The future of Sosua

[jd426]

Thank you for that useful information...

Not to rub salt in their wound , but I recall someone else here lecturing us a while back that Ahnvee, had " Very deep pockets", and that us regular Armchair Monday morning QB's need to hush up and "watch and Learn" ....
Seems now, like we were not so far off the mark ..

The building and building, and still many empties kind of concerns me . but who knows maybe there really is a Bigger Picture we are not seeing.. yet .

 

[Seamonkey]

I actually believed the Good Mayor cared for the "the children" and the Girls who were plying their trade out of necessity to feed their children, that she genuinely cared about their Plight ...
but its rather hard to have respect for a Mayor who cant even make sure a Sidewalk is completed so the School children can walk safely .... She is either also part of the Corruption machine, or the most incompetent person yet .
These people dressed all in white, having their "Meetings" .. I cant even look at the pictures without Laughing.

In her second year, in hopes of trying to get the girls to have a new trade, the mayor launched a 6 week program aimed at 12-15 year old girls. Of all freaken things she set up a course on jewelry making. Why in the hell would you encourage anybody to make and sell jewelry when the town is littered with it. This just shows her stupidity.

My idea.....launch a proper "service industry" course for waiters and waitresses. Have them trained properly and then get a certificate. This would be a great initiative from the mayor.

 

[wrecksum]

The dear Mayor decided to burn down the whole house to get rid of a few mice.....

 

[Seamonkey]

The dear Mayor decided to burn down the whole house to get rid of a few mice.....

Thank god she's on her way out. Only 1 year and a bit to go.

 

[chico bill]

Well thank you for the compliment. Good question you ask.

I think that all of us living here full time are either directly or indirectly affected by the tourist industry. Whether the new projects are being built for full time residences or the 6 month snowbirds the result of the builder is to rent them. The new construction here in Sosua is just amazing and yet many are empty....and still they build and build. Tourism is way down. I saw a big boom of expats moving here about 7 years ago and now that sector has slowed down as well, although many Italians are still coming to live here full time. Many have moved away or died. We live in a tourist town. Locals alone won't support all the restaurants and bars or even Supermercado Playero. So I would say that all projects are somewhat related to tourism and we can't afford to lose that sector.

I just head the other day that the infamous Ahnvee resort is in a lot of trouble and the employees have not been paid in 1.5 months. I just don't see a bright light at the end of this tunnel for Sosua….not for many years anyway.

Well the place is near dead. I think I saw about 4 people milling about yesterday and no taxis or motocochos parked there. But the good news is the apartment building across the street is nearing completion and they get to stare right into the entry of Ahnvee so they could keep a count for us

 

[ohmmmm]

I was out and about in Sosua last night. It was dead dead dead. Not much going on anymore. Boring as hell. Police everywhere and I mean everywhere and all different types. The downtown could turn into charamicos and the residents so desperate that they would vote in the hoodlums to run the town. That is just as likely a scenario for the town than these investors with deep pockets who think they know everything. In the mean time, the town is dying. We shall see if there is any improvement this winter and after the February election. I just hope we get more flights into Puerto Plata this winter and at a lower price. The city also needs updating if it wants to attract normal tourists...

 

[Caonabo]

I was out and about in Sosua last night. It was dead dead dead. Not much going on anymore. Boring as hell. Police everywhere and I mean everywhere and all different types. The downtown could turn into charamicos and the residents so desperate that they would vote in the hoodlums to run the town. That is just as likely a scenario for the town than these investors with deep pockets who think they know everything. In the mean time, the town is dying. We shall see if there is any improvement this winter and after the February election. I just hope we get more flights into Puerto Plata this winter and at a lower price. The city also needs updating if it wants to attract normal tourists...

This is in direct opposition to what some previous posters have stated to the effect that the municipality is as active, and vibrant as ever. It can not be both, so which is the true reality? Agreed, that "The city also needs updating if it wants to attract normal tourists.", and this is the hope of investors, but that stage can not begin until the plague is eliminated.

 

[ohmmmm]

Read this closely. The town is dying. The only time it is busy is on Saturday night. Businesses are losing money downtown and on the beach. I know because I am there and listening. Are you? It is normal to be slower in low season, but its nearly empty... Good luck, you met your Waterloo if you think you can control what goes on here. I think you just screwed the place up and you will leave everyone high and dry.

 

[jd426]

Read this closely. The town is dying. The only time it is busy is on Saturday night. Businesses are losing money downtown and on the beach. I know because I am there and listening. Are you? It is normal to be slower in low season, but its nearly empty... Good luck, you met your Waterloo if you think you can control what goes on here. I think you just screwed the place up and you will leave everyone high and dry.

Settle down dude
lol
... I think Caonabo was making the same point you are making
but saying that OTHERS here have tried to LECTURE us that everything is just FINE... and its NOT ...
So they deserve to be called out on it ..

Obviously YOU are THERE on the ground and you would know what the real deal is ..

 

[Caonabo]

Read this closely. The town is dying. The only time it is busy is on Saturday night. Businesses are losing money downtown and on the beach. I know because I am there and listening. Are you? It is normal to be slower in low season, but its nearly empty... Good luck, you met your Waterloo if you think you can control what goes on here. I think you just screwed the place up and you will leave everyone high and dry.

I do not see what offense you take with my posting. I am not disagreeing with you at all. I too, believe the municipality is not what it once was, and that drastic change is needed for the economy. In which direction, that is what is, and has been, up for debate. Again, I am not stating your observations are unreal, but they are in contrast to PREVIOUS posters who state they are there now. Not myself. I am not doubting your observations.

I do not believe, nor have I ever said, I can control what occurs there, as I am only one sole investor. The future of the municipality is way too far above my paygrade for me, myself, to be a significant factor. What I will state for the ledger, is that I would not invest, nor have I in the area under it's past ambience.

I do believe that following the next presidential election, not mayoral, is when you will see positive change begin to take root.
This is my opinion.

 

[Timotero]

Well the "................... But the good news is the apartment building across the street is nearing completion and they get to stare right into the entry of Ahnvee so they could keep a count for us

Is that what that is....an apartment building? I hoped they were just rebuilding a mas grande El Toro Steakhouse? (;-)

 

[JDJones]

Tell you what... I follow a ton of FB pages of local businessmen and bloggers in Sosua, and they all seem to be very happy with Illana and what she's doing.

I'm not so sure she's on her way out.

Of course I can only comment on what I read as I'm in SD.

 

[ramesses]

This is in direct opposition to what some previous posters have stated to the effect that the municipality is as active, and vibrant as ever. It can not be both, so which is the true reality? Agreed, that "The city also needs updating if it wants to attract normal tourists.", and this is the hope of investors, but that stage can not begin until the plague is eliminated.

I don't know if you are talking about me or not. I was only talking about the availability of lady company. Other than that, the town has gone to crap but there is still no problem finding companionship. Personally, if I did not have friends and family in the area, there is no way in hell I would pick Sosua as a vacation destination now. It has lost it's character..it's soul. It is now one of the most boring towns on the island. I hope it returns to the town I so loved in the past.

That said, I have friends that love to stay in Sosua...mostly for ladies. They talk about nothing else.

I hate the fact that Sosua is dying.

 

[ctrob]

I hate the fact that Sosua is dying.

Not dying, just morphing into something else. It was inevitable.

 

[drstock]

This is in direct opposition to what some previous posters have stated to the effect that the municipality is as active, and vibrant as ever.

Well I, for one, have posted in this thread that whenever I go to Sosua, about once a week, it is dead as a dodo, except on weekends. Maybe it's the lull before the storm of regeneration. Who knows?

 

[Harleysrock]

I don’t see it as dying. I am surprised in the area where I am staying at the moment in sosua the amount of renters around at this time of year. They aren’t on budgets or gringos... I rarely go to Pedro Clisante so can’t speak about that area.

 

[Seamonkey]

Tell you what... I follow a ton of FB pages of local businessmen and bloggers in Sosua, and they all seem to be very happy with Illana and what she's doing.

I'm not so sure she's on her way out.

Of course I can only comment on what I read as I'm in SD.

She has her little group of Dominican following. I don't think she's running in the next election.

 

[windeguy]

Thank you for that useful information...

Not to rub salt in their wound , but I recall someone else here lecturing us a while back that Ahnvee, had " Very deep pockets", and that us regular Armchair Monday morning QB's need to hush up and "watch and Learn" ....
Seems now, like we were not so far off the mark ..

The building and building, and still many empties kind of concerns me . but who knows maybe there really is a Bigger Picture we are not seeing.. yet .

Ahnvee was a result of stupid is as stupid does set of decisions. A bad location, poor market research and bad timing for the north coast overall (which should have been part of the market research) . Despite the money Scientologists have, even they will realize when it is time to stop throwing good money after bad or they will need more recruits to part with their money. From the beginning this was doomed. Sounds very sad for the employees

 

[windeguy]

I don’t see it as dying. I am surprised in the area where I am staying at the moment in sosua the amount of renters around at this time of year. They aren’t on budgets or gringos... I rarely go to Pedro Clisante so can’t speak about that area.

The people who don't get what you are seeing are the same ones that think Pedro Clisante equals Sosua. There are almost 50,000 people in Sosua. To think that the action on Pedro Clisante supports 50,000 people is quite the stretch, but somehow they insist the "trade" on Pedro Clisante does just that.

 

[Tamborista]

Ahnvee was a result of stupid is as stupid does set of decisions. A bad location, poor market research and bad timing for the north coast overall (which should have been part of the market research) . Despite the money Scientologists have, even they will realize when it is time to stop throwing good money after bad or they will need more recruits to part with their money. From the beginning this was doomed. Sounds very sad for the employees

Until the next load of laundry needs washing, Ahnvee is doing just fine.