What will Leonel do to correct the mess left by Hipolito???

We're going to see a huge crisis, which will be all blamed on the previous administration. The peso will go at least to 60 (maybe 75) and we'll be back down to hardly any power again.

Then things will slowly get better.

Not Sure

I'm not sure what Leonel will do but at least we know that not we have SOME hope because with Hip?lito we had none. He should start by bringing the peso back to when one dollar = 15 pesos (those were some better days).

I also would like for him to revoke the permission given by Hippo to the Spanish hotel company that wanted to cut down a rainforest/national park to build a resort. There's a lot of things to be done and people need to understand that these things will happen slowly. The DR has potential, we just need real leaders.

adrianb said:

We're going to see a huge crisis, which will be all blamed on the previous administration. The peso will go at least to 60 (maybe 75) and we'll be back down to hardly any power again.

Then things will slowly get better.

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Finally someone has taken off the rose colored glasses I have seen in so many posters. The peso is going to get hit hard again, I doubt the PLD shall be foolish enough to continue the policy of throwing away hard currency in support of the peso that Hippo had undertaken.

The massive (and I do mean massive) debt load for this country is going to handcuff any progressive policy change for 2004,2005 and 2006. I would also expect the looming layoffs from gov't jobs for the PRD faithfull shall be an interesting issue for this PLD president. Afterall throwing 200k extra (worthless) employees out the door is not going to be as easy as most people believe, country has only 9 million people (2% of population = 10% of the population' main source of support).

I could continue however the picture just becomes dimmer.

What he WILL do & what he OUGHT to do are probably totally different animals BUT, what I would LIKE to see him do are:-

1) Get rid of the excessive over-employment of Government workers.
2) Make the Government workers a "NON Government" Civil Service.
3) Clean up the tax systems & make those who 'Avoid' taxes, start to PAY them
4) Support & assist where feasible, the Hotel Associations notion that tourists should get OUT of the hotel complexes & visit the towns/hamlets etc.
5) Put a HEAVY boot down on corruption. Start at the top & work DOWN (rather than the other way) so that RESPECT can be istilled into the populace
6) Set up realistic & sensibly run 'Training Programmes' to help the young train for worthwhile jobs. Let us get a nation of competent plubers, builders, electricians etc. so we users of these tradespeople are not continuously chasing our tails trying to find someone who won't screw up our houses!!!
7) work WITH the business community to resolve the problems jointly, create a system where people work together, rather than fighting each other & promote a system of rewards for improved efficiency!!

Okay, I acknowledge thes are mostly 'Pipe-Dreams' & won't come to fruition in my life time, but at LEAST he cold make a start by creating a HARMONIOUS & Respectful relationship between the less well off & those with LOADs of money (the fithy rich) by making tax issues much fairer!! - Grahame.

DRsScarface said:

. He should start by bringing the peso back to when one dollar = 15 pesos (those were some better days).
.

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And how the hell is he suppose to do that?

adrianb said:

We're going to see a huge crisis, which will be all blamed on the previous administration. The peso will go at least to 60 (maybe 75) and we'll be back down to hardly any power again.

Then things will slowly get better.

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Yes, I'd agree with that. Except that it will also be blamed on the sitting congress. Some of the same people that are celebrating in the streets today may be rioting in them come Fall.

What's worse, though, is that Hippo has already said that the PRD-controlled congress and courts will do everything they can to ruin Leonel (and, in effect, the country's recovery).

Leonel has proven himself competent at governing, though. And the national debt, as horrible as it is (it's especially horrible because practically nothing was built with the money), is still lesser as a % of GDP than some other countries that have had recoveries. The Asian tigers were able to overcome similar problems through economic growth. If Leonel can bring back a semblance of the boom-boom 90s to the DR, the debt may begin to look reasonable.

Personally, I'd say f*ck JP Morgan, the IMF and the rest and declare national bankruptcy, but that's a topic for a different day.

I believe that it will get worse before it gets better. Fiscal measures need to be taken to restructure the enormous debt, and internal processes put in place to pay the debt. Peso to the Dollar, I also think it will go to somewhere around 70 to 1 (just my gut feel - DON'T take this to the bank!). Electricity? I think it is going to be turned off quite soon now.

But, Leonel proved himself somewhat competent at governing the previous time around. Although I am sure we are all very relieved at the outcome of the election, I would not want his job for all the Tea in China! Simply to think of the internal infrastructure problems to be addressed, makes me shake my head already.

Let's hope that Leonel used the previous 4 years to think and structure a feasible plan to manage and govern this country. I like the bankruptcy idea - can a country get what is called in the US 'bankruptcy protection'? I would also like to see a strong move to change the general 'corruption mindset' and would like to see a civil service not beholden to the party in power, but responsible for doing a job of work. If Leonel makes partners with the business community, and gains their respect and trust, it can only be beneficial in the longer term.

My sense is (after talking and dancing and celebrating with a delightfully deliriousy happy and fully intoxicated crowd in the streets in Cabarete yesterday), that the average person out there actually understands that things will be a little worse while the balances in the country are addressed. I do not think people are expecting miracles overnight. I also feel that the Dominican people handled themselves with great restraint throughout this election process - and surprised us all. Perhaps we should declare this the year of supporting our fellow Dominicans, instead of always expecting and complaining about substandard work and substandard decision making. Perhaps some of us with skillsets should devote some of our time and teach, teach, teach!

Whatever, I still can't think clearly - I am just so relieved that it turned out the way it did! For us, some old business plans are being dusted off and put into operation as soon as we can. See, this a good thing already! The business community at large must have gained a better confidence level overnight.

Leonel has stated many times during his campaign what he will do!

He will put in place an "Austerity Program" for the Government.He will stabilize prices,and re-structure the massive external debt.
An "advantage" of the DR's political "system",is that the new administration always disavows the "policies","Laws",and obligations",of the previous "one"!!!
So the "PLD" can do what they want!
As far as the "leftover" PRD Senators and "Diputados",they will all be "Loyal" to whomever controls the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!
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Your post insinuates that the problems are NOT the fault of the "previous administration".....I hope you're being facetious! Of Course they are.. Any other conclusions, in the light of the overwhelming evidence, would be idiotic!!!

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They partially are, but not completely, and I think its very small minded if you think the government caused everything that has gone on. Like many people here do seem to think. The reality is that the government does NOT control everything.

The DR has been through a huge growth period in the 90's, and so a fallback like this was inevitable. See the US and Asian economies for other recent examples.

Of course, Hippo's administration managed things extra poorly and made it worse. But any DR administration in office over the last 4 years would have lost this election.

Basically!

Texas Bill said:

Now that Leonel has won, what actions will he take to correct the mess that Hipolito has made of this country???

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The same actions that Baldy took to fix the mess left by Leonel. I will quote gringo in dr, on his reply on another thread. "Leonel is far from being a saint. How easy people forget the hurt that he put on this country last time he was in office. Dominicans could not wait to vote him out, now they can not wait to vote him back in". I guess that in 4 years, we could not wait to get Baldy back in power. How easy we forget!

miguel said:

The same actions that Baldy took to fix the mess left by Leonel. I will quote gringo in dr, on his reply on another thread. "Leonel is far from being a saint. How easy people forget the hurt that he put on this country last time he was in office. Dominicans could not wait to vote him out, now they can not wait to vote him back in". I guess that in 4 years, we could not wait to get Baldy back in power. How easy we forget!

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See, the PPH is not dead. They live in Miguel and others who think Hippo was only a run of the mill thief/nincompoop.

Compadres, be us ever vigiliant. The monster is dead, but it has already spawned!

Let me put it to you in simple english!

Porfio_Rubirosa said:

See, the PPH is not dead. They live in Miguel and others who think Hippo was only a run of the mill thief/nincompoop.

Compadres, be us ever vigiliant. The monster is dead, but it has already spawned!

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I am just not a conformist. I know that whomever take the command in the dominican government is trying to look after himself first, his family second, his friends third, himself again and then the people and the country. I am not saying that he will do much worse than Baldy(quite impossible) but keep in mind that the country is such a mess after Baldy that whatever little Leonel does, he will be looked upon as doing something good. He is taking the highest position and I will promise you that all the excuses will be heard soon. He is going to blame everything to Baldy and now he knows that he has an excuse to say "well, there's only so much that I can do considering that the country was left in such a mess by Mejia". I don not care about Baldy and I do not care about Leonel(sorry my darling Amber). You say that "the monster is dead", believe it or not, they use to say the same thing about Leonel when Baldy won. Now my question to you is the following: Please, will all do respect, tell me a dominican president that REALLY made a difference and who's tenure was not damaged by corruption. Go back as far as Jacobo Magluta, Salvador Jorge Blanco, Antonio Guzman, Joaquin Balaguer, Leonel Fernandez and Hipolito Mejia. Tell you what, go as far as Lili. You do know that Leonel lost once, right?. Wonder why?. Now he won again not because he did a great job before, just because they needed a change and they know that ANYBODY is better than Baldy, ANYBODY.

miguel said:

Please, will all do respect, tell me a dominican president that REALLY made a difference and who's tenure was not damaged by corruption.

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I can't name a US president who's tenure was not damaged by corruption. Big deal. Some of then were still good governors. I think Leonel was a relatively good governor during his original term. He was an innovator, followed-through on ideas, and reduced low level and mid-level corruption.

If Leonel spends 10% of his time actually governing, that will be 90% more than Hippo ever spent. And Leonel also has Hippo beat by about 40 IQ points to boot.

We are in for a long, painful, journey. A little faith and goodwill will go a long way in promoting the recover of this country.

But!

Porfio_Rubirosa said:

think Leonel was a relatively good governor during his original term. He was an innovator, followed-through on ideas, and reduced low level and mid-level corruption.

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Yet, Baldy became president.

miguel said:

Yet, Baldy became president.

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4 years was not long enough for his reforms to filter down to the poor.

Plus Leonel was not allowed to run...

True, but!

Robert said:

4 years was not long enough for his reforms to filter down to the poor.

Plus Leonel was not allowed to run...

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He was not worse than Baldy, that's for sure but he was not great either. We will see in 4 years from now. I truly hope that he makes a difference but the odds are against him, you know, being a "me first, my family second, my friends third, me again and then the prople" just like all before him and all after him.