Dracula opens the blood-bank.

This is a ribbon cutting ceremony that makes sense as it brings attention to the the wealth of reading. However, it should be postured in a manner to remind the government also has a responsibility to bring this wealth into the public education system of the country that lacks support and is currently underfunded.

The president should have an agenda of ribbon cutting itineraries of new schools, remodeled schools, and libraries.

Leo scissor-hand doing his thing. The best one at it. He has a lot of practice.

El Burro is going to try to cut more next time around.

Roy that's a good one, you have me cracking up this early man.

The idea that the public education system in the D.R. is underfunded is ridiculous.

Take away the theft and corruption and then their would be plenty of money.

Yes dear, those are really nice shoes.

The people need some/better education so they can read the BOOK! In the DR, do they give out an award for best role for acting like a president! If not, we can call it the Leo award....

anthonyC, Your response is lacking

I see the results of the underfunding most every day as I have invested myself to improve the environment of schools in my area. It include my hands on repairing of facilities, rebuilding desks and chairs, sourcing, delivering school supplies, and BOOKS. Also, working with charitable organizations to build new classrooms and other school facilities. I visited with the provincial sub director of education and her funding is Spartan. Even if money is wasted through theft and corruption, there still is not enough cash being stuffed into the education pipeline at the source to end up in the classrooms, period.

Thanks, DONT_BE_SILENT
In the interests of balance,
"Leo opens another book fair. Hippo refuses to open a book."

zooma,
Rather than an arm-chair critic, you are "at the coal face" as it were, hence your opinion is very relevant. Lack of funding is undeniably a problem. However my observation is that in general, parents and students place little value on education. What are your thoughts on this?

I wonder if Lie-onel Fernandez will be givening out copies of TIME Magazine:

“A Year Under Martelly: Corruption Controversy Sidetracks Haiti's Effort to Rebuild”

By Ezra Fieser / Santo Domingo Saturday, Apr. 14, 2012


When Haitian President Michel Martelly visited the Dominican Republic last month, he was awarded the country's highest honor for a foreign head of state, in large part for his efforts to lure reconstruction investment to Haiti after its catastrophic 2010 earthquake, which killed more than 200,000 people. In an interview in Santo Domingo, the Dominican capital, Martelly told TIME he's "tried to change the perception the world has of Haiti as a place where nothing works," and he listed his accomplishments so far, including $450 million in tourism investment. "Haiti is a land of opportunity," the boisterous former carnival singer said. "Because Haiti is still a virgin."

Continued:

“But a few days later, accusations of less than virgin behavior were swirling around both Martelly and one of the Dominican Republic's most prominent politicos. In a March 31 national television broadcast, Dominican investigative reporter Nuria Piera alleged that Dominican Senator Félix Bautista — who owns or controls construction companies that in the past year have received Haitian government contracts worth more than $200 million — paid Martelly a total of almost $2.6 million during Martelly's presidential campaign and after his landslide victory in Haiti's 2011 election. The charge, based on spreadsheets of bank records Piera displayed on the air, was serious enough to prompt Dominican federal prosecutors to declare Bautista under investigation. Both the Senator and Martelly, whose office calls the allegation "a media lynching," deny it.”


Source TIME Magazine

Its gonna take a whole lot more then a book store , in order to have the dominican republic on the right track of education . The mismanagement of funds and government corruption have proven that leonel cares nothing at all about the future of dominicans

"The mismanagement of funds and government corruption have proven that leonel cares nothing at all about the future of dominicans"


Helly you have said it ALL!!!!!

hellborn25,
If Dominicans were interested in reading, there would be a massive industry of pirated books, like there is of pirated Hip-Hop CDs and shoot-em-up DVDs.

Or they can read TIME Magazine its free on line!

I hear they have great article this week!

In case you run out of reading material:


“Citizens for Democracy calls for to closing ranks in defense of Nuria Piera and freedom of the press”



“SANTO DOMINGO (Dominican Republic).- The Citizens for democracy movement on Thursady offered its support to journalist Nuria Piera, who they said is being subjected to a campaign to discredit her encouraged by the Government of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) in retaliation for her dissemination of reports whose data reveals the allegedly corrupt dealings of Senator Felix Bautista.”

Read the rest at 7dias.com

"allegedly"? - read "in-your-face blatantly obviously"

Is there anything practical, we posters on Dominican Today can do to help journalist Nuria Piera?

" Wat (sic) are your thoughts on this? " RoyStone

There is great value in education as long as the children are in a good learning and physical environment. When the parents, teachers, and outsiders take an interest in the educational welfare of the students the students respond positively because they sense and know somebody cares. I have seen the good results of this just by upgrading the physical condition of a school with a little bit of paint, reminding the students to behave properly and be RESPONSIBLE for the upkeep of the school. You get everything rolling in a good direction everything else positive falls in line.

A good structured public school teacher in this country is a find and you can sense right away a school that has a good one as the students behave and the facilities are clean. The parent community that is a strong advocate for the teachers and schools has a better potential of students with the best test scores.

Well Roy I we could request that DT post a banner in defense of Freedom of the Press and Nuria!

Joseane..


Did you defend Nuria that much when she was with Felucho and PLD?