Are Dominicans better off?

[Don Juan]

Mr. Nals and Snyder.

Let's not look at things in absolute terms. There are, and always will be, exceptions to every scenario/situation/rule imaginable. I can not speak and have no statistics/documentations to back up any of my postings nor do I care to.
I speak only from personal experience.
I did have my breakfast in elementary school. Whether every kid in every school did, I have no idea. Schools were clean and teachers taught me well. Can't complain.

School was compulsory, but as it happens in every country, even the US, these (schools), were not absolutely everywhere and not everyone took advantage of them, even when available.

Regardless of all your statistical 'evidence', when I travel there and everywhere in DR, many cities lack electricidad constante and I can still see with my own eyes poverty, malnutrition, children idle during school hours and people hanging around, unemployed.
I know people in la capital who have children that attend public school and they are NOT given a school breakfast.

You can argue and point out all the papers you want "proving" the great societal progress you speak of. Also electricity companies promising this and improving that, but the fact is, nothing has changed for the better as far as these two issues are concerned. We're still illiterate and still suffer long-term blackouts the same way as it has been for decades.
I don't need read any of the hogwash the gov. puts out. I have eyes and seen otherwise.

I'm not here to tell you how great things were in Trujillo's era, and nostalgia has nothing to do with my argument. What I'm saying is that, as bad as life was then, it was certainly not as complicated and dangerous as it is today.

Understand one thing, DR has made progress in many other aspects, but the most basic to prosperity are the ones that have not been enphasized.
If we had a nationwide school breakfast/lunch program, children would come to school, if nothing else to eat food.
If we had the electricity problem solved, national and foreign industry would set up shop in droves. These two issues must be addressed or nothing will ever change for the better.
I thrust we understand each other now.

 

[dulce]

Every one of my close Dominican friends have improved lifestyles since I met them in the late 90's. I have seen them go from having no car to a car and then as the years passed the cars have increased in value. The same is true with thier living quarters. Some lived at home sharing small spaces with large families and moved to small apartments alone. Now they live in bigger and better apartments or rent houses. I take that to mean that life has improved for many Dominicans. My friends started out in Santo Domingo, Jaun Dolio, and San Pedro. They now live and work in Punta Cana. I of course am aquainted with many who are living at the same low standards in crowded family homes in the campo.
It is my belief that the Dominican Republic has the potential to be one of the richest islands in the Carribean. The country has enough people with the brains and work ethic to make it a reality. We all know why it doesn't happen.

 

[Don Juan]

What romantic nostalgia?

No real disagreement from me. I just find that sometimes romantic nostalgia is more easily remembered than the hard times.

The entire world is less friendly today than it was 40-50-60 years ago. One thing for sure: we hear more about the world now than then, a function of communication technology.

I see it as rats in a cage. At some point peaceful pet rats become violent when there are too many in the cage. The population of the DR was much smaller 40 years ago than today. Seems to me there are more people on the island than the island can peacefully support. Just imagine what it would be like if all the Dominicans in the US came back to live in the DR.

It is very difficult not to look at life without factoring in the political situation.

I wish we leaved the word "nostalgia" out of this discussion. I am no more inclined to live under a total dictatorship, than I am in some of the worse barrios of today's SD.
to reiterate my argument, there are bad places and times and there are worse places and times. I don't long for a repressive murderer, but neither do I feel comfortable/safe in DR today!
In the old days, you had one devil to worry about, today you have many devils to avoid. It's like saying: would you rather be a safely caged bird or a free mouse in a neighbourhood full of cats? What would you choose?
you want to be caged or you want to be free and if so, under what circumstances?
Please don't misunderstand me. I may be old but I'm not a fool. I recognise the value of freedom, but If not for the continuously dysfunctional governments we've had to endure in DR, you'd neither be caged nor have to worry about cats.

 

[Norma Rosa]

I'm curious from older DR hands than myself - what comparisons can be drawn about the schools now, versus 40 years ago?[/QUOTE]

Like anything else, education is going down the drain. We have more illiterate people today than ever before (granted: Our population has increased tremendously). In a positive note, we have more universities, but do graduates find employment? The answer is no.

 

[NALs]

If we had a nationwide school breakfast/lunch program, children would come to school, if nothing else to eat food.
If we had the electricity problem solved, national and foreign industry would set up shop in droves. These two issues must be addressed or nothing will ever change for the better.
I thrust we understand each other now.

Honestly, I don't understand your stance, but I'll accept it.

However, I must say that I know people who live in neighborhoods which have been placed on the 24 hours electricity plan (in Santo Domingo and Santiago), thus I am not simply quoting sources for the sake of quoting sources.

And there are many schools which offer breakfast and the DR has a very high school attendance rate up to age 17.

Those are facts and its incomprehensible to me why anyone would choose to think the opposite when the changes are occuring, yes slow, but they are occuring.

Then again, some people have to see something before they believe it. If so, I'll suggest for you to visit Las Praderas in Santo Domingo and ask people there how the electricity service has improved and why has it improved in the last few months. Don't be surprised when they tell you they have it 24/7 because everyone reached an agreement with the electricity company to pay their bill.

So, if you need to see something before believing it, by all means go to the places where some problems have been fixed recently and see it for yourself. Then wait and see as other areas are incorporated into such stable electric service.

To continue to assume that nothing is being done to fix the electricity problem when in fact they are doing something about and to continue to think that its a tiny minority of the schools which are receiving breakfast when in fact a mayority of them are offering such or to think that its simply political jargon that is being spewed into the news media without proofs to back them... well, it just doesn't make sense to me.

No, we don't understand each other and rather than continuing on this path of misunderstanding after misunderstanding, I think it would be best to for each of us to go on our own path regarding this matter.

-NALs :tired:

 

[Norma Rosa]

The following insert was taken from:

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

C.*** Education
420. Education in the Dominican Republic still faces grave problems, despite the efforts of the Dominican state. This is observed in the indices of education, illiteracy rates, and attendance of minors in school.

421. According to the World Bank, 13% of children ages 7 to 14 do not attend class because they work outside the home or stay home doing house chores. Approximately 11% work and go to school at the same time, which means that for one-fourth of the population of minors it is impossible to continue the education they need to become more skilled.

422. Illiteracy among minors in the Dominican Republic is relatively high. According to UNICEF, 15.6% of minors ages 10 to 17 years do not know how to read or write, and only 25 of every 100 adolescents ages 15 to 17 have been to secondary school. Dropping out of school to join the work force, dropping the books and taking up work, is probably the most serious problem children face.

 

[Don Juan]

Yes, I won't argue the point further, Mr. Nals. You choose to selectively give examples to counter the obvious deficiencies in education and electricity throughout the land.
You and I know that there are exceptions. Sure, this school has meals served. but what about the many others?
Sure, this neighbourhood has electricity 24/7, but what about the rest of the country?
You choose to stick your head in the sand, I don't.
Go ahead and explain yourself around Norma Rosa's post above.
Do you understand now?!!

 

[Rick Snyder]

Don Juan,

I?m sorry but I feel slighted as you addressed your post #21 to me and the AMC Nals.

I do in fact know what you are trying to say but it was you in post #4 that said, ?I'd rather lived under a Trujillo-era milieu than the so-called freedom in today's DR?. I assume you made that statement with tongue?in-cheek as you followed up in post #9 whereas you said, ?I certainly do not "prefer" a Trujillo over a Balaguer or Fernandez, but I do long for the good ol' days when life was simpler everywhere in the world?. It is this longing for the ?good-old-days? that brought out my use of the word ?nostalgia? in the only post I had made to this thread.

I too have a tendency for the good old days in the US. It was the daily conversations with your neighbors and the daily greeting that I missed and when I found that custom still alive here in the DR it served as one of the basic reasons for deciding to live here. When I arrived in 96 there was no reason to lock your doors but as in all parts of the world things change and not always for the better in all respects.

My earlier reference to freedoms that Dominicans now have was by-passed but I still feel it is an important point to life here. It seems to be very apparent that LF is playing the fool with his wanting to construct this Metro but the media and people important and not so important are speaking out against this plan. All indications that I have be it through reading past articles or listening to older Dominicans is that NOBODY would have dared to speak out against anything that Trujillo or Balaguer undertook. It is my opinion that this new freedom is a good thing.

Rick

 

[Don Juan]

Mr. Snyder.

The "good old days" in the context of my spiel relates exactly to one of your statements: "when I arrived in '96, there was no reason to lock your doors".
That specifically is what I refer to; a place and time. Please understand that I, by no means, advocate living under the yoke of a tyrant. But, would you not admit that crime today in DR, is out of control? As opposed to an earlier time?
This is akin to the dangerous northeast section of Washington DC, near where I live, where the murder rate per capita is higher than anywhere in the country. You wanna live there?
Apparently you can't have political freedom and a crime-less society.
If you had to choose, which would you choose? There's the rub!

I don't need to tell you how much people value their freedom. Freedom that brings forth the good things democracy has to offer. (speech, assembly, etc). But people also value the freedom to walk around their neighbourhood without being mugged, to leave your doors unlocked without fear of being burglarised, the freedom to use a cell phone without being killed for it, etc.

Corruption and bad government makes for a chaotic, rudderless ship. We don't seem to be getting anywhere concerning literacy, poverty and crime (which most times go hand-in-hand) and the electricity problem which has persisted since la era de Trujillo.

And I repeat, unless these serious issues are dealt with, DR will never emerge out of it's third-world, backwards, banana republic status where it has been stuck since time immemorial. Rosy pictures you and Nals paint, notwithstanding.

 

[A.Hidalgo]

Apparently you can't have political freedom and a crime-less society.
If you had to choose, which would you choose? There's the rub!

There are countries that have a high level of political freedom and low relative crime rates. As an answer to your question, without hesitation my choice would be for political freedom.

 

[cobraboy]

I wish we leaved the word "nostalgia" out of this discussion. I am no more inclined to live under a total dictatorship, than I am in some of the worse barrios of today's SD.
to reiterate my argument, there are bad places and times and there are worse places and times. I don't long for a repressive murderer, but neither do I feel comfortable/safe in DR today!
In the old days, you had one devil to worry about, today you have many devils to avoid. It's like saying: would you rather be a safely caged bird or a free mouse in a neighbourhood full of cats? What would you choose?
you want to be caged or you want to be free and if so, under what circumstances?
Please don't misunderstand me. I may be old but I'm not a fool. I recognise the value of freedom, but If not for the continuously dysfunctional governments we've had to endure in DR, you'd neither be caged nor have to worry about cats.

DJ-

I think you exagerate the current threat in the DR. The many devils you fear tend to congregate in some areas much more than others. It's no different than in the US, Britain or France. There are places you can go where crime, underemployment/unemployment, drug abuse, economic decline, poor education, illiteracy are rampant. But there are also places you can choose to spend your time where the opposite is true.

Here in Tampa, I live in a peaceful neighborhood, surrounded by peaceful, educated, economically positive people. I can go 5 miles away where the polar opposite is true. The same can be said about the DR.

I am reminded of the John Godfrey Saxe poem about Blind Men and the Elephant. It all depends on your perspective.

Having said that, there is no situation I can conceive where civil men would choose tyrrany over freedom. But that is just me.

 

[bilijou]

The problem is this notion in the DR that the more political freedom and democracy leads to higher crime rate. Maybe life is as simpler today because of regional trends, completely unrelated to government political stance, i.e., globalization which is linked crime. (Drug trafficking accompanied with increase violence, commercials bombarding low income Dominicans creating unfulfilled wants, links to the US through migration importing urban culture, etc.) Additionally, the massive rural to urban migration that occurred after Trujillo?s death has created a situation where the poorest Dominicans (once tucked in the campos where they were invisible) interact with those with BMW and the latest cell phones on a daily basis. It has nothing to do with the current degree of freedom or democracy, but the mismanagement of the prior authoritarian governments.

 

[Rick Snyder]

Okay, let?s break it down and attempt to put it into a discussion mode. You said, ?would you not admit that crime today in DR, is out of control? As opposed to an earlier time??. In reference to an ?earlier time? I will use since 1996 as that being when I arrived here. My answer to that question is no because the control now is the same control that was used in 96. If you had asked if there was more crime then previously the answer would be a definite yes.

In my time on this island I have experienced an era of d?j? vu. Let me duel on this for a moment so that everyone may grasp what I am talking about. Growing up in the SW section of Wash DC we once lived a life of expected security and there was a comradely
amongst most people which seemed to transcend race, religion, sex and some times class. As time progressed this began to change with an increase of crime. This increase in crime warranted a change in our normal daily routines and extracted a cry from the American populace for better police protection. This change I am referring to began in the late 60?s and early 70?s and has continued to grow from that point. All indicators for this change in the American way of life revolve around the increased drug trade (use) that took place at that time.

Fast forward 30 years to life in the DR at the turn of the century. The women have safety on the streets at night, doors to homes are unlocked and there is a general sense of security. Just like other parts of the world you don?t want to leave your bicycle out in the yard at night due to the occasional thief out there and there is always the possibility of venturing upon the drunk in the street as he makes his obnoxious way home to sleep it off.

Fast forward a couple more years and you notice an increase in drug trafficking and over time payments are no longer made in money but rather in product. This influx of product within the boundaries of the country facilitates the use of the product here and the country turns from shipper to user and shipper. It is at this junction that crime starts to increase. And this is the d?j? vu I was referring to.

This change has brought out a cry from the Dominican people for better police protection, (d?j? vu?), and we are rewarded with the periodic reports of the confiscation of 2 kilos here, 6 kilos there, 580 kilos over there and so on. The national police quickly mount the platform and beat their chest as to how they are rigorously attacking the problem. Due to suggestions of alcohol being a contributor to crime an effort is made in that respect to further enhance their image of the police and government. It is also mentioned that excessive noise is a problem and that too is addressed. Nobody can sit back and now say the police and government don?t care and are doing nothing because they have the new laws and statistics to back them up.

One other thing that I have noticed, (experienced), is that the modus operandi of the national police hasn?t changed from 96 to present. Their ability to supplement their income due to their position of authority from both Dominicans and foreigners was rampant in 96 and is rampant today. The difference today is that with drugs in the system the opportunities for this supplementation have reached proportions never heard of or imagined. And that, because of its, (drugs) position throughout the world, is my d?j? vu!

Rick

PS- You said, ?Rosy pictures you and Nals paint?, and I wish for you to point out where I have painted a ?rosy? picture!

 

[Squat]

Just to tell Nals that I am one of those being guilty of (sometimes) giving over-cynical statements about our beloved adoptive nation...

I know, we tend not to step back sometimes...

You are right, those gvt guys did a good job on certain areas, and as Rick says, the mesures for the alcohol are good, I hope it will be followed by mesures against noise such as "discomovil", you know, those cars with huge speakers blasting amazingly high volume music...

Can't tell about power, because Las Terrenas is on private company (Luz & Fuerza), and it works very well... I remember Edenorte from my Luperon & Santiago days... Not nice, but I am glad to read your lines about improvements...

-The topic ??? yes, are dominicans better off today ? I guess, but we can't compare different times in history, even though 30 years ago might sound like yesterday...

My dominican family from the hills around SFdeM. are all in agreement : in the old days, life was much tougher ! You had to get your water, sometimes there wasn't food on the table. The pathes were so muddy in the rainy season that it was hard to reach the village...

Now they can watch "titirimundati" on Telemicro, play ridiculous games on their cell phones, and sometimes meet chicks from Argentina & Chile on Latinchat.com (!!!), well, that is for the young generation at least...

-Drugs ? -Crime ? yeah, of course, just like all over the world...

-Are all those cops corrupt ? -Are we too cynical ? yes, indeed, to a certain degree... But a good bunch of them ARE corrupt, therefore giving the example of living like kings to the young ones, so it goes on forever...

DR ain't rosy...

But the world isn't either

It still is a great place to live !

 

[duhtree]

I am confused, as usual. While education is promised to all Dominicans there is a small caviat. " that the child have a uniform, a backpack, paper, pencils, and oh yeah...books.
Where , in Gods name does the 70 % of the impoverished population get the means to outfit their 2,4,5,6 children and send them off to learn?

In 1998 it would took approx $ 20.00, for a child to attend school for a year....on an empty stomach. By 2004 that cost had risen to $35.00 p/y/p/child. In today's world it is costing $65.00 per child/year. Still with no breakfast.

I, for one, continue to do what I can every time I visit. I say all this to point out that to me all those "studies, etc " appear to be constructed in a vacuum of academic Idealism and only serve to satisfy grant criteria for the World Bank or some such.
Mothers still must make the choice between similac and shelter for their families. Welcome to the real world. Duh

 

[Rick Snyder]

If we are to go under the premise that the principal purpose of governments is to provide services that enhance or maintain the well-being of their citizens then an overview of those services provided should give a good indication of their sincerity as it relates to the people that are served by that government. Government services, such as establishing and maintaining the legal system, and providing electricity, water, public safety, education, health, and transportation services are necessary for enhancing or maintaining this well-being.

The centralized public agency production here in the DR has always failed its citizens in regards to their well-being. This is not to say that there haven?t been improvements in certain areas but as the term ?citizens? encompasses all areas and people of a country then the use of ?failed? is appropriate. The electricity supplied here is a case in point. When the government-provider relationship is strong but citizen voice is weak then few public services are delivered at all and operational delivery fails. In addition the citizens here are faced with nefarious organizations that have been established under the guise of helping the citizens when the reality of the situation is that these organizations were established for the purpose of helping themselves. In addition to the CDE two additional classic examples of these nefarious organizations would be the transportation unions and the teachers union. Think about that for a moment with the realization of the power held by those organizations and the conditions of the sectors that they control.

Let?s look at the CDE and the law of electricity 125-01. Law 125-01 created two new government agencies. Those are the Comisi?n Nacional de Energ?a and the Superintendencia de Electricidad. I find it interesting to note that according to Law 125-01 the assets of the Comisi?n Nacional de Energ?a shall be made of the resources assigned every year in the National Budget, and by the contributions of up to one per cent (1%) of total sales of the electric system, an amount to be decided by the Regulations and that the human resources of the Commission shall be highly qualified and with technical experience, and shall be remunerated in accordance with market conditions. As to the Superintendencia de Electricidad the law states that their members remuneration shall not be subject to the practices regulating those of the public sector, but shall be set according to market conditions for the highest executives posts of the private sector. The assets of the Superintendency of Electricity shall be formed by the resources assigned every year in the National Budget and by the contributions of up to one per cent (1%) of total sales of the electric system, an amount to be established by the Regulations, as well as by the sale of goods and services it may carry out, as well as from the rates, rights, interests and other income perceived through implementation of its functions. Sounds like self-help organizations to me.

Law 125-01 also states that as of January 2003 the distributing companies are compelled to compensate final regulated consumers for the electric energy not supplied for an equivalent of one hundred and fifty per cent (150 %) of electricity not delivered. This is something that hasn?t been realized by any citizen of this country. The proper implementation of this regulation back in 2003 would have ended the black-outs back then.

It has been mentioned that it is the government that has caused the changes noticed in the electric sector and I disagree with that assessment. It is because of the voice of the citizens that are frustrated with the lack of action on the part of the government that has caused the changes. Though there are those that say that a lot of Dominicans are now paying their bills in certain sectors and that is the reason that electricity is now supplied 24/7 but I don?t believe this. The reason I say this is because here in El Seybo happens to be one of those areas and all the people that I?ve talked too say that have always paid their bills. There appears to be no increase in the monies paid by the citizens but the service has improved. Due to the lack of record keeping, (fortunate or unfortunate?), the truth as to why the service is now improved will never be known. It is completely understandable that the government will mount that soap-box and try to take the credit as it is their modus operandi.

Getting back to the questionable rendering of public services to the people of the DR I?ve come across some articles concerning this ?rendering? to include that which encompasses subsides and taxes.

These deficiencies found throughout the country did not just appear and like the PRD, PLD, PRSC, Balaguer and Trujillo did not recently appear either and all have been around for a large number of years and things have basically stayed the same. History seems to indicate that the only time that the Dominican government gets off their arse is when the Dominican people get fed-up and cry out. As human rights and basic freedoms become more established and the Dominicans come to realize their rights without the ?fear? of being arbitrarily shot or locked up then you will notice more changes occurring. If the Dominican population should one day realize the power they have at their disposal with organization and the vote then that ?rudderless ship? mentioned previously by Don Juan will become a ship with a course and without limits.

Rick

 

[Don Juan]

It depends on your perspective?

DJ-

I think you exagerate the current threat in the DR. The many devils you fear tend to congregate in some areas much more than others. It's no different than in the US, Britain or France. There are places you can go where crime, underemployment/unemployment, drug abuse, economic decline, poor education, illiteracy are rampant. But there are also places you can choose to spend your time where the opposite is true.

Here in Tampa, I live in a peaceful neighborhood, surrounded by peaceful, educated, economically positive people. I can go 5 miles away where the polar opposite is true. The same can be said about the DR.

I am reminded of the John Godfrey Saxe poem about Blind Men and the Elephant. It all depends on your perspective.

Having said that, there is no situation I can conceive where civil men would choose tyrrany over freedom. But that is just me.

"There are places where crime, drugs, illiteracy, etc, are rampant. But there are places where the opposite is true" end quote.

Exactly my point, Mr. Cobraboy. This why I have moved three times in the last 15 years. Trying to find that "better place" you speak of. We're closing a deal on our new home in a much more exclusive neighbourhood where we hope to stay for good. But one never knows.
Moving around so often doesn't make much economic sense but the gradual deterioration of the sectors we lived in and prevailing conditions due to neglect and influx of "certain elements" detrimental to those areas, forced our hand.

"Here in Tampa, we live in a peaceful neighbourhood, surrounded by peaceful, educated, economically positive people" quote.
And for how long?.. Do you think it will stay the same always.? Will you stay and fight the criminal elements that are sure to arrive, if they're not already there, or would you flee? as we did?

This brings me back to the situation in DR today where "drugs, crime, and illiteracy are rampant"... Who wants to live in a place like that? where people have to carry guns, erect walls- with concertina wire on top- around their property, keep a couple of mean rottweilers loose at night, bar their windows, etc? what kind of life is that?
The house in my neighbourhood in east SD, specifically in Vista Hermosa, used to be "surrounded by peaceful, educated, economically positive people" some years ago;... No more.
Crime has overtaken the area and nobody walks around past 11pm. If the criminals don't get you, the police will. and frankly, I don't see too much of a distinction between these two. It's possible they work in cahoots.

You may think I'm exaggerating or being paranoid, I'm not. It's only natural that because of the population explosion, poverty due to illiteracy and lack of earnest job and opportunities for a better life, forces the most law abiding and conscientious person to commit crimes in order to survive.
Government apathy and those that get elected to self-serve are the ones to blame. Nothing will happen unless the people rise up and demand what's theirs.
without jobs and education, things will get so terrible that the nation of Haiti will seem idyllic in comparison.

 

[Guatiao]

Thank you all that have replied. Although, I would like responses or insights of a numerical context, I believe personal insights are just as valuable. The reason I created this thread is due to two reasons: 1) a conversation with my mother, and (2) a viewing of a congressional hearing about the financial challenges of obtaining a higher education in America. Discussions with my mother, and other Dominicans that lived in the <b><i>Capital</i></b>, have led me to conclude that things were cheaper and there was more money in circulation. The congressional hearing had many good points, one was how many middle income families are in dept. I know many students in school that have more then $20,000 in dept, and although when they graduate they might be considered white collared middle class Americans, they will have a huge debt to repay.

I understand there is a middle class in DR, but what portion of that middle class has a huge rotating debt? I believe one cannot be middle class with debt, anybody can buy a car, house, and other items on credit, and appear to be well-off, but might not really be.

 

[cobraboy]

Don Juan-

I don't mean to be argumentative at all. But if you stand back, you'd see the problem is very, very simple and very, very basic. It's Adam Smith Basic Econ 101.

There are too many people chasing too few resources.

It's nothing more than pet rats in a cage. A given cage may have two rats living peacefully, eating the food and drinking the water. But if you put 20 rats in the cage and there isn't enough food and water for, say, 10, the rats become violent, kill and eat each other.

The #1 problem with the Dominican Republic, and the source for virtually every problem discussed and debated on this forum, is overpopulation. There are just not enough resources, natural and man made, to support them all adequately. Then government gets involved, and makes things worse.

Until the increase in resources grows at a faster rate than the increase in population, it'll never change.

Babies are cute, but they are killing this country-and other countries.

 

[Rick Snyder]

Sorry Heketi as we sure did go off on a tangent from your OP. So, in an attempt to get back on track I will address your latest post.

As I look at your post the statement by your mother that ?things were cheaper and there was more money in circulation? is true as to things being cheaper but false as to more money being in circulation but then again that can be said throughout the world. Wait, let me fall back and restate that there is more money ?available? but I can?t state there is more in circulation. As wages, remittances and investments have increased each year then the amount of money available thereby increases. Because of the continued increases in taxes, higher prices of goods and services and the governmental control of the exchange rate of those remittances sent then all that availability could be offset and have a direct affect on circulation. Bear in mind that I?m not a financial expert or accountant but I am familiar with the increase in the items mentioned as the figures have been published and as an ex-pat living here I am familiar with the exchange rate as I deal in dollars and prices on goods and services and taxes as I pay them everyday.

In reference to the congressional hearings you have been watching let me say that such an option is not available to Dominicans. Though it is a democracy very similar to that in the US in its makeup its operation is a lot different. The idea that they would debate anything here that would affect any large portion of the populace is debatable and the broadcasting of such an endeavor is unheard of as well as a record of who voted for or against any bill before them.

As to ?financial challenges of obtaining a higher education? let me say that in a country where 75% of the students drop out prior to receiving their high school diploma and 181,000 students repeat their grade each year I would only wish that the majority of the children in this country had higher education on their minds.

As to your interest on debt I can?t speak to that regardless as to which class. I can say from experience that as a rule Dominicans have a tendency to live from day to day and the rule of saving for a rainy day seems to be a concept not taught or learned here which has a tendency to force people to borrow in times of unexpected need thereby causing a debt that may have been avoided with a change of behavior. Due to the failure of the government to supply the necessary services expected of such an entity then unexpected needs like getting sick or something similar would require the Dominicans to borrow to pay for an operation or medicines.

Rick