Did I miss something here?

El Tigre

El Tigre de DR1 - Moderator
Jan 23, 2003
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"President Leonel Fernandez returned to the DR last night completing his 14-day investment promotion and relationship-building trip to the United States (California and New York City), Taiwan, South Korea and Japan. Fernandez arrived at 9:27pm on American Airlines flight 789 from New York with First Lady Margarita Cedeno and government officials."

Why is he flying on a commercial airline? Doesn't he have a private jet?
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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First class is better and cheaper than a private G-5......:p:p

There were like, hummmm, 40+ in the delegation.....

Cost about RD$25 mil for the whole trip....according to my sources (which were there!) Fernandez is an outstanding salesman for the DR. Impressed the bejesus outta some mighty big local industrialists with his spiel...no kidding.

HB:p:p:p
 

PJT

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Jan 8, 2002
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Impressive

Hillbilly said:
Fernandez is an outstanding salesman for the DR. Impressed the bejesus outta some mighty big local industrialists with his spiel...no kidding.


This guy comports himself with behavior, dress, and language as a great salesman for the country. He can get the deals just on looks.

The same could not be said about his predecessor.

Regards,
PJT
 
May 12, 2005
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You mean there's no Dominican Air Force One?? Perhaps the better question is does the Dominican Air Force actually have any planes??? ja ja ja ja ja
 

El Tigre

El Tigre de DR1 - Moderator
Jan 23, 2003
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Hillbilly said:
There were like, hummmm, 40+ in the delegation.....

Well then if it was that many traveling with him I can understand. Can't fit all those folks into a G5. And yes. To rent a few G5s for 40 people is way more costly than flying first class.
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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No DRAF-1, but the way this guy is moving around a refurbished 737 mightnot be such a bad idea....However, I think he projects a better image travelling commercial....

Andyes the DR Air Force has a few planes....Brazilian, Chilean, and US fixed wing

US and European rotary wing craft....

HB :D:D
 

Tordok

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Oct 6, 2003
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Depends on the kind of trip. On "short" hops with quick return schedules- (like to Puerto Rico, Miami, Panama,etc) the president may use a small charter jet. Within the DR they often use Air Force helicopters as flight escorts. For a long official trip like this most recent one, they typically fly on regular commercial flights. Foreign governments, of course speed up transit thru airport customs etc. for sovereign dignataries and their delegations.

Anyone interested in DR air force (or what's left of it) can check this British site:
http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/americas/dominican_rep/DomRep-af-home.htm

for info on Dominican military forces in general (in Spanish):
http://www.fuerzasmildom.com/

- Tordok
 

Texas Bill

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Feb 11, 2003
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While I don't wish to be classified as being specifically a Leonel fan, I will say that the man has done a great deal for the DR by his many travels to foreign lands.
Many see such as "boondoggles" into unknown territory without apecific agendas. I see these jaunts as threefold. One as a concentrated effort to sell the DR as good investment territory. Another as a salesmans venturing into new territories to open markets and introduce his coultry ot others who may be sitting on the fence about dong business with a country whose reputation is one of both business and government corruption. Still another is information on the many avenues by which these investors may find and with which they can make money in virgin territory.

All in all, Leonel has successfully wooed additional investors, businesses and loans by which the country will benefit in both the short and long term.

I'm surprised that other Latin Heads of State haven't taken the same approaches for their particular country's. May they just don't trust their Ministers to "carry on" while they are absent.

Texas Bill
 

aegap

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Mar 19, 2005
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Hillbilly said:
First class is better and cheaper than a private G-5......:p:p

There were like, hummmm, 40+ in the delegation.....

Cost about RD$25 mil for the whole trip....according to my sources (which were there!) Fernandez is an outstanding salesman for the DR. Impressed the bejesus outta some mighty big local industrialists with his spiel...no kidding.

HB:p:p:p

even Hipolito seem to approve of Leonel's gira!

..I read somewhere the Taiwanese paid for that leg of Leonel's trip
 
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aegap

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Mar 19, 2005
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Texas Bill said:
.

I'm surprised that other Latin Heads of State haven't taken the same approaches for their particular country's. May they just don't trust their Ministers to "carry on" while they are absent.

Texas Bill

Chavez has travelled a lot, even to Iran. I hear he is planning a trip to Korea..North Korea.
 

Texas Bill

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Feb 11, 2003
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aegap:

I'm sure that Sr. Chavez has an agenda as important to him as is Leonel's to himself and his country.

My post, BTW, wan't intended to be one of derrogation ( although, in retrospect, it could be interpreted as such) but one of observation only.
I still wonder why other Heads of State in Latin countries don't travel more to boost their country's trade platforms and advertise such to the international community.
I blame, in part, the media for that exclusion in the news.

Just a thought.

Texas Bill