57% of Dominicans live in poverty

[Africaida]

Playing the Devil's advocate

but majority of dominicans i know and associate with are upper middle class or just plain filthy rich. and i know they have had the money for generations, no foul play.

but reality is this: majority of poor would do NOTHING to change their status.

The majority ? How would you know given whom you know and associate ? Changing their status doesn t seem to be an easy task if your dear friends have had money for generations.

I am not of these people fascinated by poverty and poor people, but I just refuse to believe it is that simple (especially in a third world country) i.e. they are poor cause they are just lazy and dumb

 

[AZB]

Here is another example:
We have several independent therapists in our clinic. Some give massages, other give physical therapy and then you have a person who does acupuncture. The main MD does fine, she is the owner of the clinic and she is an expert in weight reduction programs. She is in business for many years and have fame and fortune. The rest simply live off her when she sends a patient to them for additional therapies. I do fine with chiropractic work. Now this year, the business dropped and the doctora started to go on lengthy vacations. This reduced the patient flow in the clinic. The dominican therapists just sit on sofa and complain and complain "no hay dinero...cosa esta mala, crisis mundial and blah blah". they would sit all day talk and wait on walk-ins that wouldn't occur too often. Instead of sitting around, I went out and printed some flyers which set me back 2800 pesos for 1000 (in color). I handed them to many near-by expensive salons, health businesses and even gold's gym. I did tv interviews etc. I was soon having new patients and cash flow started again. Then the Argentinian acupuncturist went to Argentina and bought 2 huge machines to treat women with back circulation in their legs and some contraption which helped women reduce weight with electrical stimulation. She also went out and printed some flyers and went with me to the same places to place them in targeted businesses. Wow, she has more work now than she can handle and is making lots of money. Guess what the rest of the dominican therapists doing? Siting on sofa and waiting on people to hand them business. they are struggling to pay their rent and pay their bills.
AZB

 

[donP]

The Pope's Delight

Poor but many children. :bunny:
No problem.
Mother simply vanishes. :ermm:
Father gives children away. :tired:

Noticias SIN/24 horas desde Republica Dominicana


donP

 

[dv8]

The majority ? How would you know given whom you know and associate ? Changing their status doesn t seem to be an easy task if your dear friends have had money for generations.

i did say i work in a business set on a main street in a barrio, yes? i see and talk to poor folks all day long, day in, day out. they are just clients, not associates, that is a difference.
in addition miesposo is a manager in a large company and he often has people asking him for money. his answer is: come here at the end of the month and i will give you a job, manual labour at minumum wage. guess what: no one wants it.

 

[Africaida]

i did say i work in a business set on a main street in a barrio, yes? i see and talk to poor folks all day long, day in, day out. they are just clients, not associates, that is a difference.
in addition miesposo is a manager in a large company and he often has people asking him for money. his answer is: come here at the end of the month and i will give you a job, manual labour at minumum wage. guess what: no one wants it.

People asking for money are obviously not interested in working they'd asked youresposo a job instead, so it's only logical, no need to guess

 

[dv8]

ha ha ha, true enough! but when they ask there is always a story about how poor they are, how they have no jobs and no money to feed their kids and so on... you'd have thought they'd jump at the opportunity.
once i asked miesposo to give employment to a motoconcho boyfriend of a woman i worked with. he was nagging me about it for a long time. he never showed up to work because it required 8 to 5 attendance and he figured out it was better to hang out with his pals instead.
another example: sister of a friend's husband. she cannot read or write very well, uses computer only in the capacity of msn messenger, speaks no languages and cannot count without using her fingers. what job does she want? secretary. what job does she have? none, because she would not accept anything below 15k secretary she thinks she deserves to be.
on a positive note: i love to look how some of our workers advance from a messenger at low rate to an auxiliar on a more decent salary. if only they wanted to go to school!

 

[Tom F.]

The responses seems to have an urban twist to them. Most of my time is spent in the campo and the divisions are little different and more simplistic. The children of the families who own large tracts of land are split between the capital, nyc/nj/mass with some of the family still based in the campo. The ownership of farm land determines the basic wealth of any rural and many of the urban families in the DR. Most families have atleast a small piece that produces something, they own their home, produce much of what they consume. The $$$ from the US has changed everything with a lot of back and forth between those who live in the US with investment in land and business in the DR.

There is an entire group of people who basically work for those who own the land and these people are dirt poor. Most of the children of the trabajadores and servientes are the same for the next generation. Many have made it here to Nueva York.

 

[DRob]

People asking for money are obviously not interested in working they'd asked youresposo a job instead, so it's only logical, no need to guess

Seems as though people on this board are being a tad bit harsh. If I offered you six bucks a day to swing a pickaxe for 10 hours in the middle of the Dominican summer, you probably wouldn't be real excited about doing it, either.

It's easy, in our spacious, modern air-conditioned casas and nice condos, with a jeepeta sitting outside and your sankie/ette sitting around waiting for further instructions, to denounce the poor and state that all their problems are due to laziness.

Frankly, as an African-American, such an attitude is reminiscent of massa sitting up on a porch, drinking a mint julep, eyeing that cute mulatta in the corner, and complaining about how lazy his slaves are.

Yes, I know they're not slaves, and that there is a significant difference. However, we all know the barriers to moving up in the DR are much higher than in the U.S. It can be done, but there is no decent public education, no solid vocational programs, no real loans or grants to start businesses, and no support from the private sector to achieve any of these things. I imagine this is not a coincidence, as an ignorant, disenfranchised population is way easier to control than one that is properly educated.

As Pres. Obama and countless others have long maintained, the best anti-poverty program is a rock-solid education, which simply is not available here, unless you have the means to pay for private schooling.

I don't believe there is any inherent nobility to poverty. For that matter, having money doesn't make you a better person, just a wealthier one.

My only point is that slapping someone for the "sin" of being poor is a bit meanspirited. That goes double for you, AZB. You know perfectly well a part-time chiropractor in the U.S. could easily find himself living the lifestyle you so eagerly denounce.

Again, you are clearly in DR precisely because the extreme poverty allows you to take advantage of the cost of living and easy access to women half your age there. How noble or enlightened is that?

Hey, it's your life. Live it as you please. That said, some of the folk on here really oughta try walking a mile in someone else's shoes before they start condemning people for being poor.

 

[RacerX]

I don't believe there is any inherent nobility to poverty. For that matter, having money doesn't make you a better person, just a wealthier one.

I ll buy that.

 

[Lando calrisian]

Next time my cousin comes to as me for money I'm gonna hand him a broom....

 

[DMV123]

There are those in all economic classes - Dominican and expat - who share certain traits. An expectation that they are owed a living by the world. A sense that certain work is beneath them. A wanting to con rather then to work for it.....

I don't like or respect any of them

For me those with a work ethic earn my respect. I dont care if you sweep the road!!! I dont care if you are the owner or bloody Brugal family. You earn respect you dont just get it.

AZB you earned my respect by going out and hussling business instead of sitting back and waiting for someone to deliver it. The kid in the street who shines shoes and does not beg earns my respect.

No one has the right just because they are pretty or local or an expat.

On a final note if My family was going hungry and you offered me 6 bucks an hour to clean toilets - well damn it my family would be eating at least.

 

[bachata]

Here is another example:
We have several independent therapists in our clinic. Some give massages, other give physical therapy and then you have a person who does acupuncture. The main MD does fine, she is the owner of the clinic and she is an expert in weight reduction programs. She is in business for many years and have fame and fortune. The rest simply live off her when she sends a patient to them for additional therapies. I do fine with chiropractic work. Now this year, the business dropped and the doctora started to go on lengthy vacations. This reduced the patient flow in the clinic. The dominican therapists just sit on sofa and complain and complain "no hay dinero...cosa esta mala, crisis mundial and blah blah". they would sit all day talk and wait on walk-ins that wouldn't occur too often. Instead of sitting around, I went out and printed some flyers which set me back 2800 pesos for 1000 (in color). I handed them to many near-by expensive salons, health businesses and even gold's gym. I did tv interviews etc. I was soon having new patients and cash flow started again. Then the Argentinian acupuncturist went to Argentina and bought 2 huge machines to treat women with back circulation in their legs and some contraption which helped women reduce weight with electrical stimulation. She also went out and printed some flyers and went with me to the same places to place them in targeted businesses. Wow, she has more work now than she can handle and is making lots of money. Guess what the rest of the dominican therapists doing? Siting on sofa and waiting on people to hand them business. they are struggling to pay their rent and pay their bills.
AZB

Some one have to be smarter, I can heard the Dominicans therapist blaming on you.
Ese maldito pakistani y el jodio Colombiano ese nos estan quitando el trabajo.

haha

JJ

 

[dv8]

It's easy, in our spacious, modern air-conditioned casas and nice condos, with a jeepeta sitting outside and your sankie/ette sitting around waiting for further instructions, to denounce the poor and state that all their problems are due to laziness.

Frankly, as an African-American, such an attitude is reminiscent of massa sitting up on a porch, drinking a mint julep, eyeing that cute mulatta in the corner, and complaining about how lazy his slaves are.

hey! miesposo does spend some time in air conditioned office, yes. but he has masters degree from PUCIMM, speaks perfect english and he works from 70 to 90 hours a week (in his main job and in the business he co-owns).
his workers can hardly read or write and some of them not even that (i saw them sign paychecks with an X) and they leave after thir 9hr shift (45 hours a week in total). they have no responsibilities and no duties other than simple manual tasks.
and i think that any job is better than job at all if your family is dirt poor.

 

[DRob]

hey! miesposo does spend some time in air conditioned office, yes. but he has masters degree from PUCIMM, speaks perfect english and he works from 70 to 90 hours a week (in his main job and in the business he co-owns).
his workers can hardly read or write and some of them not even that (i saw them sign paychecks with an X) and they leave after thir 9hr shift (45 hours a week in total). they have no responsibilities and no duties other than simple manual tasks.
and i think that any job is better than job at all if your family is dirt poor.

Again, I didn't say suesposo was doing anything wrong by working hard. That's a good thing.

My point was that it may be a bit unfair to berate people of lesser means because they're poor.

That says a lot more about you ("you" being in a general sense) than it says about them.

 

[Chirimoya]

I know those deadbeat types. The ones who don't make the most of opportunities they are given. Some are poor and will remain poor as a result.

But there are also many people like this whose rich - and even not so rich - daddies bail them out time and time again and bankroll their idleness.

 

[AZB]

You know perfectly well a part-time chiropractor in the U.S. could easily find himself living the lifestyle you so eagerly denounce.

Again, you are clearly in DR precisely because the extreme poverty allows you to take advantage of the cost of living and easy access to women half your age there. How noble or enlightened is that?

Hey, it's your life. Live it as you please. That said, some of the folk on here really oughta try walking a mile in someone else's shoes before they start condemning people for being poor.

Can't guess anything right, can you? It sure sounds funny when you hear the defense from the point of view of a person who doesn't live here full time or only lives in resort area. Absolutely no idea.
lets see how I compare to a full time chiropractor in usa (forget part time) oh and feel free to compare me to yourself also.
With the pesos I make in DR, I have traveled so much in the world that I needed new pages on my passport because there was no more space to stamp my passport. My passport is only 3 yrs old. I go to usa every month and spend money in dollars. I will be in NY tomorrow. next month, I will be in frankfurt germany and then to swiss alps and then to milan, italy (all in one trip, by car). later this year I will be in far east. My full time chiro friends in USA who make thousands of dollars can't even afford to take a week's vacation and come to visit me. let me remind you, the dominicans who work in respectable places in capital, make more money than you and the people you are impressed with. You are confusing me for your local colmado owner on the corner of your street.
please, stop playing the race card and forget the slavery BS, obama is the president now so your slavery BS doesn't hold water. Al sharpton is out of work so your argument has zero value.
The people who are always struggling are most probably lazy and lack ideas to better their lives. I try to help people in my clinic in how to do promotions (free) they just won't get up and do it. They are quite happy with what they make and struggle to make ends meet. This is their lifestyle. How many times I have told people that they can't talk like ghetto with elegant clients; no "L' pronunciation but they forget all this in 1 minute. "senol", peldon, coltar, palquear etc". they just don't have it in them. But of course you will argue that I am being racist and being arrogant. The point is, you just hate the messenger (AZB) , you refuse to hear what I have to say. unlike you, I live here 24/7 and have been dealing with all classes of dominicans since 1998.
AZB

 

[AZB]

Drob, just that you feel better, I am not just talking about black dominicans, I am also including the white dominicans as well who are lazy and jobless.
AZB

 

[cobraboy]

Can't guess anything right, can you? It sure sounds funny when you hear the defense from the point of view of a person who doesn't live here full time or only lives in resort area. Absolutely no idea.
lets see how I compare to a full time chiropractor in usa (forget part time) oh and feel free to compare me to yourself also.
With the pesos I make in DR, I have traveled so much in the world that I needed new pages on my passport because there was no more space to stamp my passport. My passport is only 3 yrs old. I go to usa every month and spend money in dollars. I will be in NY tomorrow. next month, I will be in frankfurt germany and then to swiss alps and then to milan, italy (all in one trip, by car). later this year I will be in far east. My full time chiro friends in USA who make thousands of dollars can't even afford to take a week's vacation and come to visit me. let me remind you, the dominicans who work in respectable places in capital, make more money than you and the people you are impressed with. You are confusing me for your local colmado owner on the corner of your street.
please, stop playing the race card and forget the slavery BS, obama is the president now so your slavery BS doesn't hold water. Al sharpton is out of work so your argument has zero value.
The people who are always struggling are most probably lazy and lack ideas to better their lives. I try to help people in my clinic in how to do promotions (free) they just won't get up and do it. They are quite happy with what they make and struggle to make ends meet. This is their lifestyle. How many times I have told people that they can't talk like ghetto with elegant clients; no "L' pronunciation but they forget all this in 1 minute. "senol", peldon, coltar, palquear etc". they just don't have it in them. But of course you will argue that I am being racist and being arrogant. The point is, you just hate the messenger (AZB) , you refuse to hear what I have to say. unlike you, I live here 24/7 and have been dealing with all classes of dominicans since 1998.
AZB

Aftab: it's easier playing the victim card than doing the hard work necessary to become financially viable.

 

[Frank the Tank]

I give you a lot of credit AZB. I would have given up a long time ago trying to make the folks understand. It's like doing this............

 

[suarezn]

Her son works in a bank and earns $800USD a month.
He drives a two year old Lexus IS sport.
Parties like a rockstar

They live very comfortably and are members of El club Naco.

That to me is comfortable middle class here in DR,


Lando Calrisian

Wow that guy really knows how to stretch his money. 800 USD, drives a Lexus and parties like a rockstar...I need him to give me some financial advice.