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SANTO DOMINGO. - A blackout marred the activities in the National Palace today, including a ceremony headed by the First lady Margarita Cedeño and another by  president Leonel Fernandez.

The latest spate of blackouts had disrupted activities nationwide, for which the CEO of the State-owned Power Companies, Celso Marranzini, pledged on Sunday that the service would return to normal, but insists they’ll continue until everyone pays their light bill.

The power outage began 12:25 p.m. and had been normalized 30 minutes later.

It was reported the Palace’s backup plant didn’t switch on automatically as it should during a blackout.

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COMMENTS
40 comment(s)
Written by: RobertoJose, 16 Feb 2010 1:52 PM
From: United States, FREEPORT, Long Island.... (Look, beyond the words)
Lee-FLEA, The National Palace should be running on its own power. What an embarassment!
Written by: josean, 16 Feb 2010 1:54 PM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia

"Blackouts reach Dominican Republic’s presidential Palace"


Yes 1996 to 2000, 2004 to 2008 and 2008 til the present!
Written by: xwill7, 16 Feb 2010 1:54 PM
From: United States, El cuarto bate
lol. rob... I would think that they would have some reliable generators, inversor, solar panels, and batteries... wow my crib in Santiago is more pimped out than the palace!!!
Written by: josean, 16 Feb 2010 1:55 PM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia
"It was reported the Palace’s backup plant didn’t switch on automatically as it should during a blackout."


Ah but don't forget he built us a useless METRO!
Written by: xwill7, 16 Feb 2010 1:59 PM
From: United States, El cuarto bate
josean,
his house must be way nicer than the palace... he can work from home
Written by: pleasuretour, 16 Feb 2010 2:03 PM
From: United States
This is just silly....a new Uninterruptible Power System costs less than silver service at the Palace.
Written by: VeronicaDR, 16 Feb 2010 2:13 PM
From: United States
While its hard to speak for the rest of the country the area in which my family lives the power bill is always paid on time. If it isn't they cut off the power. It seems more believable the government has not paid whatever portion they owe to the suppliers.

Pitiful this country can't even have reliable electricity in this day and age. Those in charge should be ashamed.
Written by: WalterPolo, 16 Feb 2010 2:41 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Puerto Plata
Celso be prepared to look for another job.
Written by: clinker, 16 Feb 2010 2:43 PM
From: Dominican Republic
Manana
Written by: JimHarrington This user is banned, 16 Feb 2010 3:17 PM
From: United States
It will never normalize. The country cannot pay its electrical bill.
All the money it recieves goes to pay of its national debt interest only.
It will continue to collect from the people but refuses to pay of its own bills.
US$ 500,000,000.
This is starting to spread like a cancer.
Written by: conconeteDOTcom, 16 Feb 2010 3:25 PM
From: Qatar, .. Conconete.com
a useless metro? What the hell is this guy talking about
Useless metro? is he a member of the taxi drivers syndicate?Must be!

Comment made by: Conconete DOT com
Written by: xwill7, 16 Feb 2010 3:31 PM
From: United States, El cuarto bate
josean is a moto choncho using a 1980 moto
Written by: josean, 16 Feb 2010 3:33 PM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia

Carajo Margarita donde estan las velas?
Written by: glomarexplorer, 16 Feb 2010 3:40 PM
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes
This is what I wrote on another similar story:

Dominicans must take a "show me the money" sort of attitude on all of these political apppointees, stop cycle of enitlement and ineptitude.

Look, this man was put in place to stop apagones and, at last check, we still have them, so let's wait a little longer before annointing him saint.

"Great job" is a relative term in DR-devoid of real meaning, particularly as the country is ruled by scoundrels.

Until apagones are gone and we have reliable electrical energy supply, it would be impossible for me to give this guy a passing grade. Cleaning house is an expectation, and we don't issue "excellent" grades for doing the expected. We do for exceeding expectations-nothing short of it. Period.

Let's break vicious cycle of "under-expecting" and "under-achieving", starting now.

My advanced apologies to the Celso camp, respectfully, of course.

MJEV.
Written by: glomarexplorer, 16 Feb 2010 3:47 PM
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes
Continued:

Article is nothing but "double-speak": "Celso Marranzini, pledged on Sunday that the service would return to normal, but insists they’ll continue until everyone pays their light bill."

So, Celso, please tell us something new? How exactly are you planning to fix this mess? How do you plan to coax energy thieves to come in and pay bills? Totally impossible task without clear paradigm shift. For the good of country, DR must commit to immediately begin prosecuting all criminals.

BTW, access to electrical energy is not a constitutional guaranty. Rather, it is a privelege-which you must be able to pay for to access. Period.

MJEV.
Written by: Gringo_1, 16 Feb 2010 3:57 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Maimon (Bonao)
Whoever said the Palace pays the electrical bill? I am sure they got a lamp cord wires draped over the main lines like everyone else. You have to lead by example!
Written by: jonbonz, 16 Feb 2010 3:59 PM
From: Dominican Republic, santo domingo
they did not know where the oh nn oh f f switch was.
Written by: josean, 16 Feb 2010 4:30 PM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia

Saint Celso please make sure LIE-onel Fernandez has lights tonight in the Palace, he needs to read this:

"Por su naturaleza, el sicariato de los escuadrones de la muerte, es muy difícil de comprobar, pero lo que parece irrefutable es que personas muy cercanas al Presidente de la República estarían involucradas al narcotráfico y no se percibe la voluntad de alguna autoridad para investigarles."


¿Opera un Escuadrón de la Muerte en Santo Domingo?


Eurípides A. Uribe P.

http://www.clavedigital.com/App_P....ion/Firmas.aspx?Id_Articulo=16894

Written by: time2rize, 16 Feb 2010 6:10 PM
From: Dominican Republic
pero lo que parece irrefutable es que personas muy cercanas al Presidente de la República estarían involucradas al narcotráfico y no se percibe la voluntad de alguna autoridad para investigarles."
________________________________________________________

LMAO Nice!
Written by: MS_Jersey, 16 Feb 2010 7:22 PM
From: United States, NJ (M_ S Cibaeno 100%)
Very nice.
Written by: josean, 16 Feb 2010 8:13 PM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia
Now here is a real visionary Presidente:

Although I warn you this might be too much for simpeltons like Banistan to handle!

Palabras del presidente Óscar Arias de Costa Rica en la Cumbre de las Américas, Trinidad y Tobago

18 de abril de 2009

Tengo la impresión de que cada vez que los países caribeños y latinoamericanos se reúnen con el presidente de los Estados Unidos de América, es para pedirle cosas o para reclamarle cosas. Casi siempre, es para culpar a Estados Unidos de nuestros males pasados, presentes y futuros. No creo que eso sea del todo justo.

No podemos olvidar que América Latina tuvo universidades antes de que Estados Unidos creara Harvard y William & Mary, que son las primeras universidades de ese país. No podemos olvidar que en este continente, como en el mundo entero, por lo menos hasta 1750 todos los americanos eran más o menos iguales: todos eran pobres.

Continued:
Written by: josean, 16 Feb 2010 8:14 PM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia
Cuando aparece la Revolución Industrial en Inglaterra, otros países se montan en ese vagón: Alemania, Francia, Estados Unidos, Canadá, Australia, Nueva Zelanda… y así la Revolución Industrial pasó por América Latina como un cometa, y no nos dimos cuenta. Ciertamente perdimos la oportunidad.

También hay una diferencia muy grande. Leyendo la historia de América Latina, comparada con la historia de Estados Unidos, uno comprende que Latinoamérica no tuvo un John Winthrop español, ni portugués, que viniera con la Biblia en su mano dispuesto a construir “una Ciudad sobre una Colina”, una ciudad que brillara, como fue la pretensión de los peregrinos que llegaron a Estados Unidos.

Hace 50 años, México era más rico que Portugal. En 1950, un país como Brasil tenía un ingreso per cápita más elevado que el de Corea del Sur. Hace 60 años, Honduras tenía más riqueza per cápita que Singapur, y hoy Singapur –en cuestión de 35 ó 40 años– es un país con $40.000 de ingreso anual por habitante.
Written by: josean, 16 Feb 2010 8:15 PM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia
Bueno, algo hicimos mal los latinoamericanos.

¿Qué hicimos mal? No puedo enumerar todas las cosas que hemos hecho mal. Para comenzar, tenemos una escolaridad de 7 años. Esa es la escolaridad promedio de América Latina y no es el caso de la mayoría de los países asiáticos. Ciertamente no es el caso de países como Estados Unidos y Canadá, con la mejor educación del mundo, similar a la de los europeos. De cada 10 estudiantes que ingresan a la secundaria en América Latina, en algunos países solo uno termina esa secundaria. Hay países que tienen una mortalidad infantil de 50 niños por cada mil, cuando el promedio en los países asiáticos más avanzados es de 8, 9 ó 10.

Nosotros tenemos países donde la carga tributaria es del 12% del producto interno bruto, y no es responsabilidad de nadie, excepto la nuestra, que no le cobremos dinero a la gente más rica de nuestros países. Nadie tiene la culpa de eso, excepto nosotros mismos.

Continued:
Written by: josean, 16 Feb 2010 8:16 PM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia
En 1950, cada ciudadano norteamericano era cuatro veces más rico que un ciudadano latinoamericano. Hoy en día, un ciudadano norteamericano es 10, 15 ó 20 veces más rico que un latinoamericano. Eso no es culpa de Estados Unidos, es culpa nuestra.

En mi intervención de esta mañana, me referí a un hecho que para mí es grotesco, y que lo único que demuestra es que el sistema de valores del siglo XX, que parece ser el que estamos poniendo en práctica también en el siglo XXI, es un sistema de valores equivocado. Porque no puede ser que el mundo rico dedique 100.000 millones de dólares para aliviar la pobreza del 80% de la población del mundo –en un planeta que tiene 2.500 millones de seres humanos con un ingreso de $2 por día– y que gaste 13 veces más ($1.300.000.000.000) en armas y soldados.

Como lo dije esta mañana, no puede ser que América Latina se gaste $50.000 millones en armas y soldados. Yo me pregunto: ¿quién es el enemigo nuestro?

Continued:
Written by: josean, 16 Feb 2010 8:18 PM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia
El enemigo nuestro, presidente Correa, de esa desigualdad que usted apunta con mucha razón, es la falta de educación; es el analfabetismo; es que no gastamos en la salud de nuestro pueblo; que no creamos la infraestructura necesaria, los caminos, las carreteras, los puertos, los aeropuertos; que no estamos dedicando los recursos necesarios para detener la degradación del medio ambiente; es la desigualdad que tenemos, que realmente nos avergüenza; es producto, entre muchas cosas, por supuesto, de que no estamos educando a nuestros hijos y a nuestras hijas.

Uno va a una universidad latinoamericana y todavía parece que estamos en los sesenta, setenta u ochenta. Parece que se nos olvidó que el 9 de noviembre de 1989 pasó algo muy importante, al caer el Muro de Berlín, y que el mundo cambió.

Continued:
Written by: josean, 16 Feb 2010 8:19 PM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia
Tenemos que aceptar que este es un mundo distinto, y en eso francamente pienso que todos los académicos, que toda la gente de pensamiento, que todos los economistas, que todos los historiadores, casi que coinciden en que el siglo XXI es el siglo de los asiáticos, no de los latinoamericanos. Y yo, lamentablemente, coincido con ellos. Porque mientras nosotros seguimos discutiendo sobre ideologías, seguimos discutiendo sobre todos los “ismos” (¿cuál es el mejor? capitalismo, socialismo, comunismo, liberalismo, neoliberalismo, socialcristianismo...), los asiáticos encontraron un “ismo” muy realista para el siglo XXI y el final del siglo XX, que es el pragmatismo . Para solo citar un ejemplo, recordemos que cuando Deng Xiaoping visitó Singapur y Corea del Sur, después de haberse dado cuenta de que sus propios vecinos se estaban enriqueciendo de una manera muy acelerada, regresó a Pekín y dijo a los viejos camaradas maoístas que lo habían acompañado en la Larga Marcha:

Continued:
Written by: josean, 16 Feb 2010 8:20 PM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia
“Bueno, la verdad, queridos camaradas, es que mí no me importa si el gato es blanco o negro, lo único que me interesa es que cace ratones”. Y si hubiera estado vivo Mao, se hubiera muerto de nuevo cuando dijo que “la verdad es que enriquecerse es glorioso”. Y mientras los chinos hacen esto, y desde el 79 a hoy crecen a un 11%, 12% o 13%, y han sacado a 300 millones de habitantes de la pobreza, nosotros seguimos discutiendo sobre ideologías que tuvimos que haber enterrado hace mucho tiempo atrás.

La buena noticia es que esto lo logró Deng Xioping cuando tenía 74 años. Viendo alrededor, queridos Presidentes, no veo a nadie que esté cerca de los 74 años. Por eso solo les pido que no esperemos a cumplirlos para hacer los cambios que tenemos que hacer.

Muchas gracias.
Written by: MS_Jersey, 16 Feb 2010 10:35 PM
From: United States, NJ (M_ S Cibaeno 100%)
That's a lot of info boddy.
GUILLERMO MORENO 2012, OR DOMINGUEZ BRITO they should unite!
Written by: deicibao, 16 Feb 2010 10:36 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Santiago de los Caballeros
What a shame. The place i live in DR has 24/7 electric service if someone doesn't pay they cut off the power it should be like this in the entire nation.
Written by: glomarexplorer, 16 Feb 2010 10:36 PM
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes

Highly introspective.

Brilliant!

Sadly but it will be largely ignored by the likes of Belial and Mucho Loco and the other suspects.

This man is putting the blame precisely where it should be: us. The longer we go ignoring this fact, the deeper we slip into the abyss. Sure, we could choose guys like Chavez and Castro and and Morales and follow far-fringe ideologies, but where would that get us? Possibly somewhere between us and them. Would that be acceptable? I think not. We should rather follow the examples of Singapore and China. That would be smart and productive and sensible.

Wake up, Latin America and rise to your rightful destiny! Forget the idealistic crap preached by the usual suspects and join rest of world in prosperity, well-being.

MJEV.
Written by: BASTA, 16 Feb 2010 11:03 PM
From: Dominican Republic, =Ghetto/Legalize Drugs
Celso Marranzini is another puppet of Fernandez and or plugged and gets plugged two sweeties= why else keep on 7500 unneeded employees!
Written by: zooma, 17 Feb 2010 7:44 AM
From: United States

The National Palace should suffer the same amount of blackouts as the rest of the country. Why should it be insulated from the real world !! Then maybe the members would work to arrive at a solution to obtain 24/7 power. Ooops!! Forget it, this is the DR

Just a passing crazy thought, ,,,,,,,, why didn't the backup plant kick-in? Was the gasoil acquired for it deposited into the fuel tanks of a VIP jeepeta ?
Written by: Grullone, 17 Feb 2010 10:40 AM
From: United States
Let's start a collection to donate the palacio 100 "jumeadoras"
Written by: josean, 17 Feb 2010 12:16 PM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia

Alejandrina bring back "el inversor" before LIE-onel Fernandez finds out!
Written by: deicibao, 17 Feb 2010 5:00 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Santiago de los Caballeros
The entire city of Santiago has 24 hour power, The rest of the country is capable of achieving the same thing.
Written by: hellborn25, 17 Feb 2010 8:27 PM
From: United States, words of wisdom from the nutcracker
wowwwww I think the dominican republic just hit a new low, what and embarassment .

Celso Marranzini, pledged on Sunday that the service would return to normal, but insists they’ll continue until everyone pays their light bill.

Is itme or does 90 percent of dominicans in dominican republic do not pay there light bill ? what the hell is that about if thats the case pay your freaking light bill you cheapos . jesus what a bunch of nonsense
Written by: glomarexplorer, 17 Feb 2010 10:50 PM
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes

Hell,

This guy already mastered art of double-speak, so he is now well-qualified to be president.

MJEV.
Written by: josean, 18 Feb 2010 12:42 AM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia

NO not again St. Celso!

LIE-onel Fernandez was heard today doing his Rodney Dangerfield impression "I get no respect I tell you, I get no respect!

SE MANTIENE PASADA LAS 4:00 PMFernández está trabajando en su despacho y apagones siguen afectando las actividades del Palacio

Santo Domingo.- El presidente Leonel Fernández permanece trabajando en su despacho pese a que esta tarde continúan registrándose interrupciones constantes en el servicio eléctrico en la Palacio Nacional sin que se conozcan las causas. Las interrupciones se producen desde pasadas las dos de la tarde, y una fuente de la Dirección de Prensa de la Presidencia confirmó que Fernández estaba en su oficina.


http://www.listin.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=131927




Written by: eimyisabel, 18 Feb 2010 12:04 PM
From: United States, California
The palace should be located in naco they always have power!! upps just if you leave next to LEONEL
Written by: hellborn25, 19 Feb 2010 7:32 PM
From: United States, words of wisdom from the nutcracker
gloma this is really sad that even the president office the lights go out in the dominican republic. are dominicans that dumb and stupid that they cant even solved even solved the simple necessities of energy grid , or are they so corrupted that they dont even care
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