It's celebration time.

Mi merengue va a mama, pa lo que sufren, pa lo que sufren el triunfo de los demas.

Great

This is big step as even an escalator intimidates a lot of people here.

But riding on the back of scooter or in carbon monixide filled bus or public car doesn't phase anyone.

PS
The first photo says 'raiders wait to board train" probably should change that to "Riders"

excuse the typo it is 'monoxide"

in the photo I think that is josean in the hideous green shirt

The article reads as follows: Dominican Today personnel was

However, it should read like this: Dominican Today personnel were

It's basic grammar.

People also praised the Hindenberg!

and the Titanic !

...and the revolution!

This is only the first line of the Santo Domingo Metro, there are 7 lines planned for this subway. I love it.

Hurray for Santo Domingo and Dominicans!
I never agreed with the metro but I am real glad it was finally inaugurated with flair.
Maybe we will stop being such a bunch of cynical self absorbed critics and enjoy it while it last.
What do our Haitian friends think about that?

and our caricom friends ....well dread ?

Goully, you know you own a dozen of those green polos.

Looks brilliant, the station look fantastic, the only thing I'd like to know is, HOW MUCH DID THIS COST? ALong w/ technological advances, we should also demand changes in our government...

I do hope that maintenance is on top of keeping the metro looking as beautiful as it does today. Everything looks beautiful at first, but it's the on-going maintenance that matters. Look at the Promenades on La 27 de Febrero...

you got me with the green shirts Baldy....and you are correct about the maintenance factor ...it will take a person of imagination and forcefulness to make the trains run properly over the long haul ...Let us hope they find him

I heard they're building a tunnel from Miches to Mayaguez...That's the new Metro extension...Weeeeeeeee!!!

WhySmitty, would you be so kind to share that report with us?

Congratulation... Hope it cuts down on the traffic.

From a Dominican living in New York: While the DR suffers with constant electric outages, Hotels are closing, Restaurants are going out of business, Zona Franca closes factories terminating over 38,000 jobs. We pay more tax for an airline ticket than the price of the ticket itself, and is the highest priced airline ticket in the entire Caribbean. Illegal boats wait every night for Dominicans to escape across the dangerous ocean to Puerto Rico. Elected Officials dine on Lobster, Shrimp & Steaks. Elected officials sit in overstuffed luxurious chairs that cost us thousands of dollars for each chair, and vote themselves more and more benefits, and higher salaries. Hospitals are inadequately supplied with essentials to treat patients, let alone save lives. Our children attend rat trap buildings with no chairs to sit in. No books for students. Our kids go to school hungry. Leonel´s only solution is to raise taxes, and borrow more money, putting us and¨drowning in debt.

From a Dominican living in New York:

While Rome burned Nero played the fiddle. While the DR suffers with constant electric outages, Hotels are closing, Restaurants are going out of business, Zona Franca closes factories terminating over 38,000 jobs, Leonel goes on a tax increase rampage. Shame on my government

why Newyork-Dominicans are always talking so much shit!! and maybe this guy above me hasn't being over here in the last 6 to 5 years!, the capital looks totally different, very modern, tall skyscrapers, and the roads are very smooth and well maintained .. the Metro may be bad for some, but what can we do about?? at least many are happy with it :bbbbb

Euromax: I think that WhySmitty's comments are not far fetched. I like the idea of a Metro, I just don't know if it was a top priority at this point in time. I think that we should have dealt with eletrical problems firts, hospital second, and then a solution to the transportation system. The Metro is done and there is nothing anyone can do about it. Lets hope that it serves its purpose.

Actually, from someone who deals w/ the political class on a daily basis, that's the same impression I have of not only the ruling party, but the three major parties. And yes there are more Skyscrappers in Sto. Dgo., but there is also more poverty and misery! Which should be the true measure of our society's success? some people focus only on the Anacaona, La esperrilla, Naco and other toni neighborhoods; but these same people forget about the countless barrios that lack every necessity even hope sometimes.

You can't block out the sun with SkyScrappers forever.

WHySmitty has explained the situation here in a realistic manner.

At least and finally someone is reasoning instead of spewing hatred in this room.

BenCardozo, you should post more frequently in this room. You are the voice of reason here. Your approach is fair and balanced. Most of the posters here are extremist Dominicans, such as Lautaro and etiennc01

juanb,

Thank you for your sincere and frank opinion.

Euromax you are the only nucklehead talking crap, it is the truth there is nothing in dr that make sense metro no sense, education,eletricity and prices need fixing. there is more, just because you were deported is not our fault. Do you wonder why we are not in dr take a guess you moron

Euromax never aswer the question have you ever travel outside dr, you sure act like you have not good english anyway.

Where are you Euromax you fool.

SIEMENS has just been fined $800 million USD by the SEC for bribes under the FCPA. I'm certain that none of it went to DR officials for the METRO !!!

I belived that too ha ha ha

Is this the company who built the Metro?

http://www.computerworld.com/acti....ArticleBasic&articleId=331535

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/21....ness/worldbusiness/21siemens.html

Hopefully this will lead to the individuals in the DR who may have taken bribes. ( Not that I consider it to be a possibility!!) When you are going to jail you might want to take friends with you.

brootto, you are very bruutto :))) i was not deported in the first place i was born in D.R!! you non-sense, and i never being living outside of D.R, i have seen the change, and you got to admire it.. but electricity, agua potable, and social changes need to take place...

Smitty said: "BenCardozo, you should post more frequently in this room. You are the voice of reason here. Your approach is fair and balanced. Most of the posters here are extremist Dominicans, such as Lautaro and etiennc01"

Look who's talking about extremism, the arisitidian chimere himself. The only thing that I was trying to point out to you is that you have no authority to be pointing fingers when your own house is in disorder, one that your boss and his gangs are partly responsible for. At least we dominicans are trying to address some of the issues mentioned above by your domyork friend. May I ask what are you chimeres doing to ameliorate the burden of your brethen on your 1/3 of island?

Aristide will be back in March. The Haitian diaspora will come to invest in Haiti in drove. We have millionaire, billionaire educated Haitians. Stars, superstars living in the U.S., Canada and France. The plan to put Haiti back on top is there. Soon it will be implemented.

Written by: Trujillo, 22 Dec 2008 11:25 AM
From: Dominican Republic
...and the revolution!

and Trujillo

Well, it's up and running. But do you think that it will make enough money to maintain it self? What about the 700 million Dollars it cost to make will it ever pay itself off?.....
One thing you can't deny, to what job will people ride this to ?

The Metro is nothing more than EL FARO de COLON on wheels!

we shall see my little buddy we shall see......will you be taking a spin with your mentor the Hippo soon ....you know bring him up out of the basement for the ribbon cutting

Countries with very low unemployment have metro system. The metro should not be top priority. There is a major problem here. Leonel is totally disconnected with the mainstream Dominican.

For once I agree with you in something. He needs to stop traveling so much and concentrate his attention more on the island´s issues, such as rescuing the trees on the border and addressing the electric problem, for starters. But judging for his balagueristic way of ruling, that would be too much to ask.

LOL Lautaro an extremist ? WhySmith it's your opnion, however I am curious ,how have you arrive to that conclusion?.

Josean get use to the metro it's here to stay, you should be proud and congradulation. The cost factor is important if it's too expensive the normal Joe Dow will not ride it, also maintenance is key to keep the subway running and reliable. Do they have a rail system that criss cross the country in DR ?

JUST WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT BIG TREMOR, SHAKER OR EARTHQUAKE HITS THE DOM. REP....Every one will hit the HIGH ground if you know what I mean. .

I'll give "Opret" three yrs to start thinking about "Privaticing" the "Metro" for PENNIES !!!!!!!

And like "AERODOM" another "FIASCO" for DR tax payer.

LOL

Oh for the love of God... listen to yourselves; the tremor, the next huricane, it's gonna fail , it will be another fiasco.

Shut the hell up, man!, I don't understan why so much hatred and negativism, the metro is working, lower class Dominicans are using it, for free, for now anyways, a safe, humanized, organized way to get from point A to point B.

I guess you aint got nothing to say about 'voladoras' that ride crammed with people without brakes, windos without glass and any dignity.

And another thing, why are HAITIANS, complaining and talking BS about our metro, don't you have a country to fix? your country? uh?

Honest Abe puts life in perspective and hits the nail on the head.....thanks Abe

The only thing more stupid than the METRO are those who defend it!

all aboard josean or you will be left behind ....whining and complaining at the station with all your PRD amigitos....it is not to late..try to imagine the scene from the famous movie " the Defiant Ones " with Sidney extending his hand to Tony Curtis as he runs for the train....

Enjoy the ride on your way home to darkness!

Feliz Navidad!

Source DR1


Programmed blackouts (Very Orwellian)

The Electricity Distributor of the North (Ede-Norte) will suspend service to clients in the circuits denominated "B", "C", and "D" all during this week, including the 24th and 25th, in order to repair transmission lines.
The press release, according to El Nuevo Diario, says that service will be suspended Wednesday from 4 to 7pm and on Thursday from 2 to 5pm in the La Paloma, La Chiva, Pontezuela, Hospedaje Yaque, Don Pedro, Hoya Del Caimito and Dorado in Santiago.
They added that in Espaillat province the same schedule would be followed for Guauci, Juan Lopez, Villa Trina and the Moca-Salcedo highway.

Continued:

In Puerto Plata province the same schedule will apply on Wednesday and Thursday for the residents of Altos de Cofresi, Don Gregorio, San Marcos Abajo, Pico Isabel de Torres, Maimon, Los Canos, Los Tejada, Las Avispas, Los Cacaos, Cuesta Amarilla, San Marcos, Los Rieles, El Javillar and La Colora.
In Maria Trinidad Sanchez, blackouts will apply for the sections of La Garza, Rincon Adentro, the Las Quineintas residences, Rincon de Molenillo, Ls Cacaitos, la Gorda, Boaba, El Dragon, Rio jaguar, El Guayabo and seven other sections.
In Duarte province (San Francisco de Macoris), Pueblo Nuevo, Los Grullones, Villa Duarte, Los Jibaritos, El Hormiguero, San Pedro, Hermanas Mirabal, residential areas Estancia Las Colinas, Abreu and Jennifer, the barrios Madrigal, San Martin and Duarte as well as the barrios of Ventura Grullon I and II.

Continued:

Ede-Norte said that the province of Valverde will be affected inthe sectors of Villa Olimpica, San Antonio residences, Play de Pericles, Maria Auxiliadora, Carlos Daniel and Pueblo Nuevo.
In Montecristi, service will be suspended, on the same schedule, in Villa Vasquez, Las Matas de Santa Cruz, Castanuelas, Carnero, Jobo Corcovado, Bohio Viejo, Barrio los Parceleros, Bajo Yaque and Loma de Castanuelas.

HonestAbe,
I not against the Metro or a slow speed train at the price of Fuel are you kidding me, they just should of been a trolley instead of going underground....Black outs, floods, muggings and Tremors ring a bell.....Disaster in the making.

"
And another thing, why are HAITIANS, complaining and talking BS about our metro, don't you have a country to fix? your country? uh?
"
Dishonest Abe who are they ?, every Dominicans that disagree with your metro are labeled Haitian in your book.

YEAHH!!!! Go METRO
If only they could focus more on some of those images. I'm sure alot of the haters that write on this board would be seen rushing to climb on the METRO BAND WAGON!!!

One day real soon, those of you who supported this crap will wish you didn't and that the government had all that money back.

"Written by: Escott, 23 Dec 2008 11:52 AM
From: Dominican Republic, Sosua/Cabrera
One day real soon, those of you who supported this crap will wish you didn't and that the government had all that money back."

Tell it like it is Sir Escott, tell it like it is!

AN OPEN MESSAGE TO THE DOMINICAN GOVERNMENT:

If you have a conscience after watching these two videos listed below, you will sell the metro to a private entity and use the money to invest in alleviating the harsh condition of living of your people where poverty is rampant. Please watch the two videos below. Have a heart. Listen to your people. Don't be stubborn like George Bush. Good Luck!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMBS2ETPGZg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIDsU9-lU84

DR metro has a big question mark hanging over it. The money could have been spent much wisely. The Dominicans did not invest too much in Obama. They chose to line themselves up with the Latino community . They were following Hillary Clinton during the primary. On the other hand, the Haitians were with Obama from DAY ONE. That's why the Haitian community will greatly benefit from the Obama's administration. Starting with the appointment of Haitian-American Patrick Gaspard with his office soon in the White House as obama's White House Political Director. Also Haitian-American Kwame Raoul, a good friend of Obama, will very likely replace Obama in the U.S. Senate. Watch the videos below to hear the Haitian Superstar Wyclef addressing the crowd in Spanish, and Wyclef also campaigned with Shakira for Obama.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVz676VxXHk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lzEehWVS6A

Can we all get along?

A todo, Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano Nuevo.

To all, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

A tout le monde, Jojeux Noel et Bonne annee

Peace & Love

Well Smitty I really hope that Obama does something for the Haitians in Haiti. It's a pitty that your country has been abandoned by the entire world. Lets hope that a new leaf will turn for your people and that all they help they need and deserve. Mr Obama please help our neighbors. Im also hoping that this new year will be less traumatic for for both of our countries.

Same to you Sajomero. Happy Holiday Seasons.

hours of operation are from 9am to 7pm....are not most people at work by 9am ?

not the thieves ,pickpockets and hookers...they are just getting home from work

Oh Smitty, I hope one day Port Au Prince gets a metro too. Tis the season to be jolly...falalalalah..lalalalah!!!

Dear snoopyy3k,

Happy Holiday Seasons.

Watch this video. It's a mix of Spanish, Haitian Creole and Hip Hop with Mexican Star Melissa Jimenez, African-American Supersatr Will.I.Am, Haitian Superstar Wyclef Jean and others. This is my New Year gift to you.

Click on the link below to watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pu8KXo_2SKY