Due to super-long blackouts, people have taken matters to the streets. There were scattered riotings all over santiago and adjacent areas for some time but last night it really went out of control in many major crossings and especially in the poor neighborhoods. Many people were trapped in the city and couldn't get back home from the fear of getting hit by rocks or road blocks with burning tires and even gun fire. Still, there are no lights in santiago. We get light only 3-4 hours per day (24 hrs time period). Some better areas get more hours but I get about 3-4 hrs max. Many businesses are hurting as many just can't keep the businesses running with small generators. You need alot of power to run fridges, freezers and a/c. No one likes to drink a warm beer or sit in a hot restaurant (without a/c). Many generators are being burnt out due to heavy duty abuse. There are no technicians to be found to repair your unit quickly. The tech force just can't keep up with the local demand. If the situation is not resloved quickly, god help us. I predict some heavy rioting over the weekend if things don't turn around soon.
- Thread starter AZB
- Start date
Serious rioting going on in santiago at night.
Its certainly an ..uh.. interesting situation.
I get power 12 hours a day now, usually just at night. I'm running constantly off my generator during the day.
My inverter died, it turns out that the batteries need to be replaced. The guy that installed them, installed them in the hot sun, which reduces their lifetime dramatically.
Trace has awful service at the moment. They give 6 hour windows to come and look - then don't turn up! Then when they finally do show (the next day), they make a 5 minute evaluation and say they'll have to come back another day to actually fix it!
I've resorted to asking around for a technician, and I've since found two qualified people, one of who will be here in a few minutes to replace them.
I've also found a qualified generator guy to service my generator.
This is all extremely time consuming, but at least once you know the right people and have everything set up properly, you can keep running indefinitely.
It would certainly be nice if we could go back to normal!
My experience in Santiago is not quite as severe it seems to be for AZB, however its certainly the worst I've seen it right now.
I get power 12 hours a day now, usually just at night. I'm running constantly off my generator during the day.
My inverter died, it turns out that the batteries need to be replaced. The guy that installed them, installed them in the hot sun, which reduces their lifetime dramatically.
Trace has awful service at the moment. They give 6 hour windows to come and look - then don't turn up! Then when they finally do show (the next day), they make a 5 minute evaluation and say they'll have to come back another day to actually fix it!
I've resorted to asking around for a technician, and I've since found two qualified people, one of who will be here in a few minutes to replace them.
I've also found a qualified generator guy to service my generator.
This is all extremely time consuming, but at least once you know the right people and have everything set up properly, you can keep running indefinitely.
It would certainly be nice if we could go back to normal!
My experience in Santiago is not quite as severe it seems to be for AZB, however its certainly the worst I've seen it right now.
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AdrianB, I am not involved in the riots nor I have seen them in action. Like you I also live in a respectable area, however, I am in constant contact with dominican folks through my work. These folks don't live in ceros de gurabo, they live in barrios and other far away areas. They all give me updates by the hour.
About your batteries, I really don't think they were damaged due to the fact they were sitting in the sun for too long. I would have a look at the whole system and see how much power you are drawing from the invertor system. It seems there is more to just defective batteries.
P.S if you continue to run a/c unit with your generator, good luck. Better find a technician who lives very close by.
Have a nice day.
Regards,
AZB
About your batteries, I really don't think they were damaged due to the fact they were sitting in the sun for too long. I would have a look at the whole system and see how much power you are drawing from the invertor system. It seems there is more to just defective batteries.
P.S if you continue to run a/c unit with your generator, good luck. Better find a technician who lives very close by.
Have a nice day.
Regards,
AZB
Three to four hours in a 24 hour period - you guys are lucky. The past week, we've averaged about 1.5 hours in each 24 hour period. Last night and this morning the Gods smiled and we had a full 4 hours last night and 5 hours this morning. It felt like Christmas - a warm shower (I actually took two warm showers). Now it is out again, and I except nothing for the next 24 hours. We have a big chest type deepfreeze and it is stacked with buckets full of ice to keep it going for as long as possible. It keeps temperature for up to three days. Yesterday it started defrosting (we've had all the available power directed at keeping the office running, and ignored the deepfreeze - can always buy food daily).
Even with directing all available power to our office, I estimate we are two weeks behind with every project that we are doing for customers, as well as our own work.
We've had to buy another emergency small generator. It is the cutest little thing. It is on wheels and you wheel it to where you need power for a while, turn it on plug it in and it hums away.
I was in Sosua on Sunday and the noise level from generators was amazing.
Even with directing all available power to our office, I estimate we are two weeks behind with every project that we are doing for customers, as well as our own work.
We've had to buy another emergency small generator. It is the cutest little thing. It is on wheels and you wheel it to where you need power for a while, turn it on plug it in and it hums away.
I was in Sosua on Sunday and the noise level from generators was amazing.
So imagine... If you guys live the way you do... With the luxury of generators and inverters, imagine the poor that has nothing but a light bulb, a TV and a Radio at home...
I'm against violence, but I can perfectly well understand that people have just had enough....
The lack of services, facilities and the abuses have got to stop! I feel for the poor people of my country... It's so hard to keep hopeful when things just keep getting worse!
I'm against violence, but I can perfectly well understand that people have just had enough....
The lack of services, facilities and the abuses have got to stop! I feel for the poor people of my country... It's so hard to keep hopeful when things just keep getting worse!
If we don't have the 'luxury' of generators and invertors, we will not be able to afford to keep paying people that work for us. It is quite simple. I do not think generators and invertors in the DR is a luxury, it is absolutely necessary, as the leaders of the country cannot keep a power system running. Without a power system, no-one is able to really function. I sincerely hope the poor think of voting differently next time....
I apologise in advance if my comment sounds sharp. I do sincerely hope there is change in the country, otherwise the poor will simply get poorer - if such a thing is possible.
I apologise in advance if my comment sounds sharp. I do sincerely hope there is change in the country, otherwise the poor will simply get poorer - if such a thing is possible.
there hasn't been any power in Jarabacoa for 4 days and although there hasn't been any riots, the mood for doing something is in the air.
All I will say is if Leonel is not elected president again there will be major problems. Wherever I go here in the different campos all I see is purple. Flags, streamers etc...... If you happen to drive by and present the color white in any way you will have rocks thrown at you or your car.
I will say that much is the same as it has been for years here were I live. We still get power about 5 hours a day, water 3 times a week, although last week we missed a day and ran out. Forget about Hot showers Chris I was only looking for a cold one
I will say that much is the same as it has been for years here were I live. We still get power about 5 hours a day, water 3 times a week, although last week we missed a day and ran out. Forget about Hot showers Chris I was only looking for a cold one
I honestly think the blackouts are not as hard on the the poor as they are on the rest of us.
First of all, the poor generally do not pay a dime for power, so they really are not in a position to complain. Secondly, sitting on your porch weatching cars go by seems to have endless entertainment value for poor people here, and you can do that just as well with no power.
First of all, the poor generally do not pay a dime for power, so they really are not in a position to complain. Secondly, sitting on your porch weatching cars go by seems to have endless entertainment value for poor people here, and you can do that just as well with no power.
Poor people have an easier time ACCEPTING these things as they have lived this way for years. The spoiled RICH need to accept what is happening and maybe do something towards change in this country of abused poor workers.
Like what, stop employing them?
Or pay them more so the goods they manufacture will no longer be competetive and then join them in their poorness?
Yeah, that would fix things up good.
Or pay them more so the goods they manufacture will no longer be competetive and then join them in their poorness?
Yeah, that would fix things up good.
Juan_Lopez said:
Why on earth should anyone - rich or poor - accept what is happening? Money for basic services is disappearing at a dizzying speed into unknown pockets - what is to accept? Theft?
What should the spoiled RICH do? Give the government more money? Or provide free power to the poor? Or what?
Btw, it seems today, we're not getting cold, hot or any showers at all. Unless we provide the basic requirement of power ourselves. I guess the spoilt rich and the government wants the local population to smell real ripe!
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Seems like the riots and violence is producing results. I had lights almost all day yesterday (miracle).
there were more riots in the poor neighborhoods and more tire burning, road blocks and rock throwing in major intersections leaving / entering santiago last night.
Let the riots roll for a few more days.
there were more riots in the poor neighborhoods and more tire burning, road blocks and rock throwing in major intersections leaving / entering santiago last night.
Let the riots roll for a few more days.
A year or so ago the Israeli Ambassador to the DR said that they can solve the power problems in 6 months. I read that here on DR1 news.
Let the Israelis come in and fix the damn problems already. Get rid of these BOZOS that do NOTHING but line their own pockets.
I bet AZB would even invite them into the country now
Let the Israelis come in and fix the damn problems already. Get rid of these BOZOS that do NOTHING but line their own pockets.
I bet AZB would even invite them into the country now
Juan_Lopez said:
The only people who are abused in the DR are the rich and the middle class. They are the ones paying for the electricity. They are the one paying the TAXES. They are the one who have to put up with the ridiculous labor laws.
They are the ones who have to put up with the rioting by people complaining about no electricity which they don't even pay for!
Escott said:A year or so ago the Israeli Ambassador to the DR said that they can solve the power problems in 6 months. I read that here on DR1 news.
Let the Israelis come in and fix the damn problems already. Get rid of these BOZOS that do NOTHING but line their own pockets.
I bet AZB would even invite them into the country now
No, No! they'll just build a big new wall between the barrios and the Israeli enclaves... There will be power on one side of the wall and none on the other side... Uhm, I know which side of the wall I'll live - and I bet AZB will be there too! Mazel Tov!.
More seriously, Scott, I think the problem has become so endemic, that it will take a social engineering change, or an Act of God to make any changes. People are getting used to living in the 18th century. For me, I cannot believe that there are riots only in Santiago at this stage of the game. The acceptance that we talked about earlier in this thread, is a dangerous thing for this situation. No-one is really serious in making their feelings known. The cost for industry must be just so enormous on top of extra duties and so on. And people are kinda quiet? I don't understand it.
Tony C said:
Think about this. Wherever you go, rioters always seem to be the poor who are rioting because they either 1)want more for nothing or 2)something that they were getting for nothing was discontinued and they want it back. Fuk those people rioting. They should be rounded up and thrown in jail for behaving that way. You dont see all the middle class people who have to pay outrageous electric bills rioting when the power going off do you?
Larry
edited to add : I am sure La Soga could put an end to that nonsense.
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