Do you believe the Dominican Republic is moving (however slowly) forward towards becoming a developing country with a strong economic, political and social foundation, or...are we sliding irrevocably, inexorably towards the abyss of failed-stateism...?

Jacirez, i am optimistic that things are changing. i have spoken to some people who are in the know, and there are initiatives out there to bring about meaningful changes in a lot of areas. i bet that very few people know that there are "stings" going on in the governmental functions. there are actually government plants who are posing as legitimate businessmen, offering bribes to politicos. if the bribes are accepted, then proceedings are brought against the perpetrators. now, what i do not know is whether or not any discipline is actually meted out, but at least it is a start. the next thing which is needed is some serious analysis of projects before sinking money into meaningless ventures. government has to realise that there is such a concept known as opportunity cost, and that for every project that is undertaken, others have to be foregone.

Indeed!
There are many reasons to be optimistic. I am not a PLD partisan; but I have to give credit to the Fernandez Administration. They are the first Administration to make a credible, serious effort to confront the institutional corruption in the DR. I repeat: They may not be perfect; but they're the best we've got right now and should be praised and encouraged...

I don't know, the economic and social aspects are things which can not be taken lightly. For example, in the economic sector, I'm wary of the fact that the gov. doesn't seem to be making any serious effort to curtail their "everything goes" policy of accepting every single kind of investment that enters the country (investments that might come from the subterranean economy, read, the drug market, money that comes into the country so as to get off the radar of international police institutions, ex. Interpol). The other serious bubble that threatens the country's future is the slavery policy of our business, agrarian and construction sectors (specially this last one), which are importing thousands upon thousands of haitian inmigrants in order to reap astounding profits stemming from the cheapness of that kind of labour (one that they're at liberty of dismissing as they please, going by methods such as calling the migration services when payment day looms on the horizon to outright threatening them with such if the inmigrants so much as raise a murmur). When/if the construction boom ever comes to a halt, what does the dominican gov. plans to do with all those inmigrants that will go to engross the ever growing army of the unemployed (which on this country represents a 20% of the adult working force), may I ask?

Lautaro
Yes, there are serious challenges...but on the whole I believe we are moving in the direction of a strong and growing democracy...
There is much work to be done; but we are not facing the abyss either...

Bueno mi hermano, se JODIERON si siguen asi. Esos Haitianos se van a quedar con el pais si siguen asi.

ny4life,
I am curious: What would you say if the I.C.E shared your views on immigration? What would happen to the Dominican Community in NYC...?

I think that Arsenio Lembert sums my point neatly on his following post:

"This is a valid issue that certainly needs to be addressed immediately for the sake of the Dominican Republic's integrity (cohesiveness). I got to hand it to you; You've struck a nerve that seems to be deadened to reality that exists; to sense what time it is. However, it's with great trepidation that I must inform you that this is just one of the "ugly" aspects of GLOBALISM, and will get worse as time progresses. The powers that be (the poli-tricksians, native mavericks and tycoons, the international banksters, the United Nations, military industrial complex, big oil, secret societies, etc.) have fomented the current conditions that exist in DR at present. Can't you see that U.N. troops control Haiti? When these Haitian hordes infiltrate DR territory they receive assistance from the Jesuit Refugee Services (Jesuits are a military order of the Vatican) at the border, and they then proceed to demand legal status for flagrant violators of national laws. They then disperse throughout the DR "como Juan por su casa". This is an intentional or engineered crisis, similar to the GLOBAL "financial crisis" that plagues the planet. "It's all..... part...... of the plan" : As Heath Ledger the late actor, states in his award winning Joker role in the movie Batman.

As you state the whole world is looking at DR as having to grin and bear it. If your president galavants around the world like his one of the guys, espouses illuminati ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT philosophy, and panhandles the international financiers on the regular; Do you expect these monies not to have strings attached to them? Who do you think these guys that meet with Fernadez Reyna are? Ever heard of Rothchilds, Rockefeller? They control the world's money system, and those that play do so by their rules! They are playing for keeps, buddy. DR has become the Cuba of the 21 Century. Watch how they run up the tabs, sell everything out, prostitute the whole nine yards, then enslave it. It's what they do for a living. Running countries into debt, then they come and impose their Luciferian demads.. And it seems that one of the conditions that these powers that be have imposed with this "development" of DR scheme, is to accept every Haitian that wants to come and displace natives.

Honestly, I don't see a way out of these pact with the devil. The die has been cast. They sold out their soverignty for "development". Now we see the "ugly" side of the bargain. Things use to be so simple when there wasn't so much tourism, summits, and U.N. meddling that the PRD encouraged by their constant pleas for interventions on DR elections.

In conclusion it's the wave of the future; No illegal immigrants, just one big go where you what and when you want world; AKA chaos.....At this point in history all signs lead towards the New World Order, and that calls for regional intregtration of countries; The DR will eventually succumb to a hybrid state like Cyprus. It's sad to say, but, I think it's irreversible. Y el lio del Narco-Trafico? Salvese quien pueda, or better yet: Salgase, quien pueda!"

Lautaro,

hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!
I just saw a UFO...and the black helicopter...One World Goverment...hahahahahahahahahaha...
I'm sorry. I can't think of anything intelligent to say....hahahahahahahahahahaha!
You're killing me...

What can I say, not everything should be doom and gloom now, should it?