Santo Domingo - Total Darkeness!

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
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It appears like the city has been without power for the past 12 hours.
How pathetic is that? One of the largest cities in the Caribbean region and it's people have no power.

Fortunately I have the luxury of a planta and an inverter, but that's not the case for the majority.

The President is running around the globe talking up computers in schools, double digit growth, the Metro etc etc. Yet a good % of the capital city is under candle light.

After living here for a number of years, I'm now 100% convinced that the electricity situation will never be resolved while Dominicans are involved in the negotiating of new contracts or finding a "real" solution. I know that sounds bad, but it's true.
What's sader, is seeing educated more affluent Dominicans totally apathetic to the situation and some agreeing with me.

I don't have the solution, but I know it does not lie in any of the minds in this country.

Please import some Europeans, Americans, even a few Puerto Ricans to help this country out!!!
 
B

batich

Guest
Do you have any explanation why solar power is not used?

I saw a lot of solar panels in Egypt, Tunisia and Turkey that have similar climate and are on similar level of development and income.
 
G

gary short

Guest
It appears like the city has been without power for the past 12 hours.
How pathetic is that? One of the largest cities in the Caribbean region and it's people have no power.

Fortunately I have the luxury of a planta and an inverter, but that's not the case for the majority.

The President is running around the globe talking up computers in schools, double digit growth, the Metro etc etc. Yet a good % of the capital city is under candle light.

After living here for a number of years, I'm now 100% convinced that the electricity situation will never be resolved while Dominicans are involved in the negotiating of new contracts or finding a "real" solution. I know that sounds bad, but it's true.
What's sader, is seeing educated more affluent Dominicans totally apathetic to the situation and some agreeing with me.

I don't have the solution, but I know it does not lie in any of the minds in this country.

Please import some Europeans, Americans, even a few Puerto Ricans to help this country out!!!
So they can build infrastructure........that can't be corrupted????
 

Conchman

Silver
Jul 3, 2002
4,586
160
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www.oceanworld.net
Do you have any explanation why solar power is not used?

I saw a lot of solar panels in Egypt, Tunisia and Turkey that have similar climate and are on similar level of development and income.

probably subsidized by some European socialist government, its just not economically viable - at least not yet.
 

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
20,574
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dr1.com
Cost and it's such a long return on your investment. The Government offer zero incentives to alternative energy, unlike many more developed countries.
They would rather tax you to death when trying to import any alternative energy products.
 

POP Bad Boy

Bronze
Jun 27, 2004
984
30
0
This has got to be.................

"It appears like the city has been without power for the past 12 hours.
How pathetic is that? One of the largest cities in the Caribbean region and it's people have no power."
.............the best quote I have seen on DR1 in a very long time!!!
 

PlantaFULL

New member
Oct 21, 2004
280
0
0
Is this not the usual yearly "cycle"?

Around this time of the year money runs out, lights off. Once Domyorks start pouring back in for Christmas (mid nov/dec) lights will be back on I suspect.
 

rw322

New member
Oct 10, 2006
3
0
0
No Power

I don't have much more to say then that I agree with all of you 100%. With all of the taxes people are paying there is surely enough money to improve the power problems in the city and if a loan is needed to improve the problem then so be it. Power outages (especially consistent and very inconvenient outages) is a good way to negatively affect the Dominican Economy as a whole as well as a lot of wasted time that could be used to contribute more to work and the economy. If the government wants to truely make long-term investments (besides the Metro that has taken nearly a million years to complete) they should make this one of their priorities if they want to overcome their 3rd-world status. I don't know, maybe I'm a spoiled American but at the same time, If the country wants to increase its revenue its economic condition, then this problem should be common sense to fix.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
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Until the "unwashed masses" understand that most of the latest governments are interested in accumulating masses of money for future campaigns and that their every move is designed to produce said money, there can be no change

Yesterday it was announced that the DR is looking for a $150 million loan from the IADB in order to "better governmental processes" and to "support education, health and social issues." Yeah, right. Does anyone believe this??

All of the above solutions are valid, of course, but the populist "padredefamilia" mentality currently in vogue just will not permit the government of the moment to do any of them....

None of this is new. All thinking persons in the DR know this. these, however, are in the minority, a truly tiny minority. Like Eric Toffler said, "we are affraid of change" and so we sit here at our computers (that used to scare the bejesus out of us) and complain to our choir!

Later folks, like Robert, we have the inverter, the planta and that Alfred e. Newman attitude: "What? Me worry???"

HB
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
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Until the "unwashed masses" understand that most of the latest governments are interested in accumulating masses of money for future campaigns and that their every move is designed to produce said money, there can be no change

Yesterday it was announced that the DR is looking for a $150 million loan from the IADB in order to "better governmental processes" and to "support education, health and social issues." Yeah, right. Does anyone believe this??

All of the above solutions are valid, of course, but the populist "padredefamilia" mentality currently in vogue just will not permit the government of the moment to do any of them....

None of this is new. All thinking persons in the DR know this. these, however, are in the minority, a truly tiny minority. Like Eric Toffler said, "we are affraid of change" and so we sit here at our computers (that used to scare the bejesus out of us) and complain to our choir!

Later folks, like Robert, we have the inverter, the planta and that Alfred e. Newman attitude: "What? Me worry???"

HB
I agree a lot with what you say. When I read of the loan, I thought "WTF"? I've spent enough time there in the last 2+ years to begin to see the connections between actions and results.

I'm curious about something: what do foreigners and expatriots living in the DR actually ~DO~ about the situation? As a person seriously contemplating a move there (for 9-10 months a year), I figure I just have to "put up" with the political situation there, and deal with whoever is in power; I'll have no say and doubtful I'd get involved.

I'll say it again: IMO, as a student of economics and politics, the #1 thing that needs to change before all else is an effective, non-political/non-patronage Civil Service system.

BTW-something else Toffler said in Future Shock is that for every advance in technology, there must be an equal advance in humanism lest society and culture suffer. IMO, this was a problem in the US-culture did not humanize at the same rate of technology. I do not profess any authority on Dominican society and culture beyond my personal experiences. How do other see this technology/cultural balance?
 

jackieboo

On Vaction without a return ticket!
Mar 18, 2006
362
0
0
I see the country as a 'day to day' society. That means that the country as a whole lives day to day. They've never had a government in place that gave them hope for the future and as such if you don't have hope for the future then you take the most you can today.

Most third world societies work this way. How do you get an electrical infrastructure when no one has the vision to make it happen?

What the country needs is a new age FDR. They need a public works campaign where the government puts the masses to work building an infrustructure that will support the country in the future.

You're never going to stop corruption in government. Every government has it, but you may be able to channel that corruption in to something that actually helps the masses.
 

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
20,574
341
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dr1.com
Required watching for every Dominican citizen, resident and politician. Powertrip -- a film by Paul Devlin
BTW, as a result of the hardline taken, the Russian state of Georgia currently has 24/7 power.

I watched that when it first came out, it's an excellent documentary.

The difference I see in the basic education and common sense level between Georgian people and Dominicans. The people in Georgia understood the need for change and the need to pay in order to develop a stable and reliable power system. I think getting that message across here would be a very difficult task.

We need more private companies like we have in Bavaro/Punta Cana and Samana etc.
 

Squat

Tropical geek in Las Terrenas
Jan 1, 2002
2,239
168
63
Luz y Fuerza in Las Terrenas has power (almost) 24/7...

But the price is (very) high : 11 pesos for a Kw/h
 

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
20,574
341
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Luz y Fuerza in Las Terrenas has power (almost) 24/7...

But the price is (very) high : 11 pesos for a Kw/h

When you add in the cost of running a planter, inverter, loss of productivity etc, I would be more than happy to pay 11 pesos for a Kw/h here in Santo Domingo.
That's cheap, compared to the "real" cost of electric in Santo Domingo.
 

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
Santiago was also in darkness yesterday. I had no power in my office from 12 noon till I closed at 6pm. I have no idea when the lights came back. When I was on my way to home, I had noticed that santiago was all dark. There was no glimpse of light anywhere.
I am saddened to agree with rob that this electric problem will never be fixed.
If the problem stays the same and the economy continues to take a plunge and the cost of living continues to go higher, I may consider living in another country where things are more stable.
Now I am thinking of taking a vacation to cali and medellin, colombia. Lets see how is the life there compared to this country.
AZB
 

dms3611

Bronze
Jan 14, 2002
664
14
0
Was plenty of power here yesterday in the Trinitaria, STI........

...in fact, have not noticed any power outages here at all this past week.

That is some real good luck!
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
HEHE "With Colombianas!!!"

cobraboy: There is not a lot us ferriners can do. "this is a Domincan thing" Do not interfere." this is the message. We try and push we try and cajole and we try and advise, but this is Margaritaville squared!!

Go with the flow and keep your head about yourself!! Only way...

Here in the area of the Hovel, we have had very good electricity for about a week now...of course 98% collection rates tend to do that, I suppose.

At the PUCMM last night our Judo class was interrupted several times by short blackouts....not fun with 30 people hurling around the mats!! And the U. has its own supply of electricity with automatic transfers....but 20 seconds of black as pitch seems a lot longer..

HB