I said---they said

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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I mailed this to the IMF

-----Original Message-----
From: Hillbilly [mailto:hillbilly@dominicancigars.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2004 5:14 PM
To: EXR, Public Affairs
Subject: It is amazing


As I sit here in the Dominican Republic without electricity for 18 hours a day, I read by kerosene lamp that the International Monetary Fund has re-instated the Stand-by Agreement of last August.

I certainly hope that the IMF has taken off the rose coloured lenses and really looked at the Dominican government. It is so corrupt that I, a professor of 40 years standing in this country do not know where to begin.

Renove: A plan to re-equip the public transportation fleet. The majority of the equipment provided by a non-existant company headed by one of the President's henchmen. Most of the units unpaid for and undocumented to this day. No one can say who owns what. About US$200 million involved.

Banco Intercontinental: Corporate greed to rival Enron and TYCO. But so close to the President that 80 accounts were paid in full, not the RD$500,000 pesos required by law. Not being magnanamous, just favoring his monied friends and kicking the eight million people of this country in the stomach. Called the "greatest economic mistake in the history of the Dominican Republic." And you people give him MORE money??

His little cottage in the mountains. Kindly explain how a person that earned RD$160 pesos a month just a few short years ago as a technician ( he is an agronomist, nowhere near being an engineer!) at the Tobacco Institute and driving a borrowed pickup, having been an employee for most of his working life, can amass a fortune to build such a residence, a true afront to all the people, where the pavement ends just at his property line and the water is a specially built system that supplies him but avoids the small village nearby?????

Please, Please take a very hard line with this man. One little thing, and you must come down on his government like a ton of bricks.


Cordially, but with little hope,

Prof. Hillbilly
Professor of History
Pontificia Universidad Cat?lica Madre y Maestra
Santiago, Dominican Republic

they said:

Dear Mr. Hillbilly:

Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns and frustration with us.

We recognize that some countries face daunting challenges on the road to economic betterment and that change often comes very slowly. In working with its member governments, the IMF stresses the importance of good governance, transparency, and accountability to its citizens. But it cannot interfere in a country's domestic political process. (See today's press, where Malkum says that every penny is being watched!!)

We invite you to review the IMF's documents on the Dominican Republic, some of which refer to the efforts that are being made to correct past problems. Please see the following: http://www.imf.org/external/country/dom/index.htm

Here are a few more pages that will give you an idea of the IMF's role in poor countries and other important issues related to the work of the IMF: http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/facts/poor.htm, http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/facts/howlend.htm, http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/ccrit/eng/cri.htm

We hope this information helps.
Public Affairs Division
External Relations Department
International Monetary Fund
http://www.imf.org
E-mail: publicaffairs@imf.org

so, I guess something is something, huh?

HB
 

XanaduRanch

*** Sin Bin ***
Sep 15, 2002
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A Waste of Time and Effort HB

This is a form letter response. Trina wrote and received the same pablum back. Word for word. No one probably even bothered to read what you wrote. Although I second, third and applaud the effort.

?Another Tom aka XR Post

Smiting the IMF with Weather & Beyond forum tornados (tornados, o si tu es un campasino, remolinos!)
 
Apr 26, 2002
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Truly a waste of time and effort. You are going up against the entire "New World Order".

The IMF "cannot interfere in a country's domestic political process", huh. Well how is funding Hippo's reelection campaign and bailing his posterior out not doing exactly that? (I wanted to say "***", and not "posterior", damn it! Foiled by those ****ing astericks again!)

The IMF obviously cannot be bothered with trite little issues, like the fact that it funds the most ruthless elements of society and perpetuates them in power.

By the way, you and Trina should both expect the black helicopters to arrive at any moment.
 

XanaduRanch

*** Sin Bin ***
Sep 15, 2002
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"Bobblehead" Checking In ...

Porfio_Rubirosa said:
The IMF "cannot interfere in a country's domestic political process", huh. Well how is funding Hippo's reelection campaign and bailing his posterior out not doing exactly that?
That's exactly what I thought reading the canned responses. I still think the blame,or ultimate responsibility, falls on the government receiving the money and not on those loaning it. But I agree 100% with what you said.

Tom aka XR
 

BushBaby

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Jan 1, 2002
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I emailed John Kerry.......

to let him know the IMF was supporting a corrupt dictator in the Dominican Republic, by enabling him to buy votes for re-"election". I'll let you know if he responds..........
Ginnie
 

PJT

Silver
Jan 8, 2002
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Porfio_Rubirosa said:
The IMF "cannot interfere in a country's domestic political process", huh. Well how is funding Hippo's reelection campaign and bailing his posterior out not doing exactly that?

The IMF obviously cannot be bothered with trite little issues, like the fact that it funds the most ruthless elements of society and perpetuates them in power.

What the IMF is doing is sort of like giving a head of a family, a drug addict; a blank check, telling him to cure himself, feed his family, and expect the addict to give truthful progress reports of his and his family's well being. You know it aint going happen.

The addict needs to be taken out of circulation, to be given the cure, and the family given support until it can support itself.

The IMF is obtuse to the Dominican crisis.

Regards,
PJT
 

Pib

Goddess
Jan 1, 2002
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Pjt

Not that I don't agree with you about giving money to drug addicts, but how are they supposed to take this addict out of circulation? This was a democratically elected junkie, you know. It's in bad form to toss people that were elected in fair and legal elections just because they are complete and utter morons.

Maybe you meant that they should wait until the next one comes to power before writing said cheque if the new guy turns out to be merely alcoholic... in which case I agree with you again.
 

PJT

Silver
Jan 8, 2002
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Pib,

The former is what happens until my first cup of coffee sinks in.

It would have been better form to say, "The family should divorce itself from this addict before he drags them down with him." he be given the cure, and the family given support until it can support itself. ( Mom's new [alcoholic?] boyfriend is waiting on the sidelines until the divorce becomes final. )



Regards,
PJT
 

Texas Bill

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Feb 11, 2003
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BushBaby said:
to let him know the IMF was supporting a corrupt dictator in the Dominican Republic, by enabling him to buy votes for re-"election". I'll let you know if he responds..........
Ginnie

Ginnie & Grahame (pls forgive misspelling of proper nouns)

I submit, because I really do understand US politicians, that Mr. Kerry's public relations people have already placed your message in file 13 as not being relavent to the existing endeavors of the honorable Senator!

I doubt verry seriously if you will get any response and if you do, it will be in some form of a canned phrase.

Mr Kerry is far more interested in becoming the next president of the US than in sticking his knose into the workings of the DR at this point in time. It just isn't on his agenda.

Please inform me if he gives you an answer that reflects any consideration to the issues at hand. I will gladly eat my words if he does.

Texas Bill