From Facebook today:
Well, Happy New Year to everyone! It's nice to see some positive things happening in Cabarete, and change has, and is coming rapidly here. But, it would also be nice to see somebody (maybe the local police, and mayor Freddy Cruz) addressing the negative aspect....the 800-pound gorilla in the room. Here's just an example of the problem, that doesn't really get to the root of the problem. I live in Procab, it's now 6:50 A.M., and the "music" that started blaring late last night, or should I say early this morning, that is literally vibrating my windows, and woke me from a deep sleep at about 4:45, is still going! Now, I've become a bit accustomed to the music reaching here on weekends, and it usually goes until around 3:00 in the morning. When I say accustomed, I'm not saying that I enjoy hearing it! My landlord said that it's most likely coming from the beach bars. However, what's been a semi-consistent hindrance (nightmare) is the music that starts blaring after the beach closes down, coming from Barrio Blanco. Now, I know last night was New Years Eve, and a bit of celebration might be expected, but this issue is a recurring one, and it's root is the real problem. I wasn't sure where the music was coming from this morning, but I've suspected that it was Barrio Blanco, so not being able to sleep, I got on my motorcycle and rode over there. I entered, and before I could even get down the street as far as the colmado, a local was yelling to me "Hey man, what do you need"? I turned the bike around, ready for a quick escape, and he approached me more closely..."what do you need, coke, weed"? I've know this kid from Cabarete for years, and everybody knows him, because he's everybody's (who has money) best friend.....in fact, he's a nuisance! Anyway, as I replied to him "what makes you think I need anything", another bunch of locals were approaching me, with what I assumed was the same intention, to sell me some drugs. They looked like zombies, and started to surround the bike a bit, so I took off. Now, I've been told in the past, that the only reason that Gringos go there is to buy drugs, and from everything I've seen, that's not just a tale! Here's the thing; I think that most people that have lived here for any reasonable amount of time, know that, like many places across the world, there's a drug problem here. It's a sad fact of life that many people choose this lifestyle, and the "they" have to deal with the problems that go along with their choices. However, should this choice have to affect all of us? This blaring music till all hours of the night is a nuisance to anybody in the area that is trying to keep any semblance of normal hours. How about the families in Barrio Blanco, with children who need to sleep at night, so they can go to school the next day, and try and learn something? What it is that's propelling these Zombies till all hours of the night is their marching powder (cocaine/crack), and what is the local governance, and law enforcement doing? I know that some will suggest "Just get some earplugs", but I've already tried that, and they're too uncomfortable for me to sleep with. Furthermore, it doesn't address the problem, and I shouldn't have to wear earplugs to be able to have a decent quality of life/sleep in Cabarete! I always see these posts online about all the great things that are being done here, how about taking care of one of the biggest problems here? I've heard that there's a noise-ordinance here, why isn't it being enforced? Maybe if enough people speak up about this problem, the local police will step up their effort, and actually step up their patrol of the area, and give us all some peace of mind! What say you?
Ray Lonis
Stdponroseli44c81515g8m87gg4hha9136gll2hgtf13ua2m0g5i0cf823f ·Well, Happy New Year to everyone! It's nice to see some positive things happening in Cabarete, and change has, and is coming rapidly here. But, it would also be nice to see somebody (maybe the local police, and mayor Freddy Cruz) addressing the negative aspect....the 800-pound gorilla in the room. Here's just an example of the problem, that doesn't really get to the root of the problem. I live in Procab, it's now 6:50 A.M., and the "music" that started blaring late last night, or should I say early this morning, that is literally vibrating my windows, and woke me from a deep sleep at about 4:45, is still going! Now, I've become a bit accustomed to the music reaching here on weekends, and it usually goes until around 3:00 in the morning. When I say accustomed, I'm not saying that I enjoy hearing it! My landlord said that it's most likely coming from the beach bars. However, what's been a semi-consistent hindrance (nightmare) is the music that starts blaring after the beach closes down, coming from Barrio Blanco. Now, I know last night was New Years Eve, and a bit of celebration might be expected, but this issue is a recurring one, and it's root is the real problem. I wasn't sure where the music was coming from this morning, but I've suspected that it was Barrio Blanco, so not being able to sleep, I got on my motorcycle and rode over there. I entered, and before I could even get down the street as far as the colmado, a local was yelling to me "Hey man, what do you need"? I turned the bike around, ready for a quick escape, and he approached me more closely..."what do you need, coke, weed"? I've know this kid from Cabarete for years, and everybody knows him, because he's everybody's (who has money) best friend.....in fact, he's a nuisance! Anyway, as I replied to him "what makes you think I need anything", another bunch of locals were approaching me, with what I assumed was the same intention, to sell me some drugs. They looked like zombies, and started to surround the bike a bit, so I took off. Now, I've been told in the past, that the only reason that Gringos go there is to buy drugs, and from everything I've seen, that's not just a tale! Here's the thing; I think that most people that have lived here for any reasonable amount of time, know that, like many places across the world, there's a drug problem here. It's a sad fact of life that many people choose this lifestyle, and the "they" have to deal with the problems that go along with their choices. However, should this choice have to affect all of us? This blaring music till all hours of the night is a nuisance to anybody in the area that is trying to keep any semblance of normal hours. How about the families in Barrio Blanco, with children who need to sleep at night, so they can go to school the next day, and try and learn something? What it is that's propelling these Zombies till all hours of the night is their marching powder (cocaine/crack), and what is the local governance, and law enforcement doing? I know that some will suggest "Just get some earplugs", but I've already tried that, and they're too uncomfortable for me to sleep with. Furthermore, it doesn't address the problem, and I shouldn't have to wear earplugs to be able to have a decent quality of life/sleep in Cabarete! I always see these posts online about all the great things that are being done here, how about taking care of one of the biggest problems here? I've heard that there's a noise-ordinance here, why isn't it being enforced? Maybe if enough people speak up about this problem, the local police will step up their effort, and actually step up their patrol of the area, and give us all some peace of mind! What say you?
