is bullet proof...

I am opening up a new web site for the Dominican market, and I will be needing Outside Sales People, so if any that needs a job, and can sell, please email me, at drinfo2008@yahoo.com, with your resume.

Leonel need to get a Botella that 5000 peopele without money to make a living, they deserve

everyone is being affected by this damn recession...lets not loose faith and hope becuase every storm does not last forever, eventually this will soon end

Well if new companies are opening, someone better make sure they hire those Dominicans those who lost their jobs.

Pa Lante mi presidente !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello everyone it's not only D.R. who is suffering it's the entire world. I understand the frustration that circulates in D.R. that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The truth is that the world is suffering from an economy disaster due to G.Bush (U.S. Pres) and friends in other countries. I feel bad that the government does not have any financial asst for those who lose there jobs. This is why illegal activities will always win; when there is a recession people find other jobs to do. I don't agree with it, but at the same time how do expect people to feed their kids.

I have been in the FZ business in DR for 10 years., now, I walked away in year 2007 (Thank Gods), no more headaches for me. LF he thinks he can make miracle in FZ, he is deadly wrong., he wants:
1. Technology: but he does not know the capacities of his people, it take years, years, to reach that goal. Education., infrastructure, principal, discipline, efficiency.....etc... all of that.
2. cost : there is no way for goverment to control the living cost, or any better way to minimize the negative influences to people.
3. Manipulate the exchange rate: in year 2004, $ US 1.00= $ peso 44.00., when he came to office, he lowered the rate to $ 1.00= $ peso 28.00., meaning every factory in FZ lose 30% up front. WHO CAN SURVIVE in this way?
Peso apprciation 30%, please, what a joke., if you have a little bit sense in Economy, you know only county with strong competitivity or a lot of of foreign deposit, then the currency could appreciate against US dollar. What does DR has?????? nothing.

Mucha mujeres

4. Lying to people: always cheating on people that how many new factories., or how much money injected into FZ business....or how many new hires......Such a lier., they deserve the winner of Oscar. The govt don't look for the causes and effects, then evaluate different solutions, only lying.......
Therefore., I want to know:
1. How and where govt to put all these people who lost job to work??? You teach me.
So, my thinking and conclusion is :
This type of the economic problems is only the appetizer for DR now., the main dishes yet to come. ********* pa lante******* Leonel,

Xwill7:

What does DR has in order to compete other countries:
you are right, mucha mujeres y .........you tell me...(Sorry to say that, but it is true), If I were LF, I will feel shame on this talk.

The free trade zone is only going to get tighter. Everyone wants cheap labor

China is sucking Latin America DRY! We all going to be forced to migrate!

letrode

migrate where?

THINK,

You're Russian or Eastern European (your speech pattern gave you away. No big in determinants and conjunctions are you?). DR is not much different now than Russia, the former Soviet Republics and Eastern Europe was after the fall of communism in the 1990s. It takes time. I think the president is right in pushing technology as a great equalizer. It worked for India, China, South East Asia and others. It can work in DR as well...

Technology is definitely important. So is being able to put food on the table. As times get rougher more people will be forced to resort to crime. Its the past time of most DR police and government why shouldn't the rest of the people get their piece of the pie?

sabio.. technology as an equalizer???? in a country where reliable electric supply does not exist? where basic education is almost non-existent? where many lawyers and engineers cannot read/write beyond a 7th grade level (Eurpoean/NA schools)? As Veronica states, food on the family table becomes a daily challenge for the majority of the population.

We are going to migrate to CHINA? How fast can we learn chinese?

The world is suffering a global recession which is so deep that in some areas it is considered a depression. The slow action of the economic factors provoked a necessary reduction in the labor force. It is almost impossible for any country to get out of this bad environment. It is obvious that the public authority and the other social forces as well have the responsibility to take action in order to reduce the suffering of those directly affected by the situation.
There is a vicious attitude of many people that try to get political benefit from this economic tragedy. The best responsible conduct should be to offer our contributions in an uninterested way. If you do not have any material aid to offer to those who are suffering, at least give then some orientation or guide how they can be less harmed by the crisis.

Juango, i am worried that i agree with you on so many points you raise. it is not healthy. again, i fall into the same trap. but, here i go. not only are the issues that Juango raises about technology problematic, but general attitude contributes greatly. let me clarify. what good is it to have a laptop with a six quadrillion terabite hard drive, when the internet in your office has been down since last october, and all that Claro will tell you is "manana"? the term here is URGENCY, people. nobody takes things seriously. in the USA, if your internet goes down, and you call customer service, the first thing they check is your payment status. if you are up to date, they either fix it from their office, or send a techician out, POST HASTE. because, they realise that it is a necessary production and communication tool in the year 2009, and not a luxury with which to play video games, get into chat rooms, or download reggaeton.

Think, I was going to mention the MANIPULATION of the dollar probably had more to do with the FLUCK UP in the Free Zones as the world financial crisis. You beat me to it. Pesos doubles in value to every other industrialized country. What a joke if anyone thought it was reality that this GOD FORSAKEN immoral country actually had anything going for it to go up 10 % let alone almost 100%.

What a joke that was! He just about cut the legs out from under the Free Zone businesses. I am surprised any of them are actually left standing.

Escott

good webside for all of themes,i was loocking for manufatorie ,and take me long time to find,and on top of that you have pepoles in you new york consulat ,we dont kwon what they doing there.all bull shits i will not say any name ,i'm not quirino jajajjjja but todo eso nesecito mas imformacion en internet,diablo

The DR is not inmune to global recession and there is no place to run.This whole mess was created by a group who wants to have global control that's why it affected everybody.otherwise it does not make ay sense that the wealthy are the one getting money in form of bailouts and the people are not, but instead are force to pay for the lavish life style of a few. compare to the world population.with apagones and not such great economy the Dominican people were always able to live and still smile because people were helping one another and neighbors were like family even to people that were only visiting as tourist the Dominican were always friendly.
with the current Global Crisis who knows what the ones in power are planning to gain control of the whole world they must first bankrupt everybody.The next will be the global food crisis due to the changing climate growing food will be a challenge and the demand will be grgreater than the production.There is no such things as inmunity.

Again I mention the electricity situation. That is the biggest killer of the free zones. Who wants to pay the highest rates for the most unreliable electricity in the world?