I am so glad that funds are coming into the DR to assist the needy...and it shows that the world bank and the IMF have confidence in this country as I do also.

If we have to borrow money to provide for basic social needs it doesn’t mean that we are doing good, it means we are going to hell in hand basket economically.

That’s like using your credit card because you’re broke to buy groceries!


Y no era P’alante que Íbamos?

Exactly Josean,

Rick, IMF loans are not an idicator of how well your country is doing, quite the opposite, it is an indicator of how much developed countries can milk you for.

Ricardolito is the "well trained economist "that does not know the difference between doing well and being broke. nobody who is doing well goes for a loan with arduous conditions attached. people who have a bank account with money in it do not buy a big screen tv at 23 percent interest. and, Circuit City does not give you their credit card because they think you are living large. they do so because they know that otherwise there is no way you could afford the Dell laptop. you should sue the people who trained you for misrepresentation .

Dreadlocks . I see no reason to fight with anyone like you or Oupala7 who seem to rejoice in kicking this country and the IMF and the World Bank and me and rebutting everything good that bankers and agencies and the government say .. Fortunately I believe that the IMF and the World Bank and the central bank of this country have skilled and competent staff who are working together to quickly improve the DR. I do not care what you say about me as I have no more to prove to anyone , after a successful education and career , and I believe those who know me here in the DR have respect for me.
Again I would like to say that I am delighted that there is a strong alliance between the World bank and the DR ,I am delighted that there is money coming in for the needy , I am delighted that the DR has not fallen into a heap and is not a failed state and I am very happy and proud to be living here in the DR.
Maybe all those who are so opposed to everything here should just sever the ties completel

Ricardolito, this internet posting business is rough turf. it can get real ugly in a giant hurry. it is not for the faint of heart, as there are guys lurking in every shadow to pounce. you need a thick skin to survive. i have no doubt that you were successul, probably still are, and that many people respect you, in many circles, here in the DR. and, maybe as far afield as Saturn. but, be assured that miserable old guys like me are going to attack you when you write all manner of horse's arse, then tell us that you are a "well trained economist". it would have been better had you asked questions, and tried to learn something, than to write the most utter bull i have read in decades, then pass yourself off as an economist. if you are, then i am the King of Siam. you are the only guy i have ever heard say that going to a lending institution to borrow money for basic needs is a sign that you are doing well. are you a troll, by any chance?

and, by the way, i asked you a question regarding the assertion that there is a burgeoning Dominican "middle class" buying houses that cost in excess of 300,000 USD. to date you have not replied. was it a typographical error?

I am very sorry Dreadlocks but firstly I am not going to reply to words that you have twisted in a way that is quite ludicrous , I do not feel obliged to reply to you when ever you want and in fact i do not feel remotely obliged to get into a gutter conversations with you just because you think people should have thick skins ..that is a phrase for people who have no respect for others .
I live here nearly every day of the year now and can see with my own eyes the vast growth in the middle classes , the growth of apartments and shopping malls , the new roads and bridges and I have read all about the earlier history of the DR and the economy here. i would not have put my money in this country if I did not have total confidence in it and although everyone knows the corruption problem has not gone away , things are on the up. And when ever there is a hic up , up come people on this board wanting to tear us all to pieces.
I am grateful for all the help that can be given to the DR

Ricardo,

Don't throw in the intellectual towel. I just made popcorn and I have bottle of smelling sauce in case dread comes up with one of his devastating uppercuts. Believe me it no shame to have your lights put out by the pound for pound best heavy weight here on DT. Others who were top contenders are just mere footnotes and some became so punch drunk they just manage to get banned once a month.

Look at it this way, you could always say like Marlon Brando “I could have been a contender, I could have been somebody!”

Josean ..the words do not actually disturb me too much but what I cannot understand is when I stand behind the IMF , the World Bank and the Dominican Central Bank instead of lambasting them and when I support borrowing for accelerated growth , I seem to come under attack in a most offside way .
I have noticed that many people residing outside the DR seem to have more delight in attacking the government no matter what ...I have assumed in justification of them not returning here.

Have you ever wondered that maybe the reason they are "outside the DR" is because of the government and that is why they are so hard on the do nothing politicians.

Ricardolito,

I am sorry but what dread is saying is true. The track record of the IMF speaks for itself. I understand that there are idividuals who do seek to help developing countries, but the institution's actions are clear.


In my opinion the best indicator of how good an economy is doing is the size of the middle class. Of course those figures, as any can be massaged, but the larger the better.



Dread you and I are always at the vanguard, one day ppl will know the truth, one day people will stop following the carrot hung above their head, one day our people will stop accepting the crumbs that fall of the table, one day....................................

Latinos Unidos!!!!

HiHater,,it is only your opinion and I have yet to read from anyone here why you consider the IMF not trustworthy and bad ..As I have said before they only come in when asked , they have had their influence extended by the G20 in London and they seem to be on a hiding to nothing ,Yes they make recommendations and conditions but in most cases these are necessary and are put in place to stop galloping inflation or assist in the balance of payments. So I do not agree with either of you and would not imagine what would happen if the IMF and the World Bank was not there ,,No one is obliged to join or use them but they do .
I agree with you completely about the growth of the middle income class being a great indicator ..and the growth in the DR over the past 5 years has been staggering

Hi Hater when you talk about the track record , what countries are you using in this track record ...is it the IMF involvement in Chile or in Argentina or in the DR under a previous government , or is it in relation to Asia such as Korea, Thailand or Malaysia or is it in relation to the various African countries ..I believe in the above cases , for example , where the IMF was asked to assist , there is no discredit to that body, The IMF has always responded to any criticism ,but it is controlled by the more wealthy countries to the benefit of the less wealthy as is the World Bank ,,..

Examples,
Asian financial crisis,It is now clear that the IMF's "reforms" in Asia were a major cause of the regional financial crisis that began in August of 1998. They created the conditions under which $100 billion of hot money could exit in a panic from South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Then the Fund failed to provide the necessary credits to stem the panic in a timely manner, while the US Treasury department-- which basically controls the IMF-- prevented others from doing so. Among other mistakes, the Fund imposed unnecessarily high interest rates and budget austerity, worsening the regional economic damage.


Why the IMF had to pardon the African debt : Sub- Saharan Africa, where many countries are spending more on debt service than for health care and education, these payments average more than a fifth of export earnings.

In Russia, the last two years have highlighted the IMF's failure to understand or help the process of economic transition there. In August of 1999 the Fund wasted billions of dollars trying to maintain the fixed and overvalued exchange rate of the Russian ruble. The money ended up in the hands of speculators and corrupt elements, and the ruble collapsed a couple of months later. But the IMF's worst nightmare turned out to be good for the Russian economy, which was freed from having to feed a speculative financial bubble, while crippling the real economy with the exorbitant (peaking at more than 150%) interest rates necessary to defend the ruble. Russian industry rebounded and the trade balance was greatly improved, as the lower ruble reduced competition from under-priced imports

In Brazil, too, the IMF turned out to be dead wrong in its efforts to maintain an overvalued exchange rate. The Brazilian real collapsed in January of last year(1999), but only after the IMF had saddled the country with tens of billions of dollars of added debt in a futile attempt to prop up the currency.

tanzania, argentina and indonesia defaulting led to HIPC, heavely indebted poor country, formation so that the IMF ensures it gets it money. Continue the flow in the pipeline.

Also SAP, structural adjustment program, or government liquidation has been practiced in many countries. Guess who buys these businesses???

HiHater, go easy on the guy. do not kill him all at once. we want to hear more answers from him. i am still awaiting his answer to my question about the burgeoning "middle class" that is buying 10 million peso apartments here, there, and everywhere. he is still to define what he means by "middle class", and what are the criteria he uses to assert that they are. is a guy living on 30,000 pesos per month in somewhere like La Vega as middle class as a guy living on 50,000 per month in the capital, given the disparity in the cost of living? or is it just about the pesos? i am not twisting anything; you mabde the statement. and , by the way, Ricardo; i wish that your assessment was true. but i doubt it. i believe that some of the guys buying those condos are the same ones getting caught in the rash of raids we have seen lately.

Josean, thanks for the kind words, which overrate me greatly. the respect is mutual.

ok I see that your argument is based against the fiscal policies that the IMF often want put into place when they are asked to go in ..yes I can understand that point of view and the contrary view is what would have happened if the IMF had not gone in. Actually all the countries you mention are going gangbusters now so maybe there is a significant lag .
There is often a dilemma for the IMF who use high interest rates to quell inflation and attract foreign money into a country and on the other hand make it difficult for locals to borrow ..I think that the economic models are much more sophisticated now than before .
the only thing I know about Russia is that a few greedy people made a lot of money bloody quickly and quite a lot has landed here in la Romana
As for Brazil yes that was a problem dealing with hyperinflation and a huge debt and the IMf first plan did not work out but the second I think did and similarly with Argentina it was galloping inflation and a huge huge debt

I am quite aware of Dreadlocks conduct and they belittle him as he writes in such a way ..I note that the Dominican congress , the President , the DR central bank and the IMF and the world bank all favoured these loans so maybe they are all wrong and Dreadlocks is correct. As I said I am quite happy living here with the current administration and seeing all the progress around me .

Ricardolito,

Point being this, the IMF is out to make money!!! And that is fine but I don't like to be told that they are helping my people, first and forth most.

Rather profit is what drives these loans and as a consequence if you help out a few people then good, mission accomplished. Also these infrastructure projects are usually managed by american or european countries, so the money that goes to build infrastructure is just recycled, thus the developed nation has much to gain by forcing these loans and pre-conditions upon developing countries. Last measures of GDP are greatly massaged, and are very misleading so please don't say that a rise in GDP is a reflection or bettering a country. Also the IMF is promoting bad fiscal responsibility, gov't should divert monies into the proper avenues to secure basic neccesities for their citizenry, not take out loans so that our grandchildren grandchildren bail us out.

i sort of remember that the first Brazil bail out was more than 40 billion dollars ,,and that they were fighting inflation of more than 300% per annum or in that ball park and that the debt was 300 or 400 % of all exports ..here in the DR will be 40.5 million which is just a fraction of the value of the sugar magnates here and the money will go to assist the poor who get it now instead of in the long future .
It seems so strange that anyone could be opposed to that ..but if you are not here then I guess it is all a bit academic.

Ricardo, the answer to this question could be enlightening: do you live in La Romana city, or in Casa de Campo?

A small price to pay to keep a stauch anti-communist ally in the carribean no??? Look at our history, refer to when Bosch was getting a little too lefty for the US taste?

Also i care about the bottom line, and the bottom line is that money is not going to work it self to the common people. And you know that. That money will stay with a few corrupt politicos and the IMF knows that full well.

That money is to keep few corrupt politicians in line, period.

neither

2.2 Description of budget results
Fiscal performance
In the social crisis years (2002 - 2004) financing through external debt (for example, IDB
loans) was inevitable. However, either due to a deliberate underestimation of fiscal
revenue, the introduction of tax reforms or a climate of better economic performance, the
excess in public expenditure not always justified the need to finance it through debt
(2005).


http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/wha....ocuments/dom_republic_pefa_en.pdf


Look at the website your IMF/IDB's recommendations. Please keep on giving us loans, yes thank you, yes. Thanks for developing us. No all the money is going to the poor people.

Yes your loans are desperately needed, help us.

but I teach and do social work in el pueblo and play most of my sport in CDC or the capital..try to see all sides of the country and travel over the island as often as I can ..mix 90 % of the time with Dominicans of various ages and try to be tolerant even of the new rich who seem to want to kill everyone in their new SUV´s..
I am not anti anything and tend to believe that not much is too wrong in the DR which may put me at odds with most people writing here especially those living abroad .

In short, the reception of the budget support provided by donors had an
imbalance in excess of 10% of the amount forecasted, only in the year 2005
(annex 8). In fact, in the whole period analysed (2004-2006), of all the budget
support forecasted by the IDB, the WB and the EC, 80% of the amount
forecasted managed to be disbursed.

page 69 of the before mentioned report, idb, wb overestimating the monies "needed."

but no, you guys aren't forcing loans on us. why is it a big deal loans are a good thing. Right?

http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2009/pr09311.htm


Oh look, please open the above url, more loans on the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Putting DR in DEBT... Never trust the IMF or the WORLD BANK

http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2009/pr09236.htm


Open this one, the debters will now be able to watch us closely.

you'll have some people on the front lines so that surely any growth is funded by your loans, uhm, uhm, uhm I mean technical assistance.

Wow you guys are great!!! You help us soooooo much and expect nothing in return. Wow. Hey has africa heard of you guyz??? I am sure they can us your help??? Oh wait thats right, you had to "pardon" their debt $230 billion???

"In 1996, sub-Saharan Africa (minus South Africa) paid $2.5 billion more in debt servicing than it got in new long-term loans and credits. The IMF alone has transferred over $3 billion out of Africa since the mid-1980s"

What nooooo wait i thought you guys didn't gain anything you were just helping us pooor ppl's.


Wait, what to pay that inerest from the debt to help us, money had to be divereted from where??? education, health ohhh no.

oh wait there's more,

the IMF, IDB, approved loans specifically for GM crops to be planted in africa, brazil, argentina. What????

monsanto is the supplier and buying from them creates a dependency??? because the crops don't yield seeds??? what???

NOoooooooooooooo. Wait Ricard this can't be true, wait maybe this is tooo academic!!!!

the Imf and idb boast investing into agriculture yet with such over production driving those prices down who benifits.

A good example is soy bean, yet after the boom what will happen???

Also having to import the seeds, always plating one crop that leads to exhaustion of land resources and then moving on to pristine land to then do the same. Also creation of large companies, Chiquita and Dole, by developed countries, and IMF subjugating suppliers to supply them.

yes ricard,

you are right what do we know????

We are not on the streets as you are.

Everyone in DR is happy, so happy. We don't like electricity or running water, or an education or health care. We obvioulsy don't because the IMF is giving us all this money to get these services yet we don't.

We rather get on a yola, we like starvation and sharks instead. We like going to the US and rearing the white kids and getting paid pennies, we like cleaning your large houses.

Thank you ricard, how dare me. What am I thinking i should praise these great institutions of change and modernization.

Bear in mind i am not attacking you. i infact appreciate that you

"teach and do social work in el pueblo."

but do not, i repeat do not try to spread your propaganda about the IMF. there are enough ignorant people who will believe you. So when you are teaching in el pueblo tell them the truth. Tell them of 21st century imperialism, tell them that they have to take responsibility for their lives, career and country, tell them to stop depending on foreign aid, tell them that an education is the only way, tell them to strive but most importantly tell them to not commit the same tresspasses that the US/EU has commited on us when they rise up.

Ricard, I assume your a good person, a reasonable person, please get into the "other" mans shoes try them on. Read a bit, lives some more and learn a lot. Dominicans are not happy, sorry, to break it to you. Are you white??? Or very gringo, do you speak spanish??? i only ask so that i can maybe tell you why people tell you such things such as that we are doing good?? Recall though when us proud dominicans are down we still smile, we put our best face on, when we have guest we give them our best food and drink even if that means that we won't eat for a couple days after that.

as for the retards driving around in yipetas, well when you go from nothing to something, the little that you have goes straight to your head. Please refer to the recent trend in hip hop culture in the US. Many dominican rappers and youth emulate them, because as I said we get the crumbs that fall off the table and when we do we think we are better, yet such is not the case.

instead they are worse, because they are blinded but what little they have. So much so that they cannot see what is going on right in front of them.

Such in the case, such are the facts.

HiHater, now I can see from your writings and from your comments regarding 21st imperialism and the work that Dominican Yorkers do, that you are one of those people , probably like Dreadlocks also , who has this chip on the shoulder about these sort of things.
I disagree with nearly everything you write, as I do with Dreadlocks , maybe because in the 6 years or so I have been here, I have seen this country progress and the improvements in infrastructure and the growth of the middle class here. I think you and Dreadlocks may have missed out on this.
I would love to see Dominicans own more of the countries assets such as in the sugar industries, the tourist industry and in the communications industry so the growth could translate into more income here. No I am not American , fairly white but with a nice sun tan and speak good spanish and french and moderate and often alter my views after hundreds of conversations here with many different Dominicans ..

However the one thing I have noted here is that what ever article is posted on this site about anything this administration has done or will do , the comments are nearly almost derisive, scornful or sarcastic as if there is a belief that the authorities here are never doing anything correctly or honestly or for the benefit of the country.
I believe that this board now contains mainly commentators who simply want to see bad in every thing for their own various reasons and attack anyone who prefers to see the good side of a story.
DR1 is presenting more detailed take outs of news articles with less provocative headlines and the comments in the forums are more balanced and helpful

I suppose you could say that most writers here are mal contents.

'I agree with you completely about the growth of the middle income class being a great indicator ..and the growth in the DR over the past 5 years has been staggering"

Not even the PLD propaganda machine makes such claims!

Is this based on your ocular empirical perceptions or do you have some scientific data to back up such an astonishing claim Ricardo?

You state “maybe because in the 6 years or so I have been here"; It appears your coming to the country coincides with the new reign of PLD economic terror. Is that by accident or are you affiliated in any way with the current regime, Ricardo?

Written by: Ricardolito, 22 Sep 2009 7:45 AM
From: Dominican Republic, la Romana
I suppose you could say that most writers here are mal contents.

What you may consider as "malcontents" others may view as persons unwilling to drink the PLD Kool-Aid!

PLD KOOL-AID like:

The METRO was a priority and 200,000 people would ride it everday!

Ricardolito, instead of assessing my social stance, and my personna, why do you not just stick to the point and answer questions instead. i have asked you TWICE to define what you mean by the ¨middle class¨which is buying 11 million peso apartments. to date, you have absconded the question, and chosen to label me negative. people may disagree with me, consider me negative, or whatever. but ¨belittle¨? is that something like what you are doing now?

'

I feel I must write in defense of Ricardolito, I have to agree that this country has improved greatly in the last 7 years I have been here. I am white living in the capital amoung and dealing with dominicans everyday. I have a business here and am being killed by taxes. The min. wage has risen significantly since 2002. I believe it has nearly doubled by cant remember what it was when I got here. In 2002 my employees didn't need to have medical insurance and today they do. The US dollar was 19 when I arrived within 1 and 1/2 years it had risen to a staggering 52 (at one point). I has not been stable around 35 for years. As an Importer it is the stability that counts . As you are all highly educated economists I don' need to tell you the problems of buys and calculating you goods at 19 and when you need to pay you have to buy your dollar at 35, 45 or 53.
For anyone living here of course its a better country, AMET have more control of the traffic and at least you see police now

This is not to say that corruption and its effects are not still in place or that there are no poor. 300 peso to encourage you to send your child to school is nothing but its not about the money its about getting kids to school EVERY day. A 500 peso food suppliment is no big amount but its a start in a system which is trying to help its poor, and the people who have these cards appreciate it .
I have lived here for 7 years and for sure there is one thing Dominicans are good at and that is complaining

sorry , Olivia. i will continue when i stop laughing.

but share the joke!!
which part is funny for you... was it better for business with Hipolito or was it the poor that were better off ... remind me

first, the statement about 300 dollars to send your child to school is so ridiculous that i cannot stop laughing. do you consider that something to be lauded? it is some copycat politicians doing the monkey with some idiotic initiative started by raving lunatic social do-gooders in the USA. what kind of message do you send to kids when you pay them to go to school? that school is some onerous , arduous involvement, and they need to be incentivised to attend? besides, what point is there when the schools produce attendants who rank at the very bottom in international surveys of attainment? as to the minimum wage; that is a joke. when you say it went up SIGNIFICANTLY, quote me figures. then, quote me figures on inflation, so i can do the math to ascertain if they are actually better off financially.

oliviap,

Do you ride the METRO?

Do you use the public hospitals?

If you have children do you send them to public schools?

Do you have a generator or an inverter?

Do you buy water on a daily basis?

And finally do you enjoy Kool-Aid?

firstly, it's 300 pesos not dollars to send you child to school and sadly this is the only way Dominicans are motivated ... with money. The public eduaction system here is terrible ... agreed... but what little they learn in school they learn nothing at home.

secondly , I can not quote you figures as I said I dont remember what it was 7 years ago. But you being well up on all that stuff maybe you could tell me when there was a min wage increase before 2002, how much it was and what president did it?
There have been 2 increases in the last 7 years and while this I am sure still leaves these employees short it is better than no increase.

I am interested in hearing your suggestions for improving the country, as it seems you disagree with all present efforts you must have some ideas of your own that you are comparing these efforts against.

do u?

do u?

suggestions for improving the country? yes. run out all the old guard who have monopolised everything, to the exclusion of everyone who does not trace his lineage to Arroyo Hondo and Jarabacoa. the country is an oligarchy, and will never change until it opens itself up to giving everyone a fair shot. there are millions of bright, intelligent people languishing in obscurity and poverty, who have a lot to offer.say what you will about Fidel, but at least he gave people a chance to strut their stuff. here, if you come up with a bright new idea, the old guard squashes you like a bug. so, it is run by the friends , relatives, and sycophants of useless old farts with hyphenated surnames,guys who would be sweeping streets if they had to make it on their own, without daddy pulling strings, and Colonel Comegente intimidating the competition on their behalf. kinda like George Bush.

You see dread these Kool-Aid drinkers come and make these broad brush generalizations on how good things are (usually meaning how good they are for them individually); demand that we come up with solutions which they don't demand of those in power and then cut and run when you ask them to back up their rhetoric.

And from Ireland no less, an economic basket case, about to declare bankruptcy along with Iceland!

yes, Josean, they always say how much things "have improved". yes; their neighbor is no longer driving a toyota, but has gotten the Audi. they never seem to consider the plight and condition of those who have never had the opportunity to see the good side of life. so, Ricardo struts around with his nattily dressed buddies on the course at Teeth of the Dog, and forgets that that is NOT the DR. Then, when you observe that things could be better, they tell you to stop talking and do something yourself. and, if you tried to, they would be the first to rat you out to the security forces as a subversive! yes, the guys who rave about the metro, but would never venture to ride it, lest they have to take a seat beside a member of the great unwashed.

oliviaP.. do not get distressed ..these guys are bitter professional knockers who will twist an argument just to have an argument ..I agree with everything you wrote especially about paying all the taxes and about the public school system .
I wonder if you have noticed all the new ads for top grade Dominican beef around many super markets ,,I have tried it several times and am more than happy ...

Rtcardolito, i am beginning to believe that you are a troll. you cannot be serious and this vacuous at the same time. i have read the opinions of many simpletons before, but you take the cake, and eat the plate. so, while you buy and crow about your top grade beef, i will keep trying to educate you that your eating Dominican filet is your idea of progress. my idea is when some guy graduates from a plate full of platanos to one with a piece of longaniza. and, you still have not answered my middle class question. i am beginning to believe that you cannot. i am a bitter professional knocker, and you are a professional WANNABE.

you see ..not interested in import replacements and agricultural progress at all ..just an argument

ricardolito- better yet ridiculo dr was just loan money, aren't we still in debt to get loan more money so people like mr. fernandez can pocket the money?

Ricard you are lucky that the editors of this here site removed my comments for I detailed everything wrong with the IMF.

Those are facts not opinions.

Also what infrastructure changes, many people still die on roads used by dominicans, there is still no electricity, there are not enough school's etc etc.

Yet the roads in resorts are good, electricity in resorts run 24/7, and schools for foreigners have the best teachers. So you see the disparity perhaps your view of the country and mine are different.
Oh and for your info I have gone back and I have seen the western-ization of the country. Just because there are a couple of internantional food/book/clothing chains that doesn't translate to improvement it translates to companies creating a consumer economy and milking what little money we do have!!!!

In addition it is difficult to support such a corrupt gov't. That is why people are so critical of the gov't not because we are mongers. We are the first to celebrate

our progress. Yet true progress, not a loan, that is not worth celebrating.

And I will repeat what I wrote before. Hopefully the editor will be prudent and considerate and not remove it as he/she did everything else:

Since you teach in your local "pueblo"

Please be carefull what you teach your kids. Don't get me wrong I appreciate that you are volunteering your precious time and more of us should do the same (I tutor myself, but in NYC). Please be objective in your approach, do not tell them lies. They are children afterall, perhaps not even mentioning the "great progress" is best that way one day they can decide for themselves and not be corrupted since a young age.

What do you teach ricard??? What subject???Do you feel satisfaction at the end of the day???Do you thing the current system is fair??? Do you feel that it is ok that the only way many children can get an education in DR is through foreigners coming and helping??? Do you not think that there is a better way??

I mean nothing personal, I just wish to understand you.

I find it hard to believe that you can hold so steadfast to your belief that the developed world is truely helping us.

HiHater,,,I think I have partially given my view about this elsewhere but in short I believe it is very sad that the education system is so bad here and that the new wealthy Dominicans do not have the same sense of duty or desire to assist as is found ,in say , anglo saxon countries where voluntary service is more of a tradition. There are no proper books here available for everyone and the teachers try very hard but often have only limited knowledge of what they are teaching. Luckily the school rooms are solidly built but often very hot.
There are many schools and one very large orphanage , I think there is also a second but I have not been there. None have adequate resources and rely on charity both financial and personal.
Of course , there has to be a better way but it will take time because what Dominican wants to be a teacher and get paid next to nothing and so the teachers have to be better educated and better paid ..but this is a poor country.

You ask how I feel at the end of a day.I do not teach at the school full time although I also help elsewhere. I can only explain it this way. I have made many friends here in all income levels but especially with the younger people and I think we have genuine affection for each other. Every day I am asked to help in some way ..maybe for some money to pay fees at a university , to pay some rent , to buy some food , to help pay a medical bill and I try never to refuse but at the end of a day sometimes I feel exhausted and think there has to be a better way here. But overall I am amazed at how nearly everyone I know keeps smiling and pulling together and give such great affection.
I take offence to any suggestion that I tell them lies ,,,I teach them to be honest and loving and to look after each other and to show tolerance and that it is just as important to exercise the mind as it is to exercise the body .

Great, and I thank you for all that you do.

But don't you think we should try harder to be self sufficient???

After all isn't that the goal?

Granted we have to start from somewhere, but loans from the IMF and IDB whether intentionally or not hurt and do not help. In the end with all the debt monies are diverted away from education and healthcare to pay interest, and do not this is not so because i can show you proof from african nations. (although I run the risk of it being erased by the editor)

I applaud your efforts and from what you have written you have good intentions but please don't encourage taking on debt because that isn't the solution. At least not in this country.

There isn't enough transparency in our government. So the IMF gives loans but it stays with the corrupt politicians, look at The Heritage Foundations statistics on the DR. We first need to change internally before we finance mega-projects on our grandchildren's backs using IDB and IMF loans.

I do not doubt that in other countries taking on debt to finance progress is the solution, Reagan proved it.

But in the DR such a model will not succeed, until proven otherwise at least.

You are also correct in your views of philanthropy, anglo's do a much better job. In the US Rockefeller was a huge proponent of philanthropy, yet he also thought that deregulation and small gov't were needed. And of course because he headed Standard Oil he had those views.

Now I believe that gov't should provide certain basic services for its most important asset, its people. That includes education, health care, job related rights, green spaces, fire dept, police, defense, etc. Yet it should also allow for private enterprise. In short socialism.

Now we shouldn't get loans to provide these services, with taxes alone these things should be covered. For example a metro shouldn't be built when your people aren't getting an education or health care, but that is my opinion.

I do not doubt that in other countries taken on debt to finance progress is the solution, Reagan proved it.

But in the DR such a model will not succeed, until proven otherwise at least.

You are also correct in your views of philanthropy, anglo's do a much better job. In the US Rockefeller was a huge proponent of philanthropy, yet he also thought that deregulation and small gov't were needed. And of course because he headed Standard Oil he had those views.

Now I believe that gov't should provide certain basic services for its most important asset, its people. That includes education, health care, job related rights, green spaces, fire dept, police, defense, etc. Yet it should also allow for private enterprise. In short socialism.

Now we shouldn't get loans to provide these services, with taxes alone these things should be covered. For example a metro shouldn't be built when your people aren't getting an education or health care, but that is my opinion.

Also I am sorry if I have offended you, but I have my view of the world and you have yours. We each have different paths yet I believe and hope our end is the same, a better country with a large middle class that is healthy, fed, and educated.

As for the President, I feel that internationally he is representing us well. And promoting projects with international partners ranging from france, venezuela and Libya to Australia and Finland, which is great but some of these deals need to come to fruition. He also is doing well with private investment in DR.

Yet his people are still suffering and there is wide spread corruption, which he is yet to deal with (yes he hung segura out to dry) but no criminal cases, in fact he offered segura a consulting job. Criminal cases would set an example. So that is why people have a cynical view of our gov't. They see little changes and what progress there is, is enjoyed by few. I hope you understand where we are coming from when we are frustrated.

My views of the IMF and world bank are different, maybe because I see they often come in at the last resort when countries have total corruption (not partial), when the inflation is at 100 to 300 % and the task is mammoth and takes hard fiscal measures,,,and also there are many many early success stories where the task has been easier.
I do believe in borrowing,but at decent rates , and I hope the country can be more self sufficient in basic items but that will take something of an agrarian revolution as the economy of size is not correct ..I have been informed that there is a group of Dominican yorkers who have returned here and are really putting money and effort into making the food industry more competitive.
When we come to taxes we have a variety of them but I think we have a problem collecting proper taxes on some companies because the sugar ownership and the hotel ownership is mainly foreign and the profits easily moved off shore...I do not know if we have double tax agreemen

The poor are definitely suffering and it is a desperately hard job raising these people up in most countries whether it be in South America or in Asia or in Africa but in advanced economies safety nets are in place.
My feeling is that there is a disproportional amount of writers here who are unfairly cynical especially compared to the population living in the DR. I do not approve of the incomes paid to the ministers and many high ranked officials and I do not approve of the corruption and would like the lesser ranks to get more money but I believe that the majority of government workers,including those in the forces, do their best. And i also believe that not everything the administration does is corrupt.
As for economic growth, there has been a good growth in the GDP , the workers are getting more including medical insurance often for their family as well and there are more food and clothing alternatives in stores. as for the Metro ,I have no strong view.

Well then till next time my friend, it has been great exchanging ideas with you.

Ricardolito offers yet one more gem

Luckily the school rooms are solidly built but often very hot.

solidly built? why didn't you tell that to the guys in Puerto Plata? they are real lucky that the last earthquake occurred at night, or there would have been a massacre of schoolchildren, what with the school collapses.