This is the sort of undemocratic bullying that one can expect from such a group of thugs and the one thing that has to be done in any democratic country is to stand up to these people . I am appalled by some writers here, most who are not living in the DR calling for revolts and armed struggle ,,all that achieves is anarchy and a replacement by an even worse administration .
What did this strike achieve ,,nothing except the exposure of people who have total disrespect for law and order and a proper way to achieve change .,
I am in total agreement with anthonyC in his recent postings that change must come from the Dominican people via the election process

What election process???? Politicians here buy their way in to office, and most Dominicans don't even know the issues presented by each candidate. All they care about is cash handouts!!!!!

The Dominican elections are monitored by international agents and are free and there is little cohersion and if you think all Dominicans are influenced by a few pesos , then you are wrong .
However it is important that the candidates and the two main parties are more responsible and that lies within the democratic processes within the parties /

Written by: avi8or55, 12 Jul 2011 9:04 AM
From: United States, Sosua
What election process? Politicians here buy their way in to office, and most Dominicans don't even know the issues presented by each candidate. All they care about is cash handouts!"


To all the Dominicans calling for armed struggle against the government in DR. Please reconsider your thoughts. They are the worst sort of advise one could possibly offer struggling people. All the damage and lose of life and property will do is create worse conditions for all. The investors will get cold feet and not want to invest in the country, and if they are encouraged to do so will want a higher interest premium to invest in DR. Some might forgo DR and invest in our main competitors in the region and thus our fellow Latin states will be the beneficiary of our collective stupidity. Look up all the recent developing economies worth their salt, and what you'll find is Labor market discipline; yes, sometimes by force

But the essence is to create and established good market conditions, invest in peoples' development, and Rule of Law conditions for the modernization drive to get firmly established. It's a very difficult process and many nations have failed to heed the enormous demands needed to accomplish the task.

A call for violence will end up costing DR big time in the end. Learn from the few nation-states that have managed the transition: South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Chile. I'm not saying these are perfect examples, but in the main, they got it mostly right. Sacrifice and growing pains are needed to advance.

Rule of law does not exist in the DR. It is purchased by whoever can pay. The politicians are bought.

Yes it is time to revolt and perhaps squelch the corruption. Real Democracies are not purchased they are fought for.

Unfortunately the poiticans have forgotten the fight for freedom and have thought only of their well being and money belts.

Yes it is time to revolt and say no-more will you abuse my rights.

Rule of law does not exist in the DR. It is purchased by whoever can pay. The politicians are bought.
===============

what election process? When peoples votes are purchased easily with 500 pesos or less. Ignorance stupidity is ubiquitous and dominates the masses. Leaders need to understand that change is inevitable and should be "By any Means possible" once all other means have been exhausted by the collective masses.

I don't condone violence or wishing for anarchy. But Dominicans need to WTF Up.

Elections are non-existent. They are bought.

The same clowns or family of the clowns pay for their no-show jobs.

And there is NO ONE running that has a shred of morals. Corruption is an excepted part of DR, inbred by years of complacency.

It is time for a change.

MR. RICKY TELL ME THE ANSWER PLEASE.

am in total agreement with anthonyC in his recent postings that change must come from the Dominican people via the election process

AND WHO DO U THINK YOUR VOTES WILL BE GOING FOR? THE SAME PIECE OF TRASH THAT WAS IN OFFICE BEFORE OR EVEN WORST. THATS MY ANSWER.
I THINK WITH MANY OF YOUR ANSWERS YOUR WITH THE GOVERNMENT IN SOME KIND OF FASHION. WAY TOO MUCH MONEY TO BE MADE WHEN IN ANY GOVERNMENT OFFICE IN THE DR.
MUCH FOR THESE PEOPLE TO HAVE THEIR HANDS IN ALL THE COOKIE JARS.

mr. ricky two dead. why???

so in the future many will live.

these punks in office have had their way for ever.
the only thing that just might scare them into sharing so of the moneys with the dr people is the threat of hugh protests in santo domingo.
look at the cars they drive, look at the homes they live in, look at and u will see who the bad guys are, look and u will know what u need to do.
no f****ing police dept,
no real army, people need to live behind bars in their own homes, {its the cooks who should be looking out from behind bars not the honest hard working people}, no luz, most live 1/2 their lives in the dark, no education and please dont throw the crap back because its only crap u talk.

what election process? when peoples votes are purchased easily with 500 pesos or less. ignorance , thank u thank u, thank u and a million more thank u.
well mr. ricky this not true/?

come guy u know its true as most on this site also know.
they walk around handing out the 500 pesos, real cheap way to get their votes i would say.
they are dealing with the people that have nothing not even a future, no chance at real life. $500 pesos, like $12 f****ing dollars..
and they make millions with all the deals coming into the dr.
thats not even crumbs they are giving back to their own people.
not even crumbs.

by any means possible" once all other means have been exhausted by the collective masses.

i don't condone violence or wishing for anarchy. but dominicans need to wtf up.

domincans are "sleepwalking" wake up
the rest of the world looks at us as backwards, lazy stupid people.
they are stealing the future of the young by not giving them a real education.many kids just might have potential in them to become productive men later on in life but they have taken this from them.

not like the cat, lies have many more than 9 lives in the dominican life. we all know the truth of that.
the government, the right masters the art of the lie.

when they run u down at night with their big suv's and leave u for dead on a dark road to die....
this is what they think about u. your government boys in office.

guess your lucky to even get the 500 pesos and escape with your life.
they treat the poor as slaves and want every much to keep them this way for ever.

Rule of law does not exist in the DR. It is purchased by whoever can pay. The politicians are bought.

Yes it is time to revolt and perhaps squelch the corruption. Real Democracies are not purchased they are fought for.

Unfortunately the poiticans have forgotten the fight for freedom and have thought only of their well being and money belts.

Yes it is time to revolt and say no-more will you abuse my rights.


yea right jim lets revolt and have total chaos and anarchy , and have a repeate of 1965 when the united states took over the island , all this while you take the country backwards another 30 years . You jackasses need to be put in a asylum , danny the electroshocks are waiting for you.

danny00 I really do not take much notice of those who are living outside the Dr and come here seldom or never..it is quite impossible for you to see how things are on a daily basis but for example the PLD had the biggest turn out of members to vote for their next presidential candidate ..and any one can join a political party here and vote ,,that is democracy .
We still have all the problems of corruption and inequality that most latin countries have but we are streets ahead of many countries that are not free like we are ,,We are free ,,we say and we do almost everything we want to and there is so much here to be proud of ..Change must come from within and if you want to help ..well come here and do your bit

What is the probability of this strike escalating into a major uprising like the "Arab Spring"?

Noticeable is the increase in the list of demands of the strike leaders

All the key requirements seem to be in place: poverty, corruption, the rich getting richer, mega unemployement, a "why not-I've got nothing to lose" feeling among much of the population.
Sky high levels of crime, easy access to weapons, cheap weapons.

An upcoming election that offers the choice of the PRD vs the PLD who have led the corruption over the last 10 years.

And activist students at universities like UASD. who also face unemployement after they graduate.

AND all under the age of 30 have internet access, including Facebook etc.

We still have all the problems of corruption and inequality that most latin countries have but we are streets ahead of many countries that are not free like we are ,,We are free ,,we say and we do almost everything we want to and there is so much here to be proud of
=======================

Said with such conformity. This is why Dominicans will not amount to much as a society simply because this is what they conform to. "Things are ok, we are better off than Haiti". Why strugle and fight and demand more, why?
why?

why?

Dominican mentality is Pathetic

As long as I have my little house and my chelitos coming in from the US why make ripples in the waters.??

If Dominican mentality is stupid, then the USA Dominicans is doubly worse..always trying to provoke trouble here from the horridness of their American ghetto

What would/could the government do if over 100,000 professional, law abiding people marched in front of the palace and camped out for days? The same as in Czechoslovakia?? Dont think so? Dominicans lack the will and perseverance to do anything of the sorts.

FYI dont live in the ghetto. Did live in the inner city. But I gravitated away from inner city life.

As for you , you will probably be in DR complaining or Contributing to the same problems.

i live half time in the DR and travel and spend time all over the country from La Romana to Las Matas de Farfan, Montecristi, Santiago and of course Santo Domingo (barrios like Villa Mella) and a lot of time in the campo which is where the soul of the DR resides!

One thing that occurs to me is the Dominican people (in the DR, not NYC where I also live) are not confrontational, certainly not like their neighbors to the north.

Barely even fist shaking. Not a storm the barricades type of style. But, there is a mob mentality that kicks in quickly in the street whenever there is something that gets their attention. (like catching somebody robbing someone, hitting someone with a car) Dominicans will happily 'take that person"" into custody and remove his arms,legs and head. And the police are not around to do anything about it.

The strike organizers are a bit too late as the new tax increase was already passed.

Somebody has to learn how to tell time!