Expat Lobby

Not that I'm aware of.

I'm no expert, but from my perspective lobbying in the DR is done with $$$. No lobbyist is required, only a plain brown envelope.

CyaBye3015 your statement holds a lot of truth but at the same time it is because of your statement that I wonder if the feasibility of such a group would maybe make the process easier?

As the expat populace is rather large it would seem that such an organization could benefit both the expats here and the Dominicans if said organization where to be organized correctly.

Just a thought.

Rick

Shut up and pay

Rick Snyder said:

...such an organization could benefit both the expats here and the Dominicans...

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Certainly the latter.
As soon as that very organisation would mention corruption of 'functionarios' and / or politicians, there would be a nationalistic cry for its prohibition.
(see the case of the critizising embassadors)

m'frog

Perhaps the lobby group could, rather than bribe officials, invest in public works and infrastructure benefitting the locals of every economic level in the specific areas where expats are concentrated.

They could provide things like:

Vehicles and equipment for police: The group would somehow need to retain actual ownership of the equipment so that it could be withdrawn in case of abuse.

Public parks:

Small areas of land developed into recreational areas and maintained and controlled by the lobby group to ensure its cleanliness and keep hookers and vendors out. (especially drug dealers)

It would be important to hype such projects in the press, with the idea that problems ensuing later in regards to these projects (such as looting and abuse by public employees) would also be publicized, names named etc.

As the group gained influence and the trust of the locals it could begin to work on larger problems as its growing credibility allowed it to gain support, being careful never to tackle anything too touchy unless sure it could count on sufficient influence and public sympathy to follow through.

MrMike said:

Perhaps the lobby group could, rather than bribe officials, invest in public works and infrastructure benefitting the locals of every economic level in the specific areas where expats are concentrated.

They could provide things like:

Vehicles and equipment for police: The group would somehow need to retain actual ownership of the equipment so that it could be withdrawn in case of abuse.

Public parks:

Small areas of land developed into recreational areas and maintained and controlled by the lobby group to ensure its cleanliness and keep hookers and vendors out. (especially drug dealers)

It would be important to hype such projects in the press, with the idea that problems ensuing later in regards to these projects (such as looting and abuse by public employees) would also be publicized, names named etc.

As the group gained influence and the trust of the locals it could begin to work on larger problems as its growing credibility allowed it to gain support, being careful never to tackle anything too touchy unless sure it could count on sufficient influence and public sympathy to follow through.

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MrMike, I know you live in the DR, you're a strong contributor to this board, and all of your ideas are worthy thoughts. But as for the possibility of them having any political weight, your response begs the question 'what color is the sky in your world?'

CyaBye3015 said:

MrMike, I know you live in the DR, you're a strong contributor to this board, and all of your ideas are worthy thoughts. But as for the possibility of them having any political weight, your response begs the question 'what color is the sky in your world?'

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Well it depends on two things really, the first being the process the group used to see its concerns adressed, this would have to be a combination of finesse and cunning, and the second as I mentioned above being the scope of the influence the group was trying to wield.

For instance, if you build a neighborhood park you may have enough clout to demand better trash collection service in the same neighborhood.

If you setup a neighborhood watchdog group to catch and turn in everyone who steals electricity you may be in a posisiton to bargain for fewer blackouts in your area. (well actually that may or may not be true)

It would probably be possible to negotiate police patrols in an area where a neighborhood watch group provided fuel and service for patrol vehicles.

Little things like that if launched with enough hype could possibly make a difference, but it would take no small amount of resources and patience and there is still a huge risk that you would be ignored altogether or taken advantage of.

But you gotta start somewhere...

MrMike said:

For instance, if you build a neighborhood park you may have enough clout to demand better trash collection service in the same neighborhood

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Who are you going to get to invest in this project?

MrMike said:

If you setup a neighborhood watchdog group to catch and turn in everyone who steals electricity you may be in a posisiton to bargain for fewer blackouts in your area. (well actually that may or may not be true)

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You'll be history inside of 2 months

MrMike said:

It would probably be possible to negotiate police patrols in an area where a neighborhood watch group provided fuel and service for patrol vehicles.

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They will take your $$$$$ but the patrol will last 4 days. Then a good excuse will come up "A big police operation ordered by the "jefe" but don't worry we will catch all the bad guys"

MrMike said:

Little things like that if launched with enough hype could possibly make a difference, but it would take no small amount of resources and patience and there is still a huge risk that you would be ignored altogether or taken advantage of.
But you gotta start somewhere...

Click to expand...

I'm not trying to be sarcastic but I am realistic. It is worst now then it was 20+ years ago when you could walk the streets any time of the day or night. When you could go to bed with your doors and window unlocked. Those days are gone.

Funnily enough, Mr. Mike, paying for police patrols with money for fuel etc is exactly what our Junta de Vecinos did in the period before last Christmas. This was after the attempted kidnapping of the Brugal baby. The patrols lasted for the negotiated period (6 weeks); not only did we have 2 plain clothes police whizzing round on motorcycles in the day, but each night we had an Army armed personnel carrier. They're noisy; first night we heard it we thought war had been declared... The noise alone would have kept ladrones at bay (or warned them off!). This was all negotiated by the Junta de Vecinos, all Dominican, not expat. The area where I live has 400 dwellings and 397 of them are Dominican. So the methods you suggest are certainly those used by Dominicans with influence. Not certain whether an 'expat only' group would achieve the same ends. Couldn't it be done by expats joining as active members in their Junta de Vecinos? I'd like to see more 'coming together' rather than expats separating themselves out.

I'm as optimistic about the effectiveness of an expat lobby in influencing political action as Eddy is. Living in this country for 20+ years has an affect on your thinking.

If expats are going to do anything, I think Lamaba's suggestion about joining with Dominican action groups makes more sense.

Half the expats in the DR are on the run from the law-why would they want to call attention to themselves by forming a group?

Junta de Vecinos de Cofresi - role model??

I vote strongly with Rick Snyder & MrMike.

* 'Nothing Ventured, nothing gained', as Americans, & probably others, say.
* Possible role models? Junta de Vecinos de Cofresi!
* This is a neighborhood group, focused in Playa Cofresi. It was formed to give the home owners, 95% foreigners, some leverage in dealing with 2 large hotels & a huge aquarium; with another hotel & a casino on the horizon!
* It was formed @ 2 years ago; dues? US$10 / month; most pay. Members? 50 - 150, my good faith estimate.
* 2 co-chairmen, co-chairpersons for the politically correct, both females, 1 Dominican & 1 American; both are intelligent & work hard; I'm a member; we have an active DR lawyer on board. Emails? every month or so. Meetings? 2 - 3 times per year. Usually well attended. The hotels have come to deal with us & respect us. The relationships are MOSTLY amicable!
* I serve as a member on some sub-committee. The purpose of my sub-committe is to promote DR fertility; we don't need to meet frequently. We have been very, very successful!!
* Politur patrols the area nightly, with the Vecinos paying for the gasoline.
* Not yet mentioned: would it be useful to have an organized, semi-permanent group of ex-pats to deal with the American & Canadian embassies when the ex-pats perceive major needs? Food for thought.
To Rick & Mike: don't give up! This is doable. Needed next? 4 - 6 people willing to donate / devote 5 - 10 hours per week to this possible project for 3 - 6 months. Nothing ventured, . . .

I?m just an outsider in these discussions and in reality have no idea as to the situation or problems that exist for the expats in those areas that have a visible amount of them living in close proximity. Being here alone in the middle of nowhere I sometimes wish that there was some sort of support group that could help deal with the occasional problems that either I or average Dominicans face. With no such groups established I have just learned over the years to live with it as have the average Dominicans. This does not mean that such organizations shouldn?t be contemplated and the availability of people with similar thoughts being in close proximity makes the organizing of such groups a possibility.

My comments are only as to what I see as possible and are coming from a position of envy in where most of you reside.

Rick