I'm surprised no one else has commented on this subject yet, given the headlines this week, so I guess I'll have to initiate...
I'd be interested to hear what other DR1ers, especially those located in Samana or with long history of connections with Samana such as Ken, think of this incredible contract Hippo's Hoods are negotiating with some fly-by-night to mortgage away Samana's future.
Yeah, I'm not trying to hide my own contempt for the whole thing. A 50-yr (not 10, not 20, but 50?????) lease to some company no one has ever heard of that exists only as a PO box in Panama (home to many ficticious firms)? A contract that is incredibly broad in scope and basically says that all risk whatsoever (current fluxuation, downturn in tourism numbers, etc.) must be borne by the government, not the so-called investor? (see today's DR1 news to see what I am talking about). A contract that involves some of Samana's nicer assets, like Cayo Levantado and the Malecon area? A contract whereby if the government decides there is something wrong with what the contractor is doing to the area, it cannot terminate the contract without paying full market value (as decided by whom, using what criteria?) And I am willing to bet that there are no real performance indicators built into the contract by the government to give them an out should the concessionaire not actually meet his obligations.... And what about environmental protections? Does anyone honestly think there are any in this contract? I bet the Environment Ministry has not even been included in the talks.
I don't know about you guys, but the stink of this deal is so strong I can smell it even up here in Virginia. And it PO's me royally to think that this crap is being done with one of the DR's great natural assets.
Where is the outrage, people?
And why the bloody hell aren't Greenpeace and other eco-NGOs out there raising cain about this?
Your Moderator, Not Feeling Very Moderate Just Now
I'd be interested to hear what other DR1ers, especially those located in Samana or with long history of connections with Samana such as Ken, think of this incredible contract Hippo's Hoods are negotiating with some fly-by-night to mortgage away Samana's future.
Yeah, I'm not trying to hide my own contempt for the whole thing. A 50-yr (not 10, not 20, but 50?????) lease to some company no one has ever heard of that exists only as a PO box in Panama (home to many ficticious firms)? A contract that is incredibly broad in scope and basically says that all risk whatsoever (current fluxuation, downturn in tourism numbers, etc.) must be borne by the government, not the so-called investor? (see today's DR1 news to see what I am talking about). A contract that involves some of Samana's nicer assets, like Cayo Levantado and the Malecon area? A contract whereby if the government decides there is something wrong with what the contractor is doing to the area, it cannot terminate the contract without paying full market value (as decided by whom, using what criteria?) And I am willing to bet that there are no real performance indicators built into the contract by the government to give them an out should the concessionaire not actually meet his obligations.... And what about environmental protections? Does anyone honestly think there are any in this contract? I bet the Environment Ministry has not even been included in the talks.
I don't know about you guys, but the stink of this deal is so strong I can smell it even up here in Virginia. And it PO's me royally to think that this crap is being done with one of the DR's great natural assets.
Where is the outrage, people?
And why the bloody hell aren't Greenpeace and other eco-NGOs out there raising cain about this?
Your Moderator, Not Feeling Very Moderate Just Now