Before you delete this please read it

drtampa

Bronze
Oct 1, 2004
1,087
29
48
New Ulm, TX
75-year-old scourge of Vietnam's corrupt officials
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published July 5, 20

HANOI, Vietnam - Most Vietnamese cower when a cop squeezes them for a bribe. Le Hien Duc, a gray-haired 75-year-old grandmother, fights back.

She'll take on anyone, from lowly bureaucrats to high-level officials. She e-mails, phones, tracks them down at their offices, confronts them at home.

"Corruption is definitely an evil, and it is ruining my beloved country, " said Duc, a former elementary school teacher who works from dawn until dusk battling graft.

Corruption is perhaps the most vulnerable spot in the country's single-party Communist state - from the traffic cops who pull drivers over for $3 bribes to the Transportation Ministry officials accused last year of gambling $13-million in public money on British soccer matches.

Corruption persists in part because officials earning $50 salaries consider it acceptable to charge kickbacks for virtually any service, large or small.

The country routinely fares poorly in international corruption rankings. But in Vietnam, where people respect authority, few dare challenge it. So many turn to Duc.

"Most of us tremble when we have to deal with police, " said Doan Van Hung, a delivery man who recently sought Duc's help. "She is incredibly brave."

Hung's ordeal was typical. A police officer stopped him for speeding and threatened to seize his motorbike unless he paid a $3 bribe, more than a day's average wage.

Duc tracked down the officer and filed a complaint with the Hanoi chief of police. The officer was demoted.

She intervened in a case involving school officials who had apparently been pocketing school lunch money for years by making cafeteria staff cut back on kids' portions.

Local investigators confirmed the scam. But Hanoi education officials did nothing with the evidence.

Duc said she called the education minister's office about 30 times.

When her messages went unanswered, Duc got his cell phone number and called. He promised to have an internal investigator look into the case.
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
191
0
38
yahoomail.com
And Your POINT Is?????????????????????????????/

That "Corruption" happens EVERYWHERE ??????????????????????????????????
That "Corruption" is not sooooooooo bad in the DR?????????????????????????
You sound like a "Dominican"!
Always pointing elsewhere, when they should be looking here!
Cris Colon CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
 

dms3611

Bronze
Jan 14, 2002
664
14
0
I do not believe this would be deleted if you "tied it" to the DR in some way....

....such as a positive spin of "The DR needs this type of grass roots effort to fight corruption that exists here in a similar manner"........ or maybe the negative spin of "This could not work in the DR since its always one type of corruption trying to replace another corruption".

Relate your comment to the DR in some way and you have a good shot it will not be eliminated.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
The point implied is that if the people make a squawk, some things will change. this was the point of Adriano Tejada's A.M. editorial last week. things are getting very serious due to government ineptitude and people will start acting out.

Example: the closure of the Duarte Highway this Monday....

HB
 

chola1978

Bronze
Mar 20, 2006
770
16
0
Pense que el paro de la autopista duarte tenia mas que ver con problemas politco que con la cruda verdad que se vive en este pais des muchos a?os.
Pedro Brand is no worst than many other places in the country but yet it is organize by political parties opposing the current government for the up coming campaign... This is a sad side of politics some things will get better since we are in a upcoming elections mind set........Campaign corruption, using central government money to earn votes, accumulating wealth while at public office, this is a world issue. Government equals a cash cow.
HB states that "things are getting very serious due to government ineptitude and people will start acting out.
" well we are always acting out, licey, navarete, Local barrios in Santiago, San Francisco de Macoris. And the only sure thing that happen is that government faces change but not the practice of corruption. We do need more community involvement to make sure that our government are more transparent but we also need to be more responsible society that does not steal our utilities and then block highways cuz they are not being supply in sustainable amounts.
 

Mirador

On Permanent Vacation!
Apr 15, 2004
3,563
0
0
....Pedro Brand is no worst than many other places in the country but yet it is organize by political parties opposing the current government for the up coming campaign...

It shows that you have never visited Pedro Brand or any of the many neighboring communities. You have only read or heard the political op commentaries. The mainstream media reported that Pedro Brand and surroundings communities had been suffering from over two weeks without water, and three straight days without electricity. If Pedro Brand is no better or worse than many other places in the country, like you say, then we are in for a huge social explossion in the near future, followed by an overreaction by the authorities, like violent military repression and martial law (curfews). That will only be the beginning of the end...
 

chola1978

Bronze
Mar 20, 2006
770
16
0
In Cerro Don Antonio, Snatiago we have been without a stable supply of water for over 45 days most of us have turned to buying water and filling up out tinacos and sisternas. I have a question for you Mirador since it seems that you know the place is their any countruction going on tyhat may affect the distribution of those utilies?
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
191
0
38
yahoomail.com
I Live In arroyo Hondo, And There Is Virtually No Water!

I spend 800 pesos a week to buy a "Truck Load" of water,(That they get for free!)
I "heard" that if you have no water,the "Water Company" will send you a truck to fill your cistern for free! I will go to the main office in Sant Domingo next week and see how THAT works out!!:cheeky::ermm:
Cris Colon CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
 

chola1978

Bronze
Mar 20, 2006
770
16
0
Good Luck Cris. I went to COORASAN and they told me that they have 2 units to service Santiago andthat If I had those type of issue to buy the water because they will not warranty me a free delivery. Our neigborhood issue has something to due with a vlave problem near colinas mall.supeuestamente.
 

Mirador

On Permanent Vacation!
Apr 15, 2004
3,563
0
0
I have a question for you Mirador since it seems that you know the place is their any countruction going on tyhat may affect the distribution of those utilies?

There's been complaints that several large industries in the area are hogging the scarse precious liquid. However, the water supply to Pedro Brand and surrounding communities has been reduced to less than 10% its normal level. The problem is nationwide. Aquifers that feed the acueducts have dried up for lack of rainfall. Also, the current government has abandoned all projects related to new water works and acueducts, including maintenance on existing ones, to channel resources to pet projects, like the Metro. The situation in Pedro Brand and vecinity is particularly explossive. Contributing factors are high population density, high unemployment rate, and it is one of the places with the highest homicide and crime rate in the entire country.
 

Chris

Gold
Oct 21, 2002
7,951
28
0
www.caribbetech.com
From corruption in Vietnam to lack of water in DR communities? Its way too much for this moderator ;) OK, can anyone tie a brave person fighting corruption in Vietnam to corruption in the DR to lack of water in a way that makes sense to this forum?
 

SantiagoDR

The "REAL" SantiagoDR
Jan 12, 2006
5,808
948
113
From corruption in Vietnam to lack of water in DR communities? Its way too much for this moderator ;) OK, can anyone tie a brave person fighting corruption in Vietnam to corruption in the DR to lack of water in a way that makes sense to this forum?

Sure Chris,

After all that fighting with the corrupt officials, she was thirsty!