Santo Domingo.- Dozens of the recently elected mayors and municipal directors who’ll assume their functions in August yesterday denounced that their outgoing pars are taking advantage of the transition period by getting loans charged to the City councils to pocket the money.
They affirm that with the money from the loans the outdoing officials increase their wages “significantly” and replace old equipment, illegal occupy municipal lands, and issue permits to open businesses in banned zones.
The elected officials took their allegations to the Accounts Chamber and the Office of the General Controller, which they affirm, aims to “bind them” and prevent them from developing new initiatives.
They said the mayors also violate the law by refusing to form the transition commission which informs the newly elect officials on the situation of their City councils.
Accounts Chamber City Councils Department director Pablo del Rosario and General Controller Maria Eugenia Batista, called the actions “misconduct and vandalism.”
The scandal comes just three days after Accounts Chamber president Licelote Marte warned the outgoing City officials against “burning papers” to hide evidence of corruption.
From: United States
misconduct or vanadlism, are they protecting agian. It is pure unadulterated theft with immunity of the law. Leonel where are you? Leonel why are you allowing this to go on?
From: United States, Maryland
Common practice there.Typical.
Written by: juanb, 28 Jul 2010 10:24 AM
From: Dominican Republic
What would you expect?
They are Dominican public officials.
From: United States
gmiller. You are so right in every respect. When I point things out like this people like blutarsky say I am Dominican bashing, yet it is my beleif that people like blutarsky are PLD Leonel stooges planted to spread positive propaganda in favor of the PLD and Leonel while ignoring the facts that the DR is a corrupt society.
Written by: Atabey, 28 Jul 2010 11:08 AM
From: United States, NYC
"Written by: JimHarrington, 28 Jul 2010 10:42 AM
From: United States
gmiller. You are so right in every respect."
In every respect? Jim, you are losing it. Gmiller talks about "race" as if Dominicans were a "race"? Where does that come out of? Dominicans aren't a "race" anymore than any other nation. Learn from history you fools. Dominicans are humans like any other set of people who walk this earth. When the ignorant Gmiller makes comments that display his lack of cultured thought, you parrot his thinking with "in every respect." What garbage and playing on the most vile and insecure human emotions both of you. You should be ashamed. And as for corruption and the like, dare I say that humans in general have a tendency to sway on the moral compass? If not check out the news from the US press, you might have to stop throwing stones...there's a lot of glass to go around.
From: United States
"Dominicans are humans."
Humans with ANY moral fiber do NOT do what these ignorant savages did. These are supposed to be the smarter Dominicans, the ones you voted in.
NOTHING embarrasses a Dominican and for you to condone such behavior is ludicrous.
ONCE again... AT least in a civilized country these types of people go to jail.
In the DR they are idolized. Dominicans wear corruption as a badge of macho honor.
There is nothing you can say to make this the least bit acceptible.
From: United States
JimHarrington the truth hurts.
Dominicans NEVER take responsibility for themselves. It is ALWAYS somebody else's fault.
What a bunch of ill educated cry babies.
Does any Dominican think that this is NOT happening everywhere in the DR. What a pathetic mentality, you should ALL be ashamed.
Written by: Atabey, 28 Jul 2010 11:31 AM
From: United States, NYC
Gmiller,
Your fundamental problem is that YOU generalize on an entire nation. Don't you get it? In the US we have tens of billions of dollars in fraud and corruption. A certain Charlie ring a bell? But for anyone to say that this proves that ALL AMERICANS are corrupt bah bah bah, would be vile and disingenuous. Note the difference you fool.
Written by: Cacique, 28 Jul 2010 11:39 AM
From: Dominican Republic
G miller, you again speak with forked tongue, American big chiefs also steal, tribe in Bell, california on warpath for their elders steal wampum
From: United States
Obviously you cannot read English.
When people are caught doing something illegal (like these transparent morons) THEY GO TO JAIL !
NOTHING happens in the DR to these people.
You should be OUTRAGED that your countrymen get away with this BUT you are not. You try and rationalize it... YOU CANNOT, stop trying.
So you may get it this time. These people transparently broke the law, they will NOT go to jail. This is how savages act not humans.
From: United States
gmiller, forget it you can't win an argument with these idiots. They don't see the problem before their eyes. They will twist your comments to suit their political agenda and show support for Leonel and his corrupt PLD cornies.
From: United States
Jim, I am not trying to win. I really think no one can win with this current generation of Dominicans.
Their entitlement mentality needs to be bred out of them.
This is just too stupid NOT to respond.
Written by: Rainman, 28 Jul 2010 12:18 PM
From: United States
is thee anyone left with any ethics in this island?
Written by: Atabey, 28 Jul 2010 12:18 PM
From: United States, NYC
"Written by: JimHarrington, 28 Jul 2010 11:53 AM
From: United States
gmiller, forget it you can't win an argument with these idiots. They don't see the problem before their eyes. They will twist your comments to suit their political agenda and show support for Leonel and his corrupt PLD cornies."
Again Jimmy and gmiller, it is the two of you that fail miserably to convey a message of anti-corruption with the courtesy of our common human discourse. No one is "PRO CORRUPTION" and the entitlement mentality is a cop-out argument here. Dominicans-not the "race" gmiller261, in general, understand there are many problems, corruption being one of the main ones, facing the developing nation. Rome was not created in a day. And so, too, with the needed changes in the DR. LF for all his faults has done a better job than the previous administrations, The Hippo, Balaguer, Blanco, Guzman. That's my view, and I know some folks don't subscribe to it. Fine, no problemo.
Written by: Atabey, 28 Jul 2010 12:19 PM
From: United States, NYC
I do have an issue and most of us will, I have confidence, that these INDIVIDUAL Dominican faults are somehow made to be some "genetic" or racial characteristic of a nation. Castigate the individuals not the nation you fools. This is similar to what people said of Jews and Blacks and others. When you guys make arguments not tinted by these overt racial tones then your arguments and opinions can rest on their merits.
From: Dominican Republic, Dominican Republic
I don't think anyone is saying that corruption is not a big problem in the DR, but calling all Dominicans "savages" and saying that their "entitlement mentality" needs to be "bred out of them" is both offensive and unhelpful. If you really have such a dim view of Dominicans, why are you on this site, why are you involved with this country?
Written by: Rainman, 28 Jul 2010 12:37 PM
From: United States
I dont think corruption and lack of ethics has anything to do with race. In the case of the DR I think it has become an accepted practice to get into political office with the sole intention of self serving vs. serving those that elect them. It is I think by now part of the mora fiber of the island.
I still remember the sogan "come solos" in the last campaing to me it meant that those aspiring to power were not against the corruption and stilling just that they felt left out of the pie.
Written by: Atabey, 28 Jul 2010 12:55 PM
From: United States, NYC
"Written by: Rainman, 28 Jul 2010 12:37 PM
From: United States
I dont think corruption and lack of ethics has anything to do with race."
I agree 100% with you Rainman. But gmiller261 and Jimmy say so. Just read their posts above. [I SEE THAT GMILLER261 HAS REMOVED HIS OFFENSIVE POST. I WONDER WHY? HE DIDN'T WANT OTHERS TO SEE HIS REAL FACE] Calling Dominicans "savages" and "morally defective" that these traits need to be "unbred" from them. What does that say about the twisted mind of gmiller261 and Jimmy? And that's my issue with their daily rants against Dominicans. Yes, by all means criticize and take it to the individual(s) committing the acts, not an entire nation.
From: Dominican Republic, Dominican Republic
Shortly before the local elections in May I was talking to the head of the local electoral committee in a municipality of about 15,000 people. He said he was bracing for a hotly contested election because whoever won would be in for six years, not the usual four. It's about money," he explained. The national government provides about $1.6 million pesos a month to the municipality, the spending of which is controlled by the mayor and council. Over the six years, that adds up to more than $100 million pesos. Which is why the candidates and parties felt it was a worthwhile investment to pay likely opposition voters a thousand pesos not to vote in the election. (To make sure they didn't vote, they'd have to temporarily turn over their cedula during the voting to get their money.) I talked to friends who thought selling their cedula was good a way to get at least some personal benefit from a political corrupt system, but others who saw it as dishonorable and unpatriotic.
Written by: BASTA, 28 Jul 2010 4:48 PM
From: Dominican Republic, =Ghetto/Legalize Drugs
LF for all his faults has done a better job = bull shit
Written by: zooma, 28 Jul 2010 5:54 PM
From: United States
Burning the papers and departing with government property is a common process with outgoing politicos but that does not make it right. If this country really wishes to progress it has to end its corrupt ways. Just wondering how many computers will be missing from the inventory !
From: Dominican Republic, vieja Santo Domingo
Regrettably this is a typical story in DT and in some papers that needs some examination as to its accuracy, If it mentioned just one mayor or municipal director , I might have some faith in the story ,If it even had a source I might be happier ,,,but in fact , as often happens , it is an unsubstantiated rumour designed to elicit ferocious comments ...which it has done successfully .
I think gmiller and Jim and even juanb fall into this trap often and as a result conclude that the DR is totally corrupt , when in fact , the story is probably a total beat up.
until I see some facts I will not condemn ..I find my blood pressure is better that way
From: Dominican Republic
In order to make changes here, drastic measures need to be taken. It is all about education. Read about the history of Singapore and what was done there to build this Asian Tiger in the last 60 years. It was a malaria infested marsh full of poorly educated people Chinese and Malays who spent more time fighting and hating each other. There was a time when it was illegal to buy chewing gum there because they did not want it to be spat out on the streets and sidewalks. Read about what they will do to anyone vandalizing property or spraying graffiti. Then there is what they do to you if you are caught with drugs.
Education and swift punishment for breaking the law is the only way forward. We don´t have to reinvent the wheel. Emulate the successful and move forward.
From: United States
juansantodomingo, the actual reason why it is illegal to buy chewing gum in singapore is to stop the vandals from using it to cover the light sensors on subways trains, causing the doors to malfunction. singapore has come a long way, but the mentality there is different than in the caribbean. we really do not care about progress, as long as, come friday night, we can buy some booze, dance some bachata, and take a chica to the cabana. i have long since stopped believing that any progress will be made here. 50 years from now, guys will still be bringing in container loads of merchandise and paying some guy to let it in duty free. it might not be racial, but it sure is cultural.
From: Dominican Republic, Dominican Republic
Personally, I'd much rather live in the DR -- a place that allows people to be human -- than an uptight dictatorship like Singapore.
From: United States
actually, carpintero, you can be human in singapore. just not a human delinquent.
From: United States
wonderful stuff, Scandi. i knew i could count on you for something special and worthwhile.
From: United States, words of wisdom from the nutcracker
more corrupted officials with there hand in the cookie jar , bussness as usual
From: United States
Atabey
"Yes, by all means criticize and take it to the individual(s) committing the acts, not an entire nation."
Your responsibility is to do something. Now I know that word cannot be spoken by Dominicans, but YOU have to do something.
When you do not voice your contempt of this type of behavior, you become just as bad.
When you do not vote these people out of office, you become just as bad.
When you do not put these people in jail, you become just as bad.
Grow-up and do something.
Written by: Atabey, 29 Jul 2010 10:00 AM
From: United States, NYC
"Written by: gmiller261, 29 Jul 2010 9:16 AM
From: United States
Atabey, I am now convinced you are a retard or a pure blood Dominican, same difference.
I did not remove my posts, your countrymen/women at DT have deleted my posts. They must believe that your form of Democracy does not include freedom of speech.
As I said before the truth hurts. On a daily bases transparent corruption is exposed and NOTHING is done about it. While the rest of you Dominicans do NOTHING (but blame anyone else). Perfect cycle to keep the DR a 4th world country, the rich rich, poor poor and the ill educated more like you."
The only "retards" here are you and some others who somehow forget that humans are not machines and that deep historical scares and underdevelopment can be easily eviscerated by any political administration. No one advocates corruption who cares about the plight of the Dominican Republic.
Written by: Atabey, 29 Jul 2010 10:01 AM
From: United States, NYC
But it is one thing to criticize individual or small groups that engage in theft and public corruption, and another to denigrate and racially assign attributes to an entire nation of 10 million people. You and JimHarrington-he did say that that he agreed with you 100%-fail to make that honest and decent distinction. So look yourself in the mirror sometime, you just might see part of the problem.
From: United States, Maryland
gmiller you have many people that agree with you 1000% and most of us have lived in the DR and were wise enough to get the F out before we got killed over a couple of dollars by someone that we would have given the money to their begging asses.
From: United States
Atabey, my contention is that people like those supposedly educated people are NOT human. NO human with the smallest amount of moral fiber would do that.
A moral person takes responsibility for their actions. Dominicans obviously do not know what responsibility is.
You need to take responsibility that these are your people and put them in jail.
I cannot say it more plainly, I can only assume you do not know the meaning of the words I use.
From: United States
"small groups that engage in theft and public corruption".
Where the hell have you been? You need to go back for a long term visit. All Dominicans are corrupt in one form or the other. Some more. some less, but moral less all the same.
It starts from the moment you step off the plane. Your authority figures ask for 'propina' and it is down hill from there.
Written by: Atabey, 29 Jul 2010 2:23 PM
From: United States, NYC
"All Dominicans are corrupt in one form or the other. Some more. some less, but moral less all the same."
"A moral person takes responsibility for their actions. Dominicans obviously do not know what responsibility is."
Where on earth are you from? "All Dominicans" This is my contention with your shrill; you have no logical way of establishing such a proposition. And you make it sound like some Nazis restatement with "Dominican" substituting for "Jews." I have no idea how someone can advocate a better society by stating such unreasonable and, in your early posts, racist statements. All Dominicans are not corrupt, some are. All Puerto Ricans are not corrupt, some are. All Mexicans are not corrupt, some are. Get the point. I can't make it more plain and simple Gmiller261.
As Carpintero stated: "calling all Dominicans "savages" and saying that their "entitlement mentality" needs to be "bred out of them" is both offensive and unhelpful."
From: Dominican Republic, Dominican Republic
I guess different people have different experiences. I've lived in the DR for several years and recently bought land and built a house, with all required permits, and have never paid a bribe or been asked for one. Of course I know that corruption is common in the DR -- the newspapers don't make this stuff up and I've heard lots of stories from both fellow expats and Dominicans -- but my experience does not support the sweeping generalizations concerning "ALL Dominicans" made by some on this site. If I had to do a calculation, I'd say I've had many more honest, helpful and friendly interactions with Dominicans than dishonest, exploitive or unpleasant ones, perhaps by a ratio of 10 to one.
From: United States, Maryland
Carpintero you the exception not the norm,thanks god you have received the treatment that most people get.
From: United States
carpintero, thank your lucky stars that your experience was positive. i can attest to the fact that, for most others, it is not the same. as i say, 80% of the people i met in , say, 2005, are long gone. and it is not because of the electricity, because they all had backup systems. it is because there is a crook behind every door. i have no idea what Atabey is describing when he suggests that corruption is episodic. it is a daily reality that you cannot get anything done without paying off someone to do the job for which they are paid. that is corruption. you are going to get shaken down by ALMOST EVERY government and administrative person whom you encounter. that is a given. you should not have to pay a guy 500 pesos to take your package out of the post office, and watch him put it in his shirt pocket, while the postmistress looks on , in approval. in the USA, he would be doing time in the Federal Penitentiary for that. in the DR, it is par for the course.
Written by: Atabey, 30 Jul 2010 11:07 AM
From: United States, NYC
"Written by: loscoquitos, 30 Jul 2010 10:13 AM
From: United States
Carpintero you the exception not the norm,thanks god you have received the treatment that most people get."
"[T]hanks god you have received the treatment that most people get."
Well, at least one of your alias is seeing things differently J.
Now, we have to work on Dread some more.
From: United States
no , Atabey, work on the guys who all left, and see if you can get them to come back. i am sure you know that most of the guys who post from outside tried living here at some point in time. i bet you do not live here, as we speak.
Written by: Atabey, 30 Jul 2010 12:02 PM
From: United States, NYC
Dread, sorry to see the triangle affixed to your name. Your comments do not descend to such degree, certainly the alias used by "you know who" deserve the moderators actions far sooner and more than yours. I hope DT reconsiders.
And for the record, what Carpintero says is a fact. Yes, you are correct that there are too many instances of corrupt practices in DR, but they are not to the degree you state. And to use your own criticism regrading Belly 90% of Cubans" analysis, why should your "80% of the people i met in , say, 2005, are long gone." stand for a scientifically valid summation of DR and his not? Perhaps your set-sample is too geographically confined or is the product of some other quark.
Written by: Atabey, 30 Jul 2010 12:11 PM
From: United States, NYC
JimHarrington, gmiller261, hellborn25 and loscoquitos by any other name a Joseany Rose they smell?
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They are Dominican public officials.
From: United States
gmiller. You are so right in every respect."
In every respect? Jim, you are losing it. Gmiller talks about "race" as if Dominicans were a "race"? Where does that come out of? Dominicans aren't a "race" anymore than any other nation. Learn from history you fools. Dominicans are humans like any other set of people who walk this earth. When the ignorant Gmiller makes comments that display his lack of cultured thought, you parrot his thinking with "in every respect." What garbage and playing on the most vile and insecure human emotions both of you. You should be ashamed. And as for corruption and the like, dare I say that humans in general have a tendency to sway on the moral compass? If not check out the news from the US press, you might have to stop throwing stones...there's a lot of glass to go around.
"Dominicans are humans."
Humans with ANY moral fiber do NOT do what these ignorant savages did. These are supposed to be the smarter Dominicans, the ones you voted in.
NOTHING embarrasses a Dominican and for you to condone such behavior is ludicrous.
ONCE again... AT least in a civilized country these types of people go to jail.
In the DR they are idolized. Dominicans wear corruption as a badge of macho honor.
There is nothing you can say to make this the least bit acceptible.
Dominicans NEVER take responsibility for themselves. It is ALWAYS somebody else's fault.
What a bunch of ill educated cry babies.
Does any Dominican think that this is NOT happening everywhere in the DR. What a pathetic mentality, you should ALL be ashamed.
Your fundamental problem is that YOU generalize on an entire nation. Don't you get it? In the US we have tens of billions of dollars in fraud and corruption. A certain Charlie ring a bell? But for anyone to say that this proves that ALL AMERICANS are corrupt bah bah bah, would be vile and disingenuous. Note the difference you fool.
When people are caught doing something illegal (like these transparent morons) THEY GO TO JAIL !
NOTHING happens in the DR to these people.
You should be OUTRAGED that your countrymen get away with this BUT you are not. You try and rationalize it... YOU CANNOT, stop trying.
So you may get it this time. These people transparently broke the law, they will NOT go to jail. This is how savages act not humans.
Jim, I am not trying to win. I really think no one can win with this current generation of Dominicans.
Their entitlement mentality needs to be bred out of them.
This is just too stupid NOT to respond.
From: United States
gmiller, forget it you can't win an argument with these idiots. They don't see the problem before their eyes. They will twist your comments to suit their political agenda and show support for Leonel and his corrupt PLD cornies."
Again Jimmy and gmiller, it is the two of you that fail miserably to convey a message of anti-corruption with the courtesy of our common human discourse. No one is "PRO CORRUPTION" and the entitlement mentality is a cop-out argument here. Dominicans-not the "race" gmiller261, in general, understand there are many problems, corruption being one of the main ones, facing the developing nation. Rome was not created in a day. And so, too, with the needed changes in the DR. LF for all his faults has done a better job than the previous administrations, The Hippo, Balaguer, Blanco, Guzman. That's my view, and I know some folks don't subscribe to it. Fine, no problemo.
I still remember the sogan "come solos" in the last campaing to me it meant that those aspiring to power were not against the corruption and stilling just that they felt left out of the pie.
From: United States
I dont think corruption and lack of ethics has anything to do with race."
I agree 100% with you Rainman. But gmiller261 and Jimmy say so. Just read their posts above. [I SEE THAT GMILLER261 HAS REMOVED HIS OFFENSIVE POST. I WONDER WHY? HE DIDN'T WANT OTHERS TO SEE HIS REAL FACE] Calling Dominicans "savages" and "morally defective" that these traits need to be "unbred" from them. What does that say about the twisted mind of gmiller261 and Jimmy? And that's my issue with their daily rants against Dominicans. Yes, by all means criticize and take it to the individual(s) committing the acts, not an entire nation.
Burning the papers and departing with government property is a common process with outgoing politicos but that does not make it right. If this country really wishes to progress it has to end its corrupt ways. Just wondering how many computers will be missing from the inventory !
I think gmiller and Jim and even juanb fall into this trap often and as a result conclude that the DR is totally corrupt , when in fact , the story is probably a total beat up.
until I see some facts I will not condemn ..I find my blood pressure is better that way
Education and swift punishment for breaking the law is the only way forward. We don´t have to reinvent the wheel. Emulate the successful and move forward.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3932487043163636261#
"Yes, by all means criticize and take it to the individual(s) committing the acts, not an entire nation."
Your responsibility is to do something. Now I know that word cannot be spoken by Dominicans, but YOU have to do something.
When you do not voice your contempt of this type of behavior, you become just as bad.
When you do not vote these people out of office, you become just as bad.
When you do not put these people in jail, you become just as bad.
Grow-up and do something.
From: United States
Atabey, I am now convinced you are a retard or a pure blood Dominican, same difference.
I did not remove my posts, your countrymen/women at DT have deleted my posts. They must believe that your form of Democracy does not include freedom of speech.
As I said before the truth hurts. On a daily bases transparent corruption is exposed and NOTHING is done about it. While the rest of you Dominicans do NOTHING (but blame anyone else). Perfect cycle to keep the DR a 4th world country, the rich rich, poor poor and the ill educated more like you."
The only "retards" here are you and some others who somehow forget that humans are not machines and that deep historical scares and underdevelopment can be easily eviscerated by any political administration. No one advocates corruption who cares about the plight of the Dominican Republic.
Atabey, my contention is that people like those supposedly educated people are NOT human. NO human with the smallest amount of moral fiber would do that.
A moral person takes responsibility for their actions. Dominicans obviously do not know what responsibility is.
You need to take responsibility that these are your people and put them in jail.
I cannot say it more plainly, I can only assume you do not know the meaning of the words I use.
"small groups that engage in theft and public corruption".
Where the hell have you been? You need to go back for a long term visit. All Dominicans are corrupt in one form or the other. Some more. some less, but moral less all the same.
It starts from the moment you step off the plane. Your authority figures ask for 'propina' and it is down hill from there.
"A moral person takes responsibility for their actions. Dominicans obviously do not know what responsibility is."
Where on earth are you from? "All Dominicans" This is my contention with your shrill; you have no logical way of establishing such a proposition. And you make it sound like some Nazis restatement with "Dominican" substituting for "Jews." I have no idea how someone can advocate a better society by stating such unreasonable and, in your early posts, racist statements. All Dominicans are not corrupt, some are. All Puerto Ricans are not corrupt, some are. All Mexicans are not corrupt, some are. Get the point. I can't make it more plain and simple Gmiller261.
As Carpintero stated: "calling all Dominicans "savages" and saying that their "entitlement mentality" needs to be "bred out of them" is both offensive and unhelpful."
From: United States
Carpintero you the exception not the norm,thanks god you have received the treatment that most people get."
"[T]hanks god you have received the treatment that most people get."
Well, at least one of your alias is seeing things differently J.
Now, we have to work on Dread some more.
And for the record, what Carpintero says is a fact. Yes, you are correct that there are too many instances of corrupt practices in DR, but they are not to the degree you state. And to use your own criticism regrading Belly 90% of Cubans" analysis, why should your "80% of the people i met in , say, 2005, are long gone." stand for a scientifically valid summation of DR and his not? Perhaps your set-sample is too geographically confined or is the product of some other quark.