No Good News

ju10prd

On Vacation!
Nov 19, 2014
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Accountkiller
DR is the second most likely place in Latin America where you pay bribes according to a report just out from Transparency International:

https://www.diariolibre.com/mundo/l...-donde-se-paga-mas-soborno-segun-ti-LF8337085

https://www.transparency.org/_view/publication/7983

I suppose when you read the stories posted in DR1 News today this will not surprise you:

Quirinito case shows lack of controls in local judiciary

and

El Dia: Have we gone mad?

Seems that the government is currently paralyzed dealing with it's own internal party debates and the ongoing Odebrecht scandal.

All this and add that the country is slipping way down when it comes to efficiency (DR slides 12 places in Global Competitiveness Index) and a new budget will do nothing to address a growing public debt (2017 National Budget keeps scheme of increasing debt) .

Can we have some good news! Well I suppose this was some good news....Big traffic fines not being applied

.......for some!
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
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I must admit, I'm shocked!
I thought for sure we would be number one :cheeky:
 

Kipling333

Bronze
Jan 12, 2010
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I suppose if we knew the basis of the comparison and the quality of the research we could judge better . For me, I have absolutely no problem in paying for services rendered or to be rendered ..I do it throughout Latin America as it is the long standing way of doing business . The rest is just opinions..I can make one, anyone can make one including a newspaper desperately trying to sell a rag . Finally everyone knows that there are wonderful laws being made every week here but that compliance is quite another matter. Here the people want personal liberty to do exactly what they wish and to a large extent, they do this very well .
 

rfp

Gold
Jul 5, 2010
1,402
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I must admit, I'm shocked!
I thought for sure we would be number one :cheeky:

I have worked and spent time in Central and South America . Nicaragua, Hondruas, Guatemala are way more corrupt. Peru and Colombia were similar. Surprisingly El Salvador and Ecuador seemed to have their act together in terms of corruption and governmental compliance
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
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I have worked and spent time in Central and South America . Nicaragua, Hondruas, Guatemala are way more corrupt.

How long ago was it you worked there? They might have more corrupt in the past but according to
Transparency International, they are not as corrupt as the DR now a days.
 

rfp

Gold
Jul 5, 2010
1,402
137
63
How long ago was it you worked there? They might have more corrupt in the past but according to
Transparency International, they are not as corrupt as the DR now a days.

It was between 11-13 while working in Guatemala and El Salvador. I traveled in the other countries as a tourist in the mid 2000's and Colombia in 2014.
 

ju10prd

On Vacation!
Nov 19, 2014
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Accountkiller
Punta Catalina Generator damaged already

https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...anta-pero-aseguran-no-habra-retraso-CM8358343

If it isn't bad enough agreeing a contract to build coal fired generation plants for 2 billion dollars, and then being told there are variations for 700 million dollars plus sought, we now hear that a generator has been damaged to the tune of 13 million dollars even before it has even spun once with potential delays to the project as a result. Lets hope that guarantee covers all.

All this comes after neighboring Puerto Rico was badly damaged after Maria and much of the country is still without power and will be so for many weeks to come and there they question the sense of centralized generation plant.

To go for two coal fired plants producing 600MW plus in one location raised eyebrows and after Maria it just makes no sense.

Smaller more quickly built and environmentally more friendly gas powered and solar plus wind plants surely were the correct answers especially in hindsight.

Just imagine how long DR will be without power if a Maria ever hits with it's current and to be expanded grid.

The idea of smaller localized generation throughout the country as is the case on the East Coast and was the case in Las Terrenas makes more sense nowadays.
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
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No politician these days seems to be able to look further ahead and make a plan past the next general election. Any project that spans the term of a single Govt before completion is going to be a mess and will be revised countless times for additional costs.
 

JDFriend

the Translator
May 15, 2007
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https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...anta-pero-aseguran-no-habra-retraso-CM8358343

If it isn't bad enough agreeing a contract to build coal fired generation plants for 2 billion dollars, and then being told there are variations for 700 million dollars plus sought, we now hear that a generator has been damaged to the tune of 13 million dollars even before it has even spun once with potential delays to the project as a result. Lets hope that guarantee covers all.

All this comes after neighboring Puerto Rico was badly damaged after Maria and much of the country is still without power and will be so for many weeks to come and there they question the sense of centralized generation plant.

To go for two coal fired plants producing 600MW plus in one location raised eyebrows and after Maria it just makes no sense.

Smaller more quickly built and environmentally more friendly gas powered and solar plus wind plants surely were the correct answers especially in hindsight.

Just imagine how long DR will be without power if a Maria ever hits with it's current and to be expanded grid.

The idea of smaller localized generation throughout the country as is the case on the East Coast and was the case in Las Terrenas makes more sense nowadays.
We all know that everything can be bought in this country, and I mean everything. Catalina is a joke. They were installing this when the US was getting rid of coal energy. What a bunch of Pendeos. I have known the DR for more than 30 years and the electricity PROBLEM has been here for longer than that. This country is a big JOKE!!! They put a metro in SD but they don't have the electricity to make it work. Have you ever heard of a banana Republic??? If there ever was one !!

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk
 

Caonabo

LIFE IS GOOD
Sep 27, 2017
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We all know that everything can be bought in this country, and I mean everything. Catalina is a joke. They were installing this when the US was getting rid of coal energy. What a bunch of Pendeos. I have known the DR for more than 30 years and the electricity PROBLEM has been here for longer than that. This country is a big JOKE!!! They put a metro in SD but they don't have the electricity to make it work. Have you ever heard of a banana Republic??? If there ever was one !!

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk

Have you ever researched the meaning of Banana Republic?
 

joe

Brain Donor!
Jan 12, 2016
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Banana Republic:

noun derogatory

A small state that is politically unstable as a result of its economy by a single export controlled by foreign capital and that is poor, corrupt and badly ruled.

Hmmmm.....Sound like somewhere we know?
 

Garyexpat

Bronze
Sep 7, 2012
2,105
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Originally posted by JDFriend "They put a metro in SD but they don't have the electricity to make it work".

Have you ever been on the metro? I have many times and I believe there were maybe 2 occasions when the trains stopped in route between stations and then only for a few minutes (not long enough for the a/c to wear off). I know there are overcrowding issues but as I understand it they have a separate energy source and it rarely has issues. I have been here 11+ years and have seen a tremendous improvement in both electricity (mine in Santiago is rock solid) and internet service.
 

Caonabo

LIFE IS GOOD
Sep 27, 2017
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Banana Republic:

noun derogatory

A small state that is politically unstable as a result of its economy by a single export controlled by foreign capital and that is poor, corrupt and badly ruled.

Hmmmm.....Sound like somewhere we know?

As the derogatory noun suggests, can you please explain how the RD fits into this equation in the year 2017? One hundred years ago, possibly. In the era of Trujillo, yes. Today, as we reside here in 2017, no.
 

joe

Brain Donor!
Jan 12, 2016
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As the derogatory noun suggests, can you please explain how the RD fits into this equation in the year 2017? One hundred years ago, possibly. In the era of Trujillo, yes. Today, as we reside here in 2017, no.

I just gave you the definition of Banana Republic. The last part of the definition certainly applies,"poor, corrupt and badly ruled". What do you want already?
 

Caonabo

LIFE IS GOOD
Sep 27, 2017
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I just gave you the definition of Banana Republic. The last part of the definition certainly applies,"poor, corrupt and badly ruled". What do you want already?

"Poor, corrupt, and badly ruled"
In a global sense, the entire nation of the RD is not poor, regardless of what some may lead you to believe. Of course, poverty exists, as it does in many nations, and this is what people choose to see. There is a middle and upper class here in the RD, which legitimately "poor" nations do not possess, and many "rich" nations take for granted, but for some reason many, including here, do not wish to acknowledge this fact.
Corruption, I will not disagree with you on, as yes, of course it exists here, but please tell me where it does not in today's world? It is an evil that afflicts every single nation. Not one country is immune to this type of greed to some degree.
Badly ruled? On which level? From the top, I don't see how the current President is doing a bad job. Maybe you know different?
It's not like we're dealing with a fascist or communist regime here in RD.
Basically, I agree with you. The definition you provided is 100% correct. "Sounding like somewhere we know", I can also agree on, but it would not be the Dominican Republic, it would be that next door neighbor to the west, as usual.