Manuel`s fruit truck opposite CPS (Sosua)

Status
Not open for further replies.
V

Vinyasa

Bronze
Dec 22, 2010
1,419
6
38
www.kieranbarry.com
If you have driven into Sosua in the last few years you may have spotted that The guy selling good quality fruit from his pick-up opposite CPS has been missing for a few weeks.

Manuel has been parked in this spot on the way into Sosua for a long time, selling great fruit and always very friendly and honest.*
However, sadly he is one of the many victims of the flooding. Living up on the Carretera Turistica he was unable to make it down to work. This resulted in him being unable to make the payments on the truck and this was then taken from him.*
Now he cannot work and cannot pay the debt on the truck. A fairly common sad story here.*

But I would personally like to help get him back on his feet. A good friend of mine has been in touch and the cold hard facts are that he needs 35,000 pesos to get back into business.*

Sounds a lot but really, but 30 or so people donating 1000 pesos and a man and his extended family will be able to work and eat and breathe again.*

So, if you were thinking that you'd really like to help out with the victims of the recent disasters here then this is your chance!

Please contact me if you feel you could donate something, anything and I will personally try to make this happen.*

Here is the opportunity to put something really good back into this wonderful country.
 
Cdn_Gringo

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,672
1,133
113
A meaningful hand up vs a hand out.

It would seem to me that the underlying and ongoing problem with Manuel's business plan is the perpetual financing of the vehicle that is fundamental to him being able to operate his business. Going forward, the current plan offers no assurance that this same problem won't reappear unexpectedly at anytime in the future bringing the situation full circle.

The solution it seems to me is to make it possible for him to weather these acts of god and carry on. I know I am going to fall off my chair (cuz the cost of beater vehicles in this country is outrageous) but how much to buy the truck outright?
 
T

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
Cdn_Gringo said:
A meaningful hand up vs a hand out.

It would seem to me that the underlying and ongoing problem with Manuel's business plan is the perpetual financing of the vehicle that is fundamental to him being able to operate his business. Going forward, the current plan offers no assurance that this same problem won't reappear unexpectedly at anytime in the future bringing the situation full circle.

The solution it seems to me is to make it possible for him to weather these acts of god and carry on. I know I am going to fall off my chair (cuz the cost of beater vehicles in this country is outrageous) but how much to buy the truck outright?
Click to expand...

you must be joking. buying the car outright will just give him an unencumbered asset which he can take to the prestamista and take out a major league loan.

there must be a better way. with all the brainpower on DR1, somebody must be able to suggest a way to help this guy up, not sideways.
 
B

Berzin

Banned
Nov 17, 2004
5,898
550
113
This isn't the first time the North Coast has had torrential rains. How did this guy survive all the previous deluges?
 
B

bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
7,375
163
0
Berzin said:
This isn't the first time the North Coast has had torrential rains. How did this guy survive all the previous deluges?
Click to expand...

I was wondering the same thing. Also 35,000 pesos to get back in business? He lost that much and more in income because he was unable to work?
 
V

Vinyasa

Bronze
Dec 22, 2010
1,419
6
38
www.kieranbarry.com
Cdn_Gringo said:
A meaningful hand up vs a hand out.

It would seem to me that the underlying and ongoing problem with Manuel's business plan is the perpetual financing of the vehicle that is fundamental to him being able to operate his business. Going forward, the current plan offers no assurance that this same problem won't reappear unexpectedly at anytime in the future bringing the situation full circle.

The solution it seems to me is to make it possible for him to weather these acts of god and carry on. I know I am going to fall off my chair (cuz the cost of beater vehicles in this country is outrageous) but how much to buy the truck outright?
Click to expand...



You are completely right. I now relaize that trying to help Manuel is much harder than i first thought. He has said that he rues the day that he ever bought that truck! And so to just put him back into that cycle may not actually be the way forward .
But what is? Buying him a truck is really not a good idea but to be able to find him one on a reasonable rate of interest would really be the way...but how?

Am very open to ideas
 
Tamborista

Tamborista

hasta la tambora
Apr 4, 2005
11,747
1,343
113
This farmer seems able to get his produce to market on a low budget:

images
 
B

Berzin

Banned
Nov 17, 2004
5,898
550
113
Vinyasa said:
You are completely right. I now relaize that trying to help Manuel is much harder than i first thought. He has said that he rues the day that he ever bought that truck! And so to just put him back into that cycle may not actually be the way forward .
But what is? Buying him a truck is really not a good idea but to be able to find him one on a reasonable rate of interest would really be the way...but how?

Am very open to ideas
Click to expand...

It's been my experience that whenever certain Dominicans come into contact with gringos, all manner of calamities befall them from which they cannot find a way out except through said gringo's pocket.

I have yet to meet a Dominican who asked for money for medicine, operations, or other such things who has died or otherwise been ruined from not receiving said funds from any gringo expat or tourist. They are all alive and well, without our help. I even know of a case of someone who died and came back to life after he was (allegedly) buried, still driving a cab in Santo Domingo. The "C" stands for cynical.......


CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc
 
V

Vinyasa

Bronze
Dec 22, 2010
1,419
6
38
www.kieranbarry.com
Im sure you're right but the difference in this case is that he hasn't asked for help.
I personally realised that he had been missing for some time and sought him out.

Yes, he will probably live without this work but not a great existence which is why i decided to try and help him out.
And, to be honest, i want him back because he's always got great fruit!
 
W

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,330
113
Vinyasa,
try church groups.
Where are those 'peer to peer' lenders? Or was that only for women?

As for the questions about "why never flooded out before'?
It depends which river overflows into which house.
All a matter of luck in a way... good or bad.... no flood or flood in your house.

Bad luck this time
 
B

Berzin

Banned
Nov 17, 2004
5,898
550
113
Vinyasa said:
Yes, he will probably live without this work but not a great existence which is why i decided to try and help him out.
Click to expand...

If you live there, you can lend him the money and then take a weekly agreed-upon amount in produce until the debt is paid, because you're probably not going to get your money back in cash if you just give it to him.
 
C

ctrob

Silver
Nov 9, 2006
5,591
781
113
Where/what is CPS?
Are you confident you know the facts re the loan?
Are you handing the money to the debtor?
Is it his fruit or is he getting it off someone else?
And lastly, does he even want to sell again?
 
N

Norberto61

Member
Jun 21, 2015
59
5
8
I will be in the Jolly most of the first week of January - you can tap me for 2000 RD - it always amazes me that people who are not willing to help will take the time to justify why they won't on internet forums - and actually feel that they are imparting good information
 
T

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
Norberto61 said:
I will be in the Jolly most of the first week of January - you can tap me for 2000 RD - it always amazes me that people who are not willing to help will take the time to justify why they won't on internet forums - and actually feel that they are imparting good information
Click to expand...

there are people who are willing to help in certain cases, but not so much in others.i have contributed to causes in this site, but, like most people, i choose among the options. the OP is a well meaning person, and i hope this all works out for all concerned. i am sure most people see it my way.

since you mention the Jolly Roger.....when it burned down, i took a carrito to Sosua to make a contribution to help with the rebuild. the way they handled the matter made me wish i had stayed in POP and blown the money in a bar...

some of us have been there.
 
B

Berzin

Banned
Nov 17, 2004
5,898
550
113
Norberto61 said:
It always amazes me that people who are not willing to help will take the time to justify why they won't on internet forums - and actually feel that they are imparting good information.
Click to expand...

No one likes being scammed, and no one likes being taken advantage of. So if someone is going to use this forum to publicly solicit money, people have the right to ask questions and/or suggest other solutions/options.
 
V

Vinyasa

Bronze
Dec 22, 2010
1,419
6
38
www.kieranbarry.com
Ok, the latest update is that Manuel is back. He has managed to negotiate getting the truck back so he can work again. Not surprising i guess as its in the loan-sharks interest to have Manuel back at work so he can continue to keep trying to pay back.
Sadly, all he manages to pay back is the interest and not the capital.

Anyway, bottom line is he's back and i would encourage as many people as possible to buy fruit from him as this is really the best way to help him.

This process of trying to help has been very interesting. I posted a similar request on everything Cab/sosua and the response to the one here on DR1 couldn't have been much different! So many people offering to help and to give money on EC whilst on here, people explaining largely why they wouldn't try to help in this way.

But im not sure that one is right and the other wrong. I would say that the expats on EC are largely a little more idealistic and perhaps naive, if generous, whilst on DR1 people are a bit more world-wise in Dominican matters if not to say curmudgeonly :)
But that said, a lot of you guys have lived here a long time and seen it all happen before...foolish gringos throwing money at problems.

Personally speaking, i felt Manuel to be an honest and hard-working man who is really desperate to get back on top of things. The person who owns the land that he uses (for free) happens to be a good friend of mine and i felt i had a good amount of direct knowledge of the story.

Anyway, personally my tendency is to want to help people and i feel that at the end of the day this is no bad thing.*
And now im just glad he's back
 
chico bill

chico bill

Dogs Better than People
May 6, 2016
12,632
6,389
113
"It's been my experience that whenever certain Dominicans come into contact with gringos, all manner of calamities befall them from which they cannot find a way out except through said gringo's pocket."

This is so sad & true. Several Dominican friends have asked me for money to help with a 'sick mom'. Just tell them you'll be glad to escort their mom to the doctor. That usually works. And even if true asking a friend for money seldom occurs in Western Cultures except by scam artists.
I bought a diabetes blood tester for one "sick mom" in Rio San Juan, but to this day I am sure she never got it - it was probably sold, in the box, on Corotos. OK so I lost $75, but at least it "cured" her diabetes.

I think the best thing Dominicans should discover on the internet is "Go Fund Me", but they have already perfected it on a personal level
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom