Sosua vistor's and residentent's should be ashamed

mike l · May 23, 2010

What I witnessed tonight was pathetic.

I don't go out often at night but tonight was an exception and on my way to Classicos was a little boy sleeping on the street and shivering because he was cold and or hungry.

I brought some T shirt's in case this happened and I woke him up and gave him something that would help keep him warm and gave the other shirt's to his friends.

For the rest of the evening I explained the situation to any one that approached me and much to my chagrin all efforts fell on deaf ears.

This " I am only a prostitute because I have to feed my kid " has now lost all credibility as everyone walked past these kids like they were garbage.

I am sure they treat their dogs and chickens better...!

Bob K · May 23, 2010

Mike,
There has been a real increase in "street kids" since the earthquake. The local businessmen along with the a sector of the government (not sure which) is just initiating a housing and support project for these kids. I will take a short while to sort itself out but should help somewhat.
However if it works well I am afraid it will lead to a larger influx of these kids.

But always remember we do have a Metro

Bob K

Ken · May 23, 2010

I don't feel ashamed. On the one hand, nobody likes to see children sleeping in the street, but, as Bob K explained, most of what you saw has been since the earthquake in Haiti. These children, and the adult refugees, need help, but I don't think this is the responsibility of the residents of Sosua.

Before the earthquake in Haiti that brought refugees to Sosua, there were many Sosua residents that needed help. Those are the people I believe should be assisted with whatever resources are available for this purpose.

A great deal of money is being sent to Haiti to assist the earthquake victims. Rather than sleep in the streets of Sosua, these children should be sleeping in the camps in Haiti where efforts are being made, even though slow and imperfect, to help them.

Tor · May 23, 2010

This started before the earthquake. Probably a result of way to many Haitiens in the area for a long time. The best thing would be to transport them back to Haiti, where they could participate in rebuilding their own country.

waytogo · May 23, 2010

Since this topic is about Sosua, why doesn't the local government have a Dominican resident for say about 12 Haitian and Dominican children, 12 to 1 ratio, pay them a few dollars and just walk around picking up all the garbage. Keeps the children constructive, puts money in their pockets and keeps Sosua litter free, just a thought......

Eddy · May 23, 2010

Tor said:
This started before the earthquake. Probably a result of way to many Haitiens in the area for a long time. The best thing would be to transport them back to Haiti, where they could participate in rebuilding their own country.

Unfortunately I have to agree with you. That?s the only short term solution. Get them back to Haiti and set up camps there for them. Things are only going to get worst here. Now they are sleeping in the streets, begging, fighting with each other, throwing bottles etc. ?I?ve witnesses this?. Later when they grow older and become braver it will be assaults and robberies. It?s better to send them back alive and make it hard for them to return today than to send them back dead tomorrow.

johnny · May 23, 2010

waytogo said:
Since this topic is about Sosua, why doesn't the local government have a Dominican resident for say about 12 Haitian and Dominican children, 12 to 1 ratio, pay them a few dollars and just walk around picking up all the garbage. Keeps the children constructive, puts money in their pockets and keeps Sosua litter free, just a thought......

This is a good idea, but you know burocracy takes time. and we cant leave everything to the goverment.
why the Sosua business association do not contribute to solve this problem that affect directly to them? I might be wrong, but never heard of Sosua bay, Casa Marina, etc doing much to help the community. Instead to tell the tourists DONT GO OUT THE RESORTS BECAUSE IS DANGER, why dont help the community to make it safest.
renting a house for haitians, hiring a dominicana to teach and cook them, they can do it with less than 20 mil pesos.

waytogo · May 23, 2010

All the back and forth bickering hasn't in the past and never will in the future help these unfortunate children. The ultimate responsibility for the caring of these children falls with the government here. Tourists come here to relax after they worked hard making a living for their families. Even though it is a terrible thing for them to see, no one should blame them for the events that are taking place in this country. I would be very surprised if any on these tourists didn't help a little financially one way or the other, money, food, clothing, and more. Again, were talking about Sosua, and if the government doesn't give a damn, it should be up to the local businesses to give a little each and every month to an organization set up on the children's behalf. I for one, being retired with a lot of free time on my hands have no problem going door-knocking with another ex pat, who knows fluent Spanish and knows Sosua like the back of his hand getting commitments from each and every hotel, restaurant, and other businesses types. If 100 businesses commit 200 lousy pesos a month, that's 20,000 a month. That will help feed and cloth a lot of children, maybe not steaks, but they won't go to sleep hungry. Talk is cheap, action speaks louder than words.

J D Sauser · May 23, 2010

A few who know me, like to criticize me or poke fun at me for more often than not, having conflicting opinions about a particular subject.

THIS is one subject, I have conflicting opinions about and plentiful. Especially when the "Haitian"-card comes swirling into the equation. Opinions I can't seem to reconcile myself.

I don't think that this country's frail social economic structure can be expected to support the weight of the Haitian nation's failure as such and hardship (earthquake).
I don't think that foreigners ought to side with illegal immigrants to a country which has received them as guests. It's like Dominicans would rant for Pakistani's rights in Britain or German settlers for Mexican's issues in Texas.
I hate to, but still believe in the theory that every Peso given to Haitians will in part find it's way to be used to attract more Haitians to the country, hoping for a Peso or two too. It just keeps on getting worse by trying to make it better.
But then, on the other hand, there are CHILDREN, and while they are "wiser" as their age would suggest, they have been manipulated, sold, traded, forced, given away into this situation. Can we we allow ourselves to punish them by looking the other way in order to follow logical thinking and hopes to dis-encourage the continued flow? CAN YOU really?
What will become of these kids? Nobody wants them to just die away, I am sure... just... move on a little. But so, they'll grow up, here or there... But grow up TO WHAT if nothing productive beyond occasional acts of sorrow or charity are being done?
Does it not all boil down to what this country is or is not able to do for it's own people? (and I agree with the OP's comment about the working girls blaming their "actions" on their innocent "work related incidents", most spend all their income preferably on fancy cell phones, an exponentially expanding collection of trashy clothes.).

Education, always seems to come back up as the ONE solution... to me at least. Education of both sides of the isle (pun intended).

... J-D.

poponlaburra · May 23, 2010

Ken2 said:
I don't feel ashamed. On the one hand, nobody likes to see children sleeping in the street, but, as Bob K explained, most of what you saw has been since the earthquake in Haiti. These children, and the adult refugees, need help, but I don't think this is the responsibility of the residents of Sosua.

Before the earthquake in Haiti that brought refugees to Sosua, there were many Sosua residents that needed help. Those are the people I believe should be assisted with whatever resources are available for this purpose.

A great deal of money is being sent to Haiti to assist the earthquake victims. Rather than sleep in the streets of Sosua, these children should be sleeping in the camps in Haiti where efforts are being made, even though slow and imperfect, to help them.

Completely agree. As sad as this could be, this is not DR responsibility. This is really bad for our tourism adn ecomomy. Who wants to spend their money and vacation getting depressed seem all this eyesore situation.

Pick these all these kids adn send them back to Haity. Period. Haiti now has the money and an army of NGOs working for them. Why Does DR has to be stock with this situation? I do feel sorry for the real Dominican kids that no one plan for them.

pedrochemical · May 23, 2010

waytogo said:
All the back and forth bickering hasn't in the past and never will in the future help these unfortunate children. The ultimate responsibility for the caring of these children falls with the government here. Tourists come here to relax after they worked hard making a living for their families. Even though it is a terrible thing for them to see, no one should blame them for the events that are taking place in this country. I would be very surprised if any on these tourists didn't help a little financially one way or the other, money, food, clothing, and more. Again, were talking about Sosua, and if the government doesn't give a damn, it should be up to the local businesses to give a little each and every month to an organization set up on the children's behalf. I for one, being retired with a lot of free time on my hands have no problem going door-knocking with another ex pat, who knows fluent Spanish and knows Sosua like the back of his hand getting commitments from each and every hotel, restaurant, and other businesses types. If 100 businesses commit 200 lousy pesos a month, that's 20,000 a month. That will help feed and cloth a lot of children, maybe not steaks, but they won't go to sleep hungry. Talk is cheap, action speaks louder than words.

That is a very humane point of view.

The point that every peso given to solve this problem in Sosua will attract more of the same problem is also valid.

Does that mean you use cold hard logic and not donate or do you decide that these are children - human children and that something needs to be done.
That is a very tough question.
A very, very tough question. Is there a middle way?
I am struggling to come up with anything.

waytogo · May 23, 2010

J-D, I agree wholeheartedly. But you have to take the immediate problems first, that is food, clothing and a roof over the children's heads. Even as street smart as these children probably are, give them a toy and an ice cream and you will once again see in their little faces their childhood still exist inside them. I don't think these children had anything to say or do to put them in their current situations. It was adults again, exploiting the young, and it will only be the good hearted adults that help them. Waiting for the government to do something is fool-hearty thinking. Every night, I'll bet there are a ton of children in Sosua, (since this thread is about Sosua) that sleep shivering from the cold every night with an empty stomach.
I for one can't look at any child and think since your not from here you shouldn't be helped. I don't care where they came from, they are hungry homeless children, period.

J D Sauser · May 23, 2010

waytogo said:
J-D, I agree wholeheartedly. But you have to take the immediate problems first, that is food, clothing and a roof over the children's heads. Even as street smart as these children probably are, give them a toy and an ice cream and you will once again see in their little faces their childhood still exist inside them. I don't think these children had anything to say or do to put them in their current situations. It was adults again, exploiting the young, and it will only be the good hearted adults that help them. Waiting for the government to do something is fool-hearty thinking. Every night, I'll bet there are a ton of children in Sosua, (since this thread is about Sosua) that sleep shivering from the cold every night with an empty stomach.

I wholeheartedly agree with that TOO, WTGO... but would that not trigger an avalanche of new kids being sent that way, as they will be fed, clothed, toy equipped?

I am NOT saying "DON'T". I am suggesting, that the problem goes deeper and all angles have to be covered or it's disaster again... and bigger... and herein lies my dismay, mine being torn.

... J-D.

waytogo · May 23, 2010

J D Sauser said:
but would that not trigger an avalanche of new kids being sent that way, as they will be fed, clothed, toy equipped? rn.... J-D.

Maybe, what happens happens, just more of a challenge for the good hearted people of Sosua. The people door knocking for monetary commitments will just have to press a little harder. I will start immediately if there can be more commitments from the ex pats in Sosua. Lets see who can get off their butts and help out a couple of days a month.

Malibook · May 23, 2010

While I do feel for the street kids and I often help them out with some food during the day, I don't feel a need to save them from sleeping in the middle of a busy sidewalk.
Is that really the most comfortable spot that they can find to sleep or are they exploiting the situation to garner more sympathy?

waytogo · May 23, 2010

Malibook said:
While I do feel for the street kids and I often help them out with some food during the day, I don't feel a need to save them from sleeping in the middle of a busy sidewalk.
Is that really the most comfortable spot that they can find to sleep or are they exploiting the situation to garner more sympathy?

Or maybe, because they are children, they feel safer sleeping where people can keep an eye on them. What is the proper age to start exploiting for a roof and a meal? These children deserve all the sympathy they can muster.

bigbird · May 23, 2010

waytogo said:
Or maybe, because they are children, they feel safer sleeping where people can keep an eye on them. What is the proper age to start exploiting for a roof and a meal? These children deserve all the sympathy they can muster.

I agree with you as I see the adult homeless in Santo Domingo sleep on the sidewalk of Avenida Independencia. I guess it is less of a risk having someone steal what few pesos they may have in their pocket.

Cien Fuego · May 23, 2010

When you look at things negatively, then the appearance is negative. Therefore when you look at things positively, the appearance is positive. There is opportunity in adversity. The cup should be half full rather then half empty. I would not care if the children came from jupiter. The fact is they are here to be helpped. What are borders anyway? What are children?

waytogo · May 23, 2010

I remember over New Years Eve, on a previous thread, I had asked advise as to where I can get a good lobster dinner here in Santiago. After the dinner had ended, I received a bill for over 5000 DP. This was for 2 very bad lobster dinners a plate of chicken nuggets for the youngster, (she wouldn't touch lobster), and no alcohol. When I left the restaurant I was infuriated at myself for succumbing to such an extravagant dinner. My first thought was of all the hungry children that I see in downtown Santiago everyday. Can you imagine how much chicken, rice and beans that 5000 DP could have bought them. Reality set in and it was like getting kicked in the head.

Malibook · May 23, 2010

waytogo said:
Or maybe, because they are children, they feel safer sleeping where people can keep an eye on them.

Perhaps but the vast majority of them do not choose to sleep in the middle of a busy sidewalk.

Sosua vistor's and residentent's should be ashamed

Silver

Silver

Platinum

Bronze

Moderator - North Coast Forum

Silver

Bronze

Moderator - North Coast Forum

Silver

poponlaburra

Guest

Silver

Moderator - North Coast Forum

Silver

Moderator - North Coast Forum

Bronze

Moderator - North Coast Forum

Gold

New member

Moderator - North Coast Forum

Bronze