NALs you wrote in response to Rick that "Comparing modern day USA to modern DR is unfair. For one, the United States in general has some of the lowest usage of public transport in the entire world. This is due to the auto-centric style infrastructure that carpets the nation from coast to coast". While I see your point I dont think Rick's analogy in this case is out of line, precisely for the reason you give here. The system here, largely North American in character and design, is "auto-centric." Moreover, I would bet that regardless of the different levels of development between the two countries, the resulting ridership patterns will pan out the same. Yes many people here depend on the guaguas and publicos, but many of those routes will continue to operate long after the metro is built, and so far I have not seen any clear statement about the intention the authorities have toward the routes that coincide with the metro -- whether they will be superannuated or just allowed to wither and die if -- and this is not known yet -- the metro absorbs that ridership. Plus, I havent seen any specific data on estimated rider numbers -- how many people can the metro reasonably transport?
Second point, while debate here on this board may be somewhat feckless in terms of doing anything about the metro -- it is a done deal, after all -- I agree with Rick that grassroots citizens groups can engage with govt and make changes and alter policy. Your argument:
"However, have you ever seen how the national police takes care of unexpected demonstrations? Have you ever seen how often questions are raised about projects that continue unabated with no answers supplied by those who are in charge of such projects?
How often have Dominicans demanded an end to the power outages? Corruption? Inequality? Plenty of times and the results....
SOME things do get revised SOME times, but most of the times deafness seems to be a pervasive problem. Albeit, this "problem" is treatable with a few extra pesos and cured if it's done in dollars."
Your argument is not quite the same as what Rick and other people here on the island are talking about and doing when they challenge authority. If Gandhi listened to the nay sayers, whose arguments were no different from yours here, India would not be independent today, or perhaps it is safer to say that the process would have been much bloodier and perhaps more drawn out.
There is a lack of grassroots organizing here, though it exists of course, and the "unexpected demonstrations" you cite are more the thing, and that is why of course it never works. It is an unruly outbreak, it is inconsistent, it is contained usually to the marginal barrios, and there is never any attempt to channel that energy, come up with long term goals and strategies, follow up and keep the pressure on. Because it is not organized. But that will change, and already is changing.
The "facts" you speak of are not unalterable.
