US Citizens in Samana Meeting

Andy B

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
774
0
0
www.elmarinique.com
There is a meeting scheduled by the head of the US Embassy's American Citizen Services section for this Tuesday, Oct 9th, at noon at Hotel el Marinique in Las Galeras. If you are an American citizen living on the Samana peninsula you are invited to attend and meet Mr. Mark Ellis, Section Chief. The recent kidnapping of American Susan Rash and other things will be discussed at this meet and greet event.
 

Andy B

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
774
0
0
www.elmarinique.com
There is a meeting scheduled by the head of the US Embassy's American Citizen Services section for this Tuesday, Oct 9th, at noon at Hotel el Marinique in Las Galeras. If you are an American citizen living on the Samana peninsula you are invited to attend and meet Mr. Mark Ellis, Section Chief. The recent kidnapping of American Susan Rash and other things will be discussed at this meet and greet event.

I forgot to add that if you plan to attend please RSVP me at Samana Hotel in Las Galeras

Thanks,
Andy
 

Andy B

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
774
0
0
www.elmarinique.com
We had a very good meeting with Mr. Mark Ellis and expressed our concerns regarding the current kidnapping case and other security issues facing foreigners in the area. We also learned that the DR is trying hard to embark on the "innocent until proven guilty" system of law and under these guidelines, two of the suspects were allowed to bond out while the investigation continues. By all means they are not off the hook. Four other suspects remain in jail. He also stressed that the Embassy is doing everything possible to quickly resolve this including continuing investigation by the FBI and see that those involved face maximum punishment allowed. They are not going to let this get swept under the carpet.

He was accompanied by several high ranking representatives of Dominican law enforcement including a Coronel from Santo Domingo who has worked extensively with the embassy for 14 years in instances such as this, members of the Samana Fiscal's office and the district Fiscal office located in San Francisco de Macoris. They arrived after the general meeting and were made aware of our concerns by Mr. Ellis and myself. I sat in on this special meeting and also expressed the concerns of many on this forum and the implications of crimes like this on tourism, not just for Samana, but for the entire island as well. They well understood our concerns and also want this settled as soon as possible. The meeting ended and I was left feeling that this will be resolved satisfactorily as quickly as they can bring the suspects to justice and that crimes of this nature will not be tolerated in the DR.
 

mountainfrog

On Vacation!
Dec 8, 2003
3,146
0
0
www.domrep-info.com
Hidden Under A Stone?

.... They arrived after the general meeting ..... The meeting ended and I was left feeling that this will be resolved satisfactorily as quickly as they can bring the suspects to justice and that crimes of this nature will not be tolerated in the DR.

That's good.
It also reminds me how they used to term it in Kenya:
"No stone will be left unturned."

Oh, that's good.

mountainfrog
 

Andy B

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
774
0
0
www.elmarinique.com
excellent froggie - did the Americans invade Kenya too and resolve all their problems and deplete the crime?? how wonderful.

Throughout history every Empire has crumbled.

It was THE Dominicans who said this so I guess we're going to see the island implode upon itself one day.

Given the high profile of this crime, why don't you cut them some slack and see what they will do? I'm normally a wee bit pessamistic but I honestly think they are trying on this one. And I HONESTLY feel the US Embassy will not let this slide, either. I've had them assist me in several situations and I KNOW what kind of strings they can yank.
 

Lambada

Gold
Mar 4, 2004
9,478
410
0
80
www.ginniebedggood.com
And I HONESTLY feel the US Embassy will not let this slide, either. I've had them assist me in several situations and I KNOW what kind of strings they can yank.

Love your sense of humour! :) Thank you for the report. Hope you're right about US Embassy, I really do. I've had them hinder me on a couple of occasions over the past 15 years, but then I'm not a US citizen so I probably don't count. Certainly I think we should keep an open mind whilst matters are pursued and hopefully come to the requisite solution. But if Embassy don't come good on this one, I'd like to see them held accountable. Unfortunately there have been too many cases of the 'right words' being said but not being followed by action. I hope this time I'll be impressed. :)
 

Ladybird

Bronze
Dec 15, 2003
1,768
24
38
dreamteamdownloads1.com
It was THE Dominicans who said this so I guess we're going to see the island implode upon itself one day.

Given the high profile of this crime, why don't you cut them some slack and see what they will do? I'm normally a wee bit pessamistic but I honestly think they are trying on this one. And I HONESTLY feel the US Embassy will not let this slide, either. I've had them assist me in several situations and I KNOW what kind of strings they can yank.


Andy,

I totally support your efforts, I believe it was your hotel Ive stayed at for a most relaxing week and thank you, I will most certainly return when I am back in that area. However with all due respect the crime in the USA is way out of control, the DR's level of crime is nothing in comparison, so how can you expect them to assist in problems here when they cant solve their own back in your homeland. Do you think the victims of both kidnappings would have been recovered as quickly and positively in the USA as they were here?
It has been reported more than once on this forum that a great deal of the serious crimes committed in the DR now are gang related, from a great many gang members that have been repatriated from the US, (sad to say there is another group being prepared for repatriation at the present time). So the US is actually, in a twisted kind of way, contributing to our present increased crime wave.
 

jruane44

Bronze
Jul 2, 2004
1,025
44
0
A, A
Andy,

I totally support your efforts, I believe it was your hotel Ive stayed at for a most relaxing week and thank you, I will most certainly return when I am back in that area. However with all due respect the crime in the USA is way out of control, the DR's level of crime is nothing in comparison, so how can you expect them to assist in problems here when they cant solve their own back in your homeland. Do you think the victims of both kidnappings would have been recovered as quickly and positively in the USA as they were here?
It has been reported more than once on this forum that a great deal of the serious crimes committed in the DR now are gang related, from a great many gang members that have been repatriated from the US, (sad to say there is another group being prepared for repatriation at the present time). So the US is actually, in a twisted kind of way, contributing to our present increased crime wave.

Do you have any facts to back any of this up regarding crime in the USA is out of control? From what I see I think there is a firm grip. What gangs are you talking about? Repatriation I guess is a word for deportation. In regards to kidnappings in USA yes I believe it would happen quickly and with positive results. In the USA kidnappings are done to drug dealers and their families. With over twenty years of law enforcement in NYC I will tell I have never seen any other kind. I have never seen or heard of anyone getting kidnapped because they had money or some one thought they did. Also why don't you knock off the anti-american attitude. Did some American pi$$ on your leg and tell you that it was raining.
 

Chris

Gold
Oct 21, 2002
7,951
28
0
www.caribbetech.com
So the US is actually, in a twisted kind of way, contributing to our present increased crime wave.

No, the US is not, but criminals that are being repatriated from the US may well be. They may be learning the tricks of the trade in the US, but the US is not responsible for the DR's crime, neither directly, nor in a twisted kind of way. The US is simply saying that they will not be responsible for criminals that are not US citizens. And they have every right to do so.

No wonder that it is so difficult for everyday Dominicans to get any kind of visa to visit anywhere.

The responsibility lies squarely on the shoulders of DR law enforcement to keep tabs on these people. Currently they fly in and get off the plane and are left to their own devices.

Let's keep this to a DR thread and not a US thread. Further US content will be deleted.
 

bluemoonnyc

New member
Oct 4, 2007
362
10
0
so,let me get this straight.The US is sending dominican criminals back to the DR and its affecting your life.jesus,what are they thinking?maybe we should just have another mariel boat lift and keep the psyhco's and dirtbags?maybe invite more in?would that help you out there ladybird?pardon my TWISTED US thinking....
 

Andy B

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
774
0
0
www.elmarinique.com
No, the US is not, but criminals that are being repatriated from the US may well be. They may be learning the tricks of the trade in the US, but the US is not responsible for the DR's crime, neither directly, nor in a twisted kind of way. The US is simply saying that they will not be responsible for criminals that are not US citizens. And they have every right to do so.

No wonder that it is so difficult for everyday Dominicans to get any kind of visa to visit anywhere.

The responsibility lies squarely on the shoulders of DR law enforcement to keep tabs on these people. Currently they fly in and get off the plane and are left to their own devices.

Let's keep this to a DR thread and not a US thread. Further US content will be deleted.


Thanks Chris, I could see this thread going in anti-US direction and somehow casting the US as responsible for this and other ills that beset the DR. Crime here is solely the responsibility of Dominican authorities as you pointed out.

There is one other point that should be made: NO Embassy has the right to interfere in the internal affairs of this country. The US and other nations can OFFER assistance, but NONE has the legal or ethical right to usurp Dominican authority even in dealing with a crime against one of that nation's citizens. We are guests here, and must never forget it.
 

Rocky

Honorificabilitudinitatibus
Apr 4, 2002
13,993
208
0
111
www.rockysbar.com
We also learned that the DR is trying hard to embark on the "innocent until proven guilty" system of law and under these guidelines, two of the suspects were allowed to bond out while the investigation continues.
Wouldn't the "innocent until proven guilty" system, still allow for denying bail to the accused, if there is strong evidence of their culpability and that they pose a danger to the general public?
 

Andy B

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
774
0
0
www.elmarinique.com
Wouldn't the "innocent until proven guilty" system, still allow for denying bail to the accused, if there is strong evidence of their culpability and that they pose a danger to the general public?

Yes it would and does. Evidence is being gathered at this time to hopefully remand them to jail. Initial evidence was not strong enough to prevent their release.