SANTO DOMINGO.- The Associated Press apparently rehashed old news on the U.S. State Department’s alert on traveling to Dominican Republic, which the country’s media picked up as fresh, including Dominican Today, though it sounded as a repeat of past headlines.
Tuesday U.S. embassy officials who visited the National Police confirmed the date of the publication, mid 2005, according to newspaper El Nacional. However they said the report remains on the State Dept. Webe site.
The warning sparked an uproar in Dominican official and private circles, including Police chief Rafael Guzman, and Hotels and Restaurants Association president Luis Lopez, who discarded it as erroneous, whereas Supreme Court Chief justice Jorge Subero said it was “severe.”
Dominican Today’s version published yesterday:
SANTO DOMINGO.- The U.S. State Department yesterday alerted tourists who visit Dominican Republic on the risks of being victims of common hoodlums in cities, beaches and resorts, as well as by Police agents who demand bribes. “Crime continues being a serious problem in all of the Dominican Republic.”
The warning, in the State Department Consular Topics Section’s Web site (‘travel.state.gov’), corresponding to Dominican Republic, is similar to notices the entity has posted in previous years..
The alert says tourists in Dominican Republic are usually victims of holdups for their cellphones or sexual assaults. “The criminals can be dangerous and the visitors who walk the streets must always be alert in these environs.”
The warning also notes that some of the thugs “carry guns and are prepared to use them if they meet with resistance, adding that the police professionalism can vary.” Attempts by police to ask for bribes have been reported in the embassy in Santo Domingo, as well as agents who use excessive force.”
It lists new ways to steal from tourists in Dominican Republic, such as the use of speeding motorcycles to snatch purses, cellphones, necklaces, watches and other valuables.
Among others risks, the U.S. Government notes the chaotic and disorderly transit in Santo Domingo streets and highways and warns tourists that nobody uses directional lights when turning or to change lanes. It also recommends against the use of motoconchos (motorcycle taxis), because tourists have complained of thefts in the North region and other zones.
From: United States
My wife and I spent a week in the Dominican Republic in March and saw no signs of the crimes listed by the State Department. It was our first time in the DR and it was a most pleasant vist. Driving in the DR is somewhat confusing as their are not a lot of maps to help you to get around Santo Domingo, but other than that, I feel safer than I do in my own home town (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina).
Written by: Jander, 18 Jun 2008 2:33 PM
From: Dominican Republic
Someone isn't doing due diligence.
Here was my comment on the original article.
Written by: Jander, 17 Jun 2008 11:17 AM
From: Dominican Republic
This is old news and stats from the US state department.
Not sure what the motive is and I don't like it is safer here and tourists are not a target unless they are wandering off to places they don't belong.
It doesn't take much to go to the state department website and check the dates of the original data
Come on DR media do you job before you start a feeding frenzy and the tourism board should insisdt the US make an official retraction and is presenteed across all media channels. Not just here but around the world.
Written by: Jander, 18 Jun 2008 2:42 PM
From: Dominican Republic
Oh and by the way.
Anytime I have been stopped by the police here for routine checks they have always treated me with respect and once they have seen all my documents and insurance are in order they apololgize and let me go on my way.
The old days of asking for money or purposely pulling over white or touriist looking people or motorists is a thing of the past , at least in the capital.
I am treated better here then I am in my country of origin the USA
Written by: lcabrera, 18 Jun 2008 3:25 PM
From: United States
They really messed up.
Written by: DaniDr, 18 Jun 2008 6:27 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo
Ooops!, I gues someone is getting fired for this.
Report or not, crime is still a big issue here, both for tourists and residents.
Written by: DennisC, 18 Jun 2008 9:35 PM
From: United States
I wonder how many people from so many different countries have been mugged and murdered
in all US cities, for them to come with this paranoid s...... now,
like their cities, small and big, are any safe.
From: United States
Old report....yeah...right ;) Typical US reporting..."lets spread a rumor out therer", and play dum....another tactical way of hurting another Country....Ooops!
From: United States
whether or not the article is outdated, there are ony two issues with any degree of gravitas, namely1) was the article truthful at its time of publication? and2) what is the relative level of crime vis a vis the base year. nothing else means a hill of beans. it asserts that there were street lowlife and other predators doing mischief to society. well, have these guys completely atomised, or do they still exist, and to what relative levels?
Written by: JCjua, 19 Jun 2008 2:49 PM
From: United States, New York
dreadlocks, you need to go there to test if the record are correct to withdraw re report.
if your rights don't get violated, then everything is fine.
you should take "jander" with you, just for testing purposes...
good luck.
From: United States
Great, fast action to tidy things up.
Written by: Serpent, 19 Jun 2008 10:44 PM
From: Dominican Republic
You all know how it works,everything has a purpose just wait and see what other crap they'll come up with ,that is already outdated. The fact remains the same D.R. is not safer nor better,it is what it is until someone with actual police science technics takes over.
From: United States
and, dear Serpent, who do you think is going to permit this? do you think that the powers that be have any interest in a pacific society? do you realise the amount of money being made on guard dogs and electronic surveillance, and ten foot wrought iron fences? it is just like electricity, my friend. it will never be resolved as long as there is a fortune to be made in inverters and plantas. cést la vie!
From: United States
The Economic state of any country will clearly give you an idea of what crime is like in any country. That is the facts since the word, Economics was discovered. Poor economic conditions in any country will result in a high level of crime, from the community level to the whole country.
From: United States
sancochojoe, are you trying to assert some sort of linkage between poverty and crime? i think you are, if i read you correctly. if that is the case, might you take some time to explain why it is that some of the most debilitating crimes have their genesis in the richest of circles? ever heard the term DRUGLORD? crime is a moral issue, and it is too complicated a subject to explore in a few lines on this forum. there are people in this world who would rather die than steal, and others who would rather die than not steal!
Written by: wisha, 25 Jun 2008 5:58 PM
From: Dominican Republic
I live in the DR, I am a Peace Corps volunteer. This country does have a high crime rate, especially against people who appear to be american, or tourists. It´s not complicated. Many PCVs (peace corps volunteers) are targeted because for the most part we cannot hide the fact that we are americans, and the Dominicans assume we are tourists. This isn´t propaganda, it is very real. Now saying that, I love this country, and I am very happy to be here. Unfortunately, I have been vicitim to theft here, I am aware of the dangers here, but you can´t always be prepared for something like that. Dominicans are very cautious themselves, so should we. I am a six foot tall blonde, i stick out here, and so do many other americans. We are easy subjects. It doesn´t mean that the DR is a bad place to visit, these sort of things happen all over the world in tourist areas. I will have lived here two years, and I still would never let my guard down, especially in Santo Domingo.
Written by: JCjua, 26 Jun 2008 3:29 PM
From: United States, New York
wisha,
Your six foot tall blonde remark will not work in all places in DR. You need to cleanup your comment.
BTW, the most honest man in the face of the earth IS Dominican:Juan Bautista Félix es orgullosamente dominicano.
Written by: wisha, 27 Jun 2008 2:38 PM
From: Dominican Republic
Look, I have been all over this country and have lived in several places. I am aware that six foot blondes exist here, it is just rare. I am not being condescending, it is true. I am not trying to be insulting, I love the dominican culture and people, I wouldn´t be here otherwise. I live with a dominican family and they consider me their daughter, and likewise. It is just a simple observation. I do not look like what would be considered dominican. I don´t feel this is a wrong thing to say, I am sorry if I offended anyone, but that was not my intention. Domincians themselves will tell me to be careful, my neighbors, family and people that care for me because they know that I am in greater danger of being targeted for crime, simply because of my physical features.
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Here was my comment on the original article.
Written by: Jander, 17 Jun 2008 11:17 AM
From: Dominican Republic
This is old news and stats from the US state department.
Not sure what the motive is and I don't like it is safer here and tourists are not a target unless they are wandering off to places they don't belong.
It doesn't take much to go to the state department website and check the dates of the original data
Come on DR media do you job before you start a feeding frenzy and the tourism board should insisdt the US make an official retraction and is presenteed across all media channels. Not just here but around the world.
Anytime I have been stopped by the police here for routine checks they have always treated me with respect and once they have seen all my documents and insurance are in order they apololgize and let me go on my way.
The old days of asking for money or purposely pulling over white or touriist looking people or motorists is a thing of the past , at least in the capital.
I am treated better here then I am in my country of origin the USA
Report or not, crime is still a big issue here, both for tourists and residents.
in all US cities, for them to come with this paranoid s...... now,
like their cities, small and big, are any safe.
if your rights don't get violated, then everything is fine.
you should take "jander" with you, just for testing purposes...
good luck.
Your six foot tall blonde remark will not work in all places in DR. You need to cleanup your comment.
BTW, the most honest man in the face of the earth IS Dominican:Juan Bautista Félix es orgullosamente dominicano.