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
-----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