Pockets of Poverty?

sancochojoe · May 27, 2004

This was a quote on CNN after reporting on the the flooding and its comparison to Haiti. Would you say this is an accurate statement.

"....The Dominican Republic, a country of 8.5 million people, is more prosperous with a number of luxury tourist destinations, but still has pockets of poverty."

Do you think the reporter is being nice, uninformed or what.

I would not call it pockets of poverty. I would think its worse than that, but I could be uninformed as well, but I'm going by observation and the nations national average income.

Ferngully · May 27, 2004

Same thing here

I was offended by the lack of honesty in the CNN statement this morning. I'm so glad someone else had noticed and in fact decided to post this here. I love DR but the sad fact is that the priorities are a bit askew within the political agendas in the DR. I saw the CNN statement and thought 'what?!? pockets!?! more like over 50% of the country is stricken by poverty!' My guess is that the reporters don't stray far from the comforts of their hotel or resort. And that's another gripe I have... the resorts creating a false reality for those who come to visit the country.

sancochojoe said:
This was a quote on CNN after reporting on the the flooding and its comparison to Haiti. Would you say this is an accurate statement.

"....The Dominican Republic, a country of 8.5 million people, is more prosperous with a number of luxury tourist destinations, but still has pockets of poverty."

Do you think the reporter is being nice, uninformed or what.

I would not call it pockets of poverty. I would think its worse than that, but I could be uninformed as well, but I'm going by observation and the nations national average income.

Chirimoya · May 27, 2004

'Pockets of affluence' would be much more accurate. Haiti has them too, but they are fewer and smaller.

Chiri

Tony C · May 27, 2004

This is one of the few times CNN got it right

There are pockets of poverty in the D.R. But Compared to most 3rd world nations the vast majority of people in the D.R. do not live in "true" poverty.
Nobody is starving there.
Most Have electricity. Heck, Go to the poorer barrios in the Capital and most have TVs and Cable.

Robert · May 27, 2004

I guess it all depends on your perception of poverty and the CNN audiences perception of poverty?

CNN broadcasts from all over the planet, 10,000 people dying in the Sudan of hunger and malnutrition is on different level to the type of poverty that exists in the DR. They need to put that in perspective for their global audience.

I agree with Tony, CNN was spot on in their description.

NY1 · May 27, 2004

I agree with TonyC, especially when the conversation involves Haiti as well.

mami · May 27, 2004

pockets is true (maybe very large pockets but still pockets)

the first time i went to santo domingo. my fiance's family tried to convince me to move there one day that was 3 years ago. all they kept saying was this country is not as poor as you think. (by the way i never called it poor, they did)

when i went there last year and i saw all the new houses and highways, etc. i thought to myself "somebody has money"

my girlfriend went to africa for a month. she thought she would see beautiful things. she said she'll never go back all she saw was despair, death, and dirt. she came back disappointed and said.

the dominican republic has a lot more than haiti and africa. so i think the anchor man did good!

Forbeca · May 27, 2004

mami said:
the first time i went to santo domingo. my fiance's family tried to convince me to move there one day that was 3 years ago. all they kept saying was this country is not as poor as you think. (by the way i never called it poor, they did)

when i went there last year and i saw all the new houses and highways, etc. i thought to myself "somebody has money"

Not to mention all the Mercedes Benz' you see everywhere you go, and the way dominicans dress, some of those ladies and gentlemen can put anyone (not into fashion) to shame!

frank alvarez · May 27, 2004

'pockets' in comparison to Haiti?

Regarding the CNN report, it could be that the pockets of poverty in the DR are in relation, or comparison to, Haiti and that is correct. It is true that the DR is far from being a rich country but there is no starvation, most 'poor' people have basic conveniences such as a stove, refrigerator or washing machine and other items such as TV's, VCR's, Stereos, etc.

So, 'poor' is a relative term and, again, in Haiti vs. DR Haiti has country-wide poverty while the DR has 'pockets'. Just the fact of 3,000,000 tourists visiting the DR in 2003, 2 billion dollars sent to their relatives by Dominicans living abroad and the widespread job opportunities (mostly minimum-wage level jobs, granted, but at least there is work) provided by the Free Zones all over the country, give DR a huge advantage over Haiti.

mariposa · May 27, 2004

Give me a break!

USA reporters and a lot of foreigners that visit DR have a way of comparing DR to US and saying 'oh look they are so poor' What percent of the population is poor in DR? What percent is poor in US? In NY you see homeless people everywhere but in DR you barely see one or two if none. We may not be rich like your CNN reporter suggested about the 'pockets of poverty' but at least we have a sense of family, we are happy people, we help each other out and we look you in the eye when walking down the street.

Yes, there are a lot of poor people in DR but we are not a third world country, why don't you do something to help the country instead of criticizing?

sancochojoe · May 27, 2004

mami said:
my girlfriend went to africa for a month. she thought she would see beautiful things. she said she'll never go back all she saw was despair, death, and dirt. she came back disappointed and said.

Not to start anything, just to clarify, Africa is a continent not a country. Visiting one or two countries in Africa should not define the beuty of that region of the world. Some countries there have more than 100 different tribes and and cultures, that within one country border. I'm not saying it does not exist, but it would take a lifetime to cover that region of world before making such a general conclusion on it. I hear so many opposite ends of opinions and yours being one of them.

Back to DR, I would think that CNN would understand the levels of poverty and economy being the defining factor. Haiti having an annual income of $1400 and to be labeled the poorist yet DR has an average income of $2100. How do you define that. What is the buying power of $2100 if you have to debate the issue of - is DR a nation in poverty?

Robert · May 27, 2004

Once again, it's how the person talking about the DR is defining poverty.

I have seen poverty in the Philippines on a scale that dwarfs anything I have seen here.
What country would you describe as closer to a 3rd world status, the DR or the Philippines?

People talk about being on the poverty line in the UK and not being able to put gas in their car and what an outrage that is.

CNN broadcast to a very broad audience range, and this is usually the reason they have to be broad in their interpretations.

This is a circular debate, it will go on for ever.
It's like asking, what colour is better, red or blue?

Forbeca · May 27, 2004

sancochojoe said:
Back to DR, I would think that CNN would understand the levels of poverty and economy being the defining factor. Haiti having an annual income of $1400 and to be labeled the poorist yet DR has an average income of $2100. How do you define that. What is the buying power of $2100 if you have to debate the issue of - is DR a nation in poverty?

Joe, to me $2100 is poverty, the DR has pockets of affluence, as Chiri stated, I agree with her, but your regular dominican is in poverty. The difference with the DR and other third world countries is that dominicans always find a way to get what they need. Haven't you noticed that? I don't really know how these people do it, but they don't starve, they go away on vacation, their kids have their necessities, nice cars, etc. It could be these things are accomplished through relatives here in the States who send money back home, but as you drive around in the DR, yes you see poverty, but you also see money everywhere you turn.

sancochojoe · May 27, 2004

But when you read into but still has pockets of poverty it gives you the impression that you have to really look hard in DR to find it. Its not visible unless you "walk out of the gates of a resort hotel."

Forbeca · May 27, 2004

sancochojoe said:
But when you read into but still has pockets of poverty it gives you the impression that you have to really look hard in DR to find it. Its not visible unless you "walk out of the gates of a resort hotel."

Yes I agree with you, it is not a precise statement. I have to say though, I don't really like people who tell me: "You're dominican, how can that be? you're kidding us right? That just infuriates me. So the CNN quote is kind of refreshing to me, and one that I hope would become a reality very soon.

One can only hope.

mami · May 27, 2004

???

sancochojoe said:
But when you read into but still has pockets of poverty it gives you the impression that you have to really look hard in DR to find it. Its not visible unless you "walk out of the gates of a resort hotel."

CNN reporters walk around in iraq, kuwait, etc. with bombs exploding behind them. i really doubt that they are afraid to get out of the resorts to see poverty!!!!

mami · May 27, 2004

i agree

Forbeca said:
Yes I agree with you, it is not a precise statement. I have to say though, I don't really like people who tell me: "You're dominican, how can that be? you're kidding us right? That just infuriates me. So the CNN quote is kind of refreshing to me, and one that I hope would become a reality very soon.

One can only hope.

i agree with you. i don't believe that the dominican republic is a third world country. It is however a developing one. these real 3rd world countries have nothing to develop with!

sancochojoe · May 27, 2004

I don't even like using "Third World". Its so insulting. (to me).

Mami, I guess you assume that every CNN reporter has been to IRAQ with bombs bursting in the air. Isn't that words to a song?

Robert · May 27, 2004

Forbeca said:
So the CNN quote is kind of refreshing to me, and one that I hope would become a reality very soon.

One can only hope.

The positive side of the quote! Well done CNN, you don't know how much you lifted the perception of Dominican Republic in the eyes of the millions of viewers you have.

caicos · May 27, 2004

For whatever it's worth

3rd world nations refers to "developing" nations and has never had a negative connotation that I am aware of, just a descriptive term to denote varying amounts of infrastructure, economics, etc. that are not as high as industrialized or "developed" nations. When the term first started being used after WWII there was a huge difference between these two types of nations. Now there are widely varying degrees of development within 3rd world nations or "developing" nations and perhaps we need a new term that describes these differences, perhaps 2nd world nations?, meaning they are not fully developed, but are more developed than others. Many of you may not like the terms, but I have also seen several posts on this board saying something like, "What did you expect? After all we are a 3rd world nation," which is meant to give visitors a hint of what to expect when in your lovely nation. I also saw the report and thought the reporter was comparing poverty between the DR and Haiti, making his statement positive one towards the DR. He was by no means comparing the relative happiness, family values, etc. of the Domincan people or nation with any other nations, just comparing its "development" in infrastructure, economics, etc.

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