All of the money is attributed to "money Dominicans receive in remittances sent by relatives".

Does this take into account all the tourist dollars that are likewise converted. Also, there are many Americans that live here (like me) that have our own income in the States or have retired and moved here, all of this is likewise converted. If they are only using the amount converted each month without subtracting this huge amount of money that is moving into the country, then to say that it is all remittances sent by relatives would seem to be in error.

Dwayne,

DR is just starting to grapple with its statistical deficits. Getting good stats is an adventure in DR. Hopefully, this LF Administration will have created the first sustained effort at addressing this historical problem. The National Census of 2010 will be a watershed event-IF IT TAKES PLACE!! Many of the things taken for granted in the US and otherwise enlightened nations are still being introduced or re-introduced in the DR.

Atabey,
Understood. You can see that in most aspects of living here.

This is rather deceptive though, it gives the impression that this rather large amount of money goes straight to the people so they can use it.

I live in a small town in the interior of the country, while I have no doubt that the money I bring to this town has an affect on many people, they still have to have something I want to buy in order to receive the benefit by way of profit on a sale. That is very different than all of that money being given directly to them as implied by that statistic.

Likewise the vast majority of the tourist money remains in or around the major tourist centers, not going out to the people in the campos and out lining areas of the country where there is the greatest need. Money received as "receive in remittances sent by relatives" would likely be spread more evenly through the country.

Breaking down the different segments would greatly aid our understanding of the flows. And I for one hope that we get good stats out of this new initiative undertaken with the advent of Leonel Fernandez Administration. I don't mean to suggest that his administration has been without fault, but if viewed by historical standards, his years have been marked by a modernization imprint never before witnessed in the DR. For the first time, and in part due to foreign insistence and trade policies, Fernandez has made it a point to start implementation of modern statistical tabulation systems in the DR. In the end, we will all have better data to base our views and ideas of both State and Nation in the DR. Of course, before this many errors and problems will arise. As with the modern system of taxation and administration, corruption and incompetence are a threat to good management. Hopefully, DR will grow out of this current turbulent period and see better government in good time.

Western Union in DR.
Scam, scam, SCAM!!!

I have sent money from the US many times through this service.
You have the option of sending is in pesos or US money. I ALLWAYS send it in US money so
that my family can get a better exchange rate at the bank.
The western Union Ofiice in DR allways tells my family that I sent it in pesos.

LIE, LIE, LIE!!

I have the print out of my transaction/s and have an on-line account with western union and they
ALLWAYs SCAM me and my family.

Try to call WESTERN UNION many times and spent countless hours of the phone with a mashine and press this and press that and get NO responce or help.

I hear the same stories from many other people that use Western Union from US to DR.

I will take this matter up with the press in time if Western Union does not resolve my issue.
Now it's up to them to contact me!

I hope Dominican Today is reading this so we can print this story.

BEWARE FOLKS!!

Think about those numbers you posted on this story and SCAM $3 to $4 pesos for every
$1 US dollar.

WESTERN UNION pays about $32 pesos for $1 US. And even though you send the money
US they claim when you pick it up in DR that it was not sent US it was sent in pesos.
LIE!
My family can bring the US money to the Banco and get over $36 pesos per $1 US.

This is time and time again!!!!

ENOUGH WESTERN UNION!! STOP the SCAM!!

@JoeLaP
Something you might consider. Open a bank account in th US. Send an ATM card to your relatives and they can with drawl the money directly from the bank. Each withdraw will cost $1.50 USD so you will want to have them take the money in as large a chunk as possible. This should be cheaper than the fees you way with Western Union.

I agree with Dwayne. ATM withdrawals from a US bank account are a good way to avoid exchange rate ripoffs and high money transfer fees. I use BanReservas ATMs.