The whole thing is, among other things, yet again a display of poor journalism... there is no investigative interest displayed at all.
First, the news paper are content at just echoing the official numbers: 700 families, 750 apartments and publishing some interviews of some smart residents of El Tablon.
I don't know how many families really dwell in El Tablon and what the boundaries of El Tablon are. How many people are 700 families. How are families being definded as such?
I found only about 560 apartments or structures which would eventually, when finished on October or November of 200? so far. Why is this not being discussed?
The apartments are indeed small... they are smaller than most in La Union. The kitchen area and the bath (actually a shower room) are minimal in size... Dominicans loving to cook, the living/dining room has no real window (only a high opening towards the stair case. This will be an issue to many who are used to more space and comfort, but are most who dwell in El Tablon? Well, as Marco made me understand during a visit at his place yesterday, some seem to have quite comfortable homes there... and they are NOT ready to settle for anything smaller... some actually can't because their family living in the present home is large than what could possibly fit in such an apartment. So, the question would be, how does the government allocate space and families? Again no numbers in the papers!
What is the cost of these apartments? Well, the only number I have found so far, is that they would be made to pay "only" 25%! Great! Of how much?? My opinion? USD 10'000.oo or less... COST. Can a family assume paying a 2500.oo loan (25%) over a couple of years at 13 or so percent? (at 15% over 5 years = USD 60.oo/month or RD$ 2000. Rents in La Union start around that amount.)
Talking about the "Who's Who" of El Tablon... well, there will be all sorts of people. One can visit the worst Batey and still find God fearing church goers praying all day and night and tigueres trading hair raising stories living side by side... and all the nuances in between, too. However one fact is, that the Sosua police avoids dearly showing itself in El Tablon... they get shot at randomly, so the reports of some "tigrillos" I know.
On the other hand... people there are street wise, no doubt. And they will moan and protest on the way out even if they get a better deal than what even they hoped for. They know what's at stake and that what ever is offered to them will not be because some government feels bad about their situation but because it is or seems worth the cost to them and some business people behind. They will bargain 'till the cows come home, again and again. Let's not forget, they have one big card they can always play, they are the poor people... they can represent the sentiment of the voting majority. If it turns into a war, war will not only go down in El Tablon, but may surge out of so many barrios and bateys throughout the nation... and finally elections are around the corner and just about every presidential hopeful would like to be seen as "el Presidente de los pobres" and El Tablon residents know that too.
It will be interesting to see how it all goes down. A history lesson, a reminder of history or a historic lesson... we shall see.
... J-D.