didn´t we see this helmet initiative once before in the first Leonel reign? i guess it was just another in a long line of publicity stunts, long buried and forgotten. however, it is laudable that some people see the need to revisit the matter; the dr is ranked as the most dangerous country in the world in terms of road traffic fatalities. most of the deceased fall into the category of motorcyclists and cyclists, so the helmet is a good idea. with the general anarchy on the roads, pedestrians should consider fitting themselves with headgear,also.

5000 helmets * US500.00 (typical of Dominican, they inflate the price) = US 2,500,000 (except, they open a US dollar account overseas and pay for the difference) , times the exchange rate * RD33.50 = RD 83,750,000, then comes the commission, used to be 10 % but this people they required you to be your partner, so they demand 50%, so you do the math.
It comes down to new votes for RD16,000, but its hard for the population to figure out that, after all their heads its harder than the helmet, at least they wont know what hits them, when driving deaf!

I was at the Jaktar Resort this past xmas and was amazed as to how many (motores) they have in Puerto Plata. My father is from Puerto Plata and have been there a few times in my lifetime, but I did not recolled seeing so many motores performing so many functions around the town center. I even saw people carying propane and a child on top og the cylinder, this is very dangerous. Therefore, I believe that the last thing people think about while riding motores is their helmets when they are basically carrying everything on the already. Finally, when I read this piece, I could not help but remember about that song from (moreno negron, omega).

Perception: Do you have anything postive to say about DR? and if you don't why do you bother? Do you feel better when you badmouth dominicans? i wonder what your background is and your motives behind your attempts at ridiculing us. Did a dominicano/a broke your heart!!!

Not my Heart, but yes my pocket !!!!!! and Its not that I don't have anything positive to say about DR. I'm writting few positive things of DR, Let me think, ehm, oh yea!!!
Positive
- Good trolling deep sea fishing.
- Nice beaches.
- Good rum Brugal, not good beer.
- a few good looking women.
Not Positive
- Judicial system
- Legislative system
- Executive system
- and not to say the corrupted "Private Sector".
- finally, selfish, "Trabajadoras Domesticas"

See I do have few positive things to say, In the mean time, I just say the thuth as i see it!!!!!!!!

While I respect most of Perception's opinions, he is slightly prejudiced regarding the DR. This negativity often diminishes his otherwise good ideas. That is simply my observation. And I offer it as a friendly suggestion, and as a way to improve his effectiveness. Specifically, he is incorrect when he asserts the beer in the DR is inferior. Presidente is a very good beer, comparable to Pilsen Urquel and Stella Artois as world-class. Also, there are definately more than just a few good looking women, in fact, I've never seen a Dominican woman who wasn't good-looking. These are examples of Perception's prejudices impacting his reason. My point is this; let's move beyond the pettiness and stick to the issues. The DR has many good points, as well as a few areas that need improvement. Let's give credit for the good things, and look for positive ways to improve those things that need improvement.

To Davidjule: Perception's problems are (nearsighted, envy and talking from feelings) He wants do dimininish good things that dominicans have and that foreigners love.

Haiti is a dead end country and He or She wants to see Dominican Republic in the same place
(Plain and simple)

to JRRubirosa; be careful when you start talking about what foreigners love. i know some foreigners, actually a lot of them, and i know what they love. they love the fact that they can come here and do things they can`t do back home, a lot of which have negative connotations. they like the fact that even if they are fat and balding and decrepit, they can find some 17 yera old girl to exploit. they cannot do this back home where they are from, because 17 year old girls do not date 70 year old men in Canada or wherever.they like the fact that they can walk around and feel like they are gods, glaring at ¨the natives¨with disdain and contempt. they can buy houses for a fraction of what they would pay in their countries, then establish gated communities to keep locals out. the fact is that people follow the line of least resistance. they can go to other countries, but most people will not tolerate their antics, so they come here. i do not consider their presence an asset, thank you!!

dreadlocks, you have a lot of good ideas, but the way you stereotype north americans leads me to believe you haven't entirely thought this through. I guess you could say I am one of those gringos you describe, although I hardly fit your desciption. I'm 10 years away from being 70, but still probably quite a few years older than you. Yes, I have a girlfriend in the DR, but she is many years beyond 17, and ours is an exclusive relationship (at least on my end). I send her and her 4 children money every week even though we are not married and her children are not mine. I am buying a condo here, but I would pay less for a similar one in the US, and I am not lookng to live in a gated community. I do not glare at the native population, in fact I have many good Dominican and Haitian friends, and I treat them all with the same respect I show my gringo friends. You should be very careful about how you categorize people. We are all individuals with our own reasons for visiting/living in the DR.

Mr. davidjule, perhaps your anot one of those people that dread is categorizing in his posting. However, is correct in the mentioning that many foreigners go to DR to do what they are not able to do in ther home country. I have doubts Mr. davidjule that you do not feel a drop of superiority while travelling to DR atleast at the early stages of your travels. Also, this behaviro is not unique to foreigners, but also to dominican-york and american-dominicans, they know that in DR with a few dollars you can cops and girls. Those Dominicans that are not doing well here in the U.S. will work like dogs at factories for 6-8 months to then travel there during xmas or the summer time. These also ravage our women and abuse their own people just because they travel and behave as if they belong to some upper class group, while the truth is that in the U.S. they are cleaning toilets for a living. Visit those popular supermarkets in the DR and you what I am talking about. This type, cont..

of people likes to show they have money by shopping at the high end grocery stores. It is very petty and embarassing.

To Dagtan: If THEY have the money to buy in high end grocery stores (WHAT"S WRONG) when anybody work reallly hard at at any given country and Wants to go to DR for shopping like you said in any upscale business, WHAT"S YOUR POINT???


I know Lots of DOMINICAN YORKS like you mention that own supermarkets in the US and go on vacation with their families, so expending money helps the Dominican economy.

The point that maybe you don't have the same means to do the same doesn't give you the freedom to portray this as a negative behavior.

Also CLEANING TOILETS is a BS comment against dominicans, I see that maybe you don't travel overseas.

I know at least a big familly and they own at least 50 supermarkets in the northeast part of the US(They are wealthy Dominicans)

So when they go to DR to the High class stores, they don't want to show up to people like you but actually and in reality they do have $$$ the real deal.

Your ill conceived comments have no merit whatsoever

Dagtan, what insight. You actually know what others are feeling and thinking? That is just marvelous. No dagtan, I do not feel the least bit superior. Once again you are demonstrating your own prejudices, projections, and assumptions. While there may be some who feel that way, I doubt it is anywhere close to a majority of those traveling to or visiting the DR, or any other country, for that matter. And those people who do would more than likely feel the same when visiting London or New York. Moreover, anyone describing those behaviors the way you do must have some personal knowlrege of what they are talking about. And anyone as quick to judge others as you are should take a good look within before casting stones.

Mr. davidjule, I am sure that you do not identify with the description dreadlocks presented. I did not mention your name, nor did I once said that you fit that profile established by Dread, so do not take it personal and make sure to diferentiate between an objective and subjective peice of writing. It is very easy to jump on something without giving it proper anlysis and simply twisting it to make the other person look radical or short minded. I do not know your reason to react the way you, unless I presented some points that you might identify with. As for my travels, I really do not understand your position on this one, since I did not mentioned anything about travel experience and doing what many tourist do in the DR. Maybe you might want to read the annual UNICEF report on sexual tourism and the sex industry in DR. My friend do not take it personla if you have nothing to worry about, Dread was making a legible point that most Dominicans know, but not talk about it. As, cont

can notice I am entirely ignoring JRRubirosa's comments, since they have nothing to do with the behavior or tourist and other people that travel back to our country after migrating. As always he seems to be confused or simply likes to see himself write senseless ideas and positions that are not natural to our society, maybe he is from another planet. I simply love and enjoy the behavior of my brotherhood when the travel back to DR, eventhough I totally disagree with the behavior because it sends the wrong message and it simply motivate people to take the yola. I was listening to this bachata by joel veras about his desire to come to the U.S. and how he imagined besed on what he saw and heard of others, only to find the reality that the U.S. is a cruel land for immigrants that come here of an age where education is not an option, but only to become a laborer. Many of these people are degraded by a system that recognizes titles and diplomas more than skills.

I agree with your assessment (or the assessment by joel veras, or both) of the reality of the US. Yet it is still a place where many people from around the world wish to go. I think that the reality of life in the US is somewhere between the super-hype and the worst case scenario. There are many decent people in the states, and there are plenty of a--holes as well, as there are in most places. There is opportunity, and there is risk. There are many advantages, and they are not avaiable to everyone. There are many contradictions, and many moments of pure joy, or pure despair. Or as Victor Hugo wrote, "It was the best of times, and it was the worst of times." So I don't think we are as far apart as it might seem. But I wonder if you realize your tone when you write. For example, when you wrote "I have doubts Mr. davidjule that you do not feel a drop of superiority while travelling to DR atleast at the early stages of your travels." I am not sure how I am suppose to interpret that

without fthinking that you are judging how I feel. Perhaps I'm wrong, but if I had said the same about you I think you would have challenged my assumption. Am I correct.? In any event, the question is, who is using whom in situation where tourists seek sexual pleasure. It is my contention that both parties get what they want. Other than the cases of outright abuse, and any type of non-concentual activity, there is some level of mutual benefit. Just the same, there is prostitution everywhere, so one has to question why it is an issue of tourist/native conflict. I hope we are not engaging in an exercise of Babel. If I am misinterpreting your ststements, please correct me. As I have said many times before, I have been wrong on any number of occasions.

You are right Mr. davidjule, but also understand the point that Dread is making as well. I think that many of us worry about the growth of STDS and HIV AIDS in the DR in female between the age of 14 and 19 years old. While it is mutual benefit, it does not justify the end result and the permanent damage that such acts inflict in an already weak country in need of a strong foundation to build the future upon. Many of these tourist know quite well that the girl that they have paid for sexual services is under age, but they do not stop at that as long as they pay for it, is not wrong in their minds. This phenomenon is not unique to tourist, it is also something practiced by many Domincans traveling back to Island to visit relatives and vacation. They leave behind children that will never have a father and many broken marriages and stds. Many of Dominicans that can not compete with their counterparts here in the U.S. travel once or twice to endulge on our women as if they were items.

To Dagtan: Your comments are comming from your self esteem?? right
Let me clarify a few points with you FIRST, I don't think We have the same status and I'm sorry to mention this point but you disrespect me first and therefore my people.

I do have a comfortable status right now, fly every month to Dominican Republic, have a degree , don't need to spew my venom for not reason.

Listening to what kind of music you go for and the message (Joe veras) good dominican musician but regretfully you are degrading him, I know music, play and love good music.

Now people like you are always in the narrow horizont of having bad feeling about what other people have and how they achieved (always jumping to conclusions)

What's the closest destination that you ever flown???

People like you need to read more, travel little bit more and learn little bit more.

(cont) the closest thing that you have to civilization right now is maybe your computer, this forum and dreaming of something that If you didnt' achieve already, BUDDY it's too late and the ship is gone for the next life.

Degrading and diminishing Dominicans when they go on Vacation to our country base on what they buy, how they buy and how they behave is very nearsighted specially if people like you haven't done your homework yet, IT"S TOO LATE ONCE AGAIN.......................

You have a valid point, and I want to make it clear that I was specifically excluding underage sex when I was commenting on prostitution. Having sex with any underage individual is morally wrong and causes huge problems for society. By underage, I am referring to anyone under 21. Until that age no one really understands the consequences of having sex, from the diseases to the pregnacies, to the emotional damage.

the parents a sum of money to stay out of jail. in the usa, not only would they be thrown in jail, they would be thrown under the jail.this applies to the neanderthals from europe also; i am not singling out north america, as i find north americans to be constrained by some measure of introspection.. europeans , on the other hand, seem to be largely devoid of conscience; history does not show them to be the salt of the earth! but my basic point is that many are not here because of the love of the country. if you believe this, ask them how many altruistic deeds they have done for dominicans since they landed here.this does not include allowing the shoeshine boy to clean their shoes once a week for 5 pesos and a friendly pat on the backside. if they do love this place, maybe they will stop establishing a brothel in every available vacant building, and importuning the household help to perform sexual favors gratis. this may sound to some as a xenophobic rant, but when people show disdain

for me and mine, i am motivated to exhaust all invective i can muster. i have sat in bars wherein i am the only person of color, and seen the attitudes of caucasian foreigners to locals. i can easily pass for dominican, and many people think i am, which, to me, is a bonus. the recent entrants to the bar will say hello to everyone but me, making it pointedly obvious in their demeanour that they dont think i rise to the level wherein i merit common courtesy. they see us as a species beneath, to be utilised and discarded at will. it boils my blood, because dominicans are patient and accomodating souls. i wish some of these people would go to a country such as trinidad and behave this way. there arent enough machetes in the world to accomplish what those people would want to do to put foreigners in their rightful places!!

Thank you for your kind words, dreadlocks. I do have great admiration for both Dominican and Haitian people. And I believe both would be better served by allying rather than bittering. I know there is a long and complex history between the two countries, but I do not think it is beyond repair. The question of who benefits from these divisions would answer a lot regarding the perpetrators of the present situation. I am not saying this a giant conspiracy, but it certainly is a situation that is promoted by certain individuals for their own benefit. I also share your feelings toward anyone who attempts to abuse children in any country, particularly in those countries plagued by extreme poverty. Such abusers are sick, twisted predators, and should be eliminated, by any means available.

exactly my sentiments, Davidjule. you see, i am a believer in the bromide that says a man is judged by how he treats the least amongst us. to witness the exploitation of the desperate by some of these grim creatures makes me next to homicidal; i want to perform medieval surgery upon them!!

I suspect someone is going to open a helmet store :P

Yes Mr dani Miss perception is going to open a helmet business in the border..


Good luck mr perception, make sure you take your fake US passport to the border

Remember all what I have told you so far, it doesn't matter you spam my comments.

I guess, you like the idea of the first lady Miss Cedeno, giving away hair saloon (Hair relaxer) applications, Won't this damage you hair piece? You know, wearing the helmet!

JRrubirosa is suffering from lunacy, that is the only way I can rate this guy. I'll love to meet him one day though, it will be amusing to see him in person and then match his mouth with the person. I am sure it will be just as when you read a book and then you for the movie based on such book, 90% of the time people are failry disappointed.

To Dagtan: I promise that If We ever meet , you won't be dissapointed.

"What You see it's what You get it"

I promise to meet your expectactions 100%, I won't be like the typical DOMINICAN YORK that you hate.

I will never brag about What I have, or high expensive stores (I know You don't like people that buy in expensive stores)

To Miss perception: I don't like, ride or own motorcycles, but anyway very funny the comment about the hair piece.

I rather show my bald head to women just the way they love me already.

Hey Mr. JR, I have to say, that I'm starting to like you, but not what your thinking!!!!!

You do make my day !!!!!!

Hey JrRubirosa, if you do not behave like the typical Dominican-York, then you and I will be best friends. I leave the expensive cars and clothes to my wife and daughter, I am not interested in those things. It is interesting how my wife will only drive Infinitis and only drive Mazdas, I love Mazda cars, LOL. JRRubirosa, best comment so far, not like typical Dominican-York, I like you already.

Obviously, from a country that have a well organize “Welfare System”, that doesn’t offer hand out to his citizens in need, in the form of “Bags” as your president does.

Unless you can compare poor Americans, with the millions DR citizens below the world poverty average!!!!.

DR poorest do live in “Sub-humane Conditions”, and “Helmets” will make their day.