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A lot of businesses closed in Sosua
I don't have any problem with that and actually enjoy Dominican festivals, but in that case why do they call it "multi-cultural" festival - didn't see any Haitians involved either, so is it the multi-Dominican-culture somewhere in there that I miss !!!?
So now it seems Sosua changed the rules again and there can't be tables and chairs on the sidewalk at selected restaurants and bars. How can anyone possibly want to own a business in place where the capricious Sosua rules change by the month... Sosua Abaho or Charamicos it will be like. The place continues to decline further... imho...
They do this periodically for reasons unknown. The last time was bout 4 years ago and Neuman told everybody to put their tables back out. It took about 4 days to get back to normal. This is nothing new.
Maybe the powers that be in Sosua have a bingo ball machine full of balls that say: ... no tables tonight...change bars hours for no reason....arrest all unaccompanied females....close gates....deport bar owner....close a bar down for no reason...let a bar change to restaurant then it can re-open....tear up the sidewalk...cut down all the shade trees......... Then each night they pull a ball to decide how to further their plan to rebrand the town.
Before this goes too far . . .
There is nothing capricious about the current "rule" for the removal of chairs and tables in front of certain businesses.
The reasons for the current removal are known, clear and were communicated to the business owners affected.
Check again, the businesses who agreed to remove the tables and chairs in front of their establishments, removed them as of Monday Oct. 3 as was officially communicated to them and agreed upon. Their are currently no tables or chairs in front of "Bar Central, Schlemer Stubbe, Bourbon Street Grill, Pratinium Bar, or Chez Monreal.
This is what actually happened.
When the announcement was made concerning the changing of the closing times to one hour later, mayor Ilana Neumann specified the conditions under which the change would take place. She first mentioned that the change is only "provisional" and will take effect NO MORE THAN ten days from the date of the announcement, Sept. 27. She also specified that ayuntamiento will be taking "further measures", to be made public in the coming days as high season approaches, with the help and cooperation of El Batey business owners. The measures will be taken to clean up the image of Sos?a and make it more attractive and better organized for the tourists that will be visiting.
The mayor made it blatantly clear that business owners will be obligated to participate in the process agreed upon by ayuntamiento and adhere to the measures that are being developed. She repeated this several times in the presence of all attending the meeting and all agreed. In attendance were Sos?a business owners, the minister of Tourism of Puerto Plata, the Colonel of the Policia Nacional, the Colonel of CESTUR, city council members and members of the press.
Here is a link to the ORIGINAL announcement so that anybody who understands Spanish can hear it for themselves:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJHjA56xvCU
So over the weekend another meeting was held at ayuntamiento and it was decided that the businesses from "Bar Central" east, up to and including "Chez Monreal" will not be permitted to have tables and chairs on the sidewalks. It was communicated to those businesses and as of Monday Oct. 3 all tables and chairs were removed from the sidewalks in front of those businesses. In preparation for the new business hours taking effect this weekend the decision was agreed upon to remove the chairs and tables to coincide with the later closing times. It's that simple.
It is the first step in what will hopefully be a coordinated effort to make El Batey "more attractive", so far it is going according to schedule. This weekend starts the new extended hours. There will be more changes coming.
At that meeting at the Sos?a "municipal town hall", where the announcement was made to extend the closing hours, many subjects were discussed in a positive atmosphere. Unlike the ridiculous ASOCOBAS meetings, where the organizers and their very few supporters just want to hear themselves talk, there was constructive dialogue during the town hall meeting. Even the subject of a "red-light" district was discussed as well as the rights of the sex workers. It was by far the most organized and well represented gathering addressing this subject that I have seen in a long time.
There is nothing capricious about the current "rule" for the removal of chairs and tables in front of certain businesses.
The reasons for the current removal are known, clear and were communicated to the business owners affected.
Check again, the businesses who agreed to remove the tables and chairs in front of their establishments, removed them as of Monday Oct. 3 as was officially communicated to them and agreed upon. Their are currently no tables or chairs in front of "Bar Central, Schlemer Stubbe, Bourbon Street Grill, Pratinium Bar, or Chez Monreal.
This is what actually happened.
When the announcement was made concerning the changing of the closing times to one hour later, mayor Ilana Neumann specified the conditions under which the change would take place. She first mentioned that the change is only "provisional" and will take effect NO MORE THAN ten days from the date of the announcement, Sept. 27. She also specified that ayuntamiento will be taking "further measures", to be made public in the coming days as high season approaches, with the help and cooperation of El Batey business owners. The measures will be taken to clean up the image of Sos?a and make it more attractive and better organized for the tourists that will be visiting.
The mayor made it blatantly clear that business owners will be obligated to participate in the process agreed upon by ayuntamiento and adhere to the measures that are being developed. She repeated this several times in the presence of all attending the meeting and all agreed. In attendance were Sos?a business owners, the minister of Tourism of Puerto Plata, the Colonel of the Policia Nacional, the Colonel of CESTUR, city council members and members of the press.
Here is a link to the ORIGINAL announcement so that anybody who understands Spanish can hear it for themselves:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJHjA56xvCU
So over the weekend another meeting was held at ayuntamiento and it was decided that the businesses from "Bar Central" east, up to and including "Chez Monreal" will not be permitted to have tables and chairs on the sidewalks. It was communicated to those businesses and as of Monday Oct. 3 all tables and chairs were removed from the sidewalks in front of those businesses. In preparation for the new business hours taking effect this weekend the decision was agreed upon to remove the chairs and tables to coincide with the later closing times. It's that simple.
It is the first step in what will hopefully be a coordinated effort to make El Batey "more attractive", so far it is going according to schedule. This weekend starts the new extended hours. There will be more changes coming.
At that meeting at the Sos?a "municipal town hall", where the announcement was made to extend the closing hours, many subjects were discussed in a positive atmosphere. Unlike the ridiculous ASOCOBAS meetings, where the organizers and their very few supporters just want to hear themselves talk, there was constructive dialogue during the town hall meeting. Even the subject of a "red-light" district was discussed as well as the rights of the sex workers. It was by far the most organized and well represented gathering addressing this subject that I have seen in a long time.
In a Caribbean country we have gone from closing the street and putting up tables and chairs in the street for people to enjoy the pleasant weather to now pack everyone like cattle in small spaces of a few bars that are still left open... ! And in most places many smoke and blow it in your face, including the terrible cigar smoke.
This is really an ingenious way to make the town more attractive to the tourists - it boggles the mind.
In the meantime the other side of the street looks like Aleppo and the old La Roca is still there crumbling and every day is missing one piece at a time and gets uglier, I am betting on 2050 for it to completely disappear at this rate.
The authorities are really making waves in this town, well done !
This is really an ingenious way to make the town more attractive to the tourists - it boggles the mind.
In the meantime the other side of the street looks like Aleppo and the old La Roca is still there crumbling and every day is missing one piece at a time and gets uglier, I am betting on 2050 for it to completely disappear at this rate.
The authorities are really making waves in this town, well done !
No wonder this thread is so popular. These summertime twists and turns are constant, never repeat themselves and are totally unpredictable. Would make a great book however,with a fun ending being if things wind up just like they were 5 years ago.
There is nothing capricious about the current "rule" for the removal of chairs and tables in front of certain businesses.
The reasons for the current removal are known, clear and were communicated to the business owners affected.
Check again, the businesses who agreed to remove the tables and chairs in front of their establishments, removed them as of Monday Oct. 3 as was officially communicated to them and agreed upon. Their are currently no tables or chairs in front of "Bar Central, Schlemer Stubbe, Bourbon Street Grill, Pratinium Bar, or Chez Monreal.
This is what actually happened.
When the announcement was made concerning the changing of the closing times to one hour later, mayor Ilana Neumann specified the conditions under which the change would take place. She first mentioned that the change is only "provisional" and will take effect NO MORE THAN ten days from the date of the announcement, Sept. 27. She also specified that ayuntamiento will be taking "further measures", to be made public in the coming days as high season approaches, with the help and cooperation of El Batey business owners. The measures will be taken to clean up the image of Sos?a and make it more attractive and better organized for the tourists that will be visiting.
The mayor made it blatantly clear that business owners will be obligated to participate in the process agreed upon by ayuntamiento and adhere to the measures that are being developed. She repeated this several times in the presence of all attending the meeting and all agreed. In attendance were Sos?a business owners, the minister of Tourism of Puerto Plata, the Colonel of the Policia Nacional, the Colonel of CESTUR, city council members and members of the press.
Here is a link to the ORIGINAL announcement so that anybody who understands Spanish can hear it for themselves:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJHjA56xvCU
So over the weekend another meeting was held at ayuntamiento and it was decided that the businesses from "Bar Central" east, up to and including "Chez Monreal" will not be permitted to have tables and chairs on the sidewalks. It was communicated to those businesses and as of Monday Oct. 3 all tables and chairs were removed from the sidewalks in front of those businesses. In preparation for the new business hours taking effect this weekend the decision was agreed upon to remove the chairs and tables to coincide with the later closing times. It's that simple.
It is the first step in what will hopefully be a coordinated effort to make El Batey "more attractive", so far it is going according to schedule. This weekend starts the new extended hours. There will be more changes coming.
At that meeting at the Sos?a "municipal town hall", where the announcement was made to extend the closing hours, many subjects were discussed in a positive atmosphere. Unlike the ridiculous ASOCOBAS meetings, where the organizers and their very few supporters just want to hear themselves talk, there was constructive dialogue during the town hall meeting. Even the subject of a "red-light" district was discussed as well as the rights of the sex workers. It was by far the most organized and well represented gathering addressing this subject that I have seen in a long time.
So 5 businesses??? Again only targeting the chosen few. In reality who really cares as long as the restaurants up the street are allowed. Dining in the open air is what the tropics is all about.
There is nothing capricious about the current "rule" for the removal of chairs and tables in front of certain businesses.
The reasons for the current removal are known, clear and were communicated to the business owners affected.
Check again, the businesses who agreed to remove the tables and chairs in front of their establishments, removed them as of Monday Oct. 3 as was officially communicated to them and agreed upon. Their are currently no tables or chairs in front of "Bar Central, Schlemer Stubbe, Bourbon Street Grill, Pratinium Bar, or Chez Monreal.
This is what actually happened.
When the announcement was made concerning the changing of the closing times to one hour later, mayor Ilana Neumann specified the conditions under which the change would take place. She first mentioned that the change is only "provisional" and will take effect NO MORE THAN ten days from the date of the announcement, Sept. 27. She also specified that ayuntamiento will be taking "further measures", to be made public in the coming days as high season approaches, with the help and cooperation of El Batey business owners. The measures will be taken to clean up the image of Sos?a and make it more attractive and better organized for the tourists that will be visiting.
The mayor made it blatantly clear that business owners will be obligated to participate in the process agreed upon by ayuntamiento and adhere to the measures that are being developed. She repeated this several times in the presence of all attending the meeting and all agreed. In attendance were Sos?a business owners, the minister of Tourism of Puerto Plata, the Colonel of the Policia Nacional, the Colonel of CESTUR, city council members and members of the press.
Here is a link to the ORIGINAL announcement so that anybody who understands Spanish can hear it for themselves:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJHjA56xvCU
So over the weekend another meeting was held at ayuntamiento and it was decided that the businesses from "Bar Central" east, up to and including "Chez Monreal" will not be permitted to have tables and chairs on the sidewalks. It was communicated to those businesses and as of Monday Oct. 3 all tables and chairs were removed from the sidewalks in front of those businesses. In preparation for the new business hours taking effect this weekend the decision was agreed upon to remove the chairs and tables to coincide with the later closing times. It's that simple.
It is the first step in what will hopefully be a coordinated effort to make El Batey "more attractive", so far it is going according to schedule. This weekend starts the new extended hours. There will be more changes coming.
At that meeting at the Sos?a "municipal town hall", where the announcement was made to extend the closing hours, many subjects were discussed in a positive atmosphere. Unlike the ridiculous ASOCOBAS meetings, where the organizers and their very few supporters just want to hear themselves talk, there was constructive dialogue during the town hall meeting. Even the subject of a "red-light" district was discussed as well as the rights of the sex workers. It was by far the most organized and well represented gathering addressing this subject that I have seen in a long time.
So, the officials came up with a change of plans, they communicated/announced it to the effected businesses in a public forum and it was implemented the next week. In addition, there was also some discussion of ideas for the future. OK I wonder what changes will happen next month or the following months? Maybe they will close off the streets again? Should be interesting to see what rule changes will occur in the future.
This is why they call it a banana republic. Maybe this is part of the mystique that attracts some people. You know this mayor and her entourage couldn't work in a pie factory.
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Exactly. I couldn't agree more.
Five businesses, the chosen few. Specifically targeted because they are the epicenter for street prostitution on Pedro Clisante. And this street prostitution is not limited to the evening hours. It begins in the afternoon, while students are still exiting the Luis Hess school only 15 meters away.
The tables in front of those businesses were not used for "dining in the open air", with the possible exception of the three tables out in front of "Schlemer Stubbe". And most of the time those three tables were occupied by the same nine people every day, not eating dinner. The chairs and tables in front of Bar Central, Bourbon Street, Pratinium Bar, etc, increased the appearance of groups of sex workers congregating around those businesses.
The majority of the people sitting at those tables were there to look at the sex workers. Many of the sex workers frequented that area specifically because they had potential clients sitting at those tables. The street prostitution breeds and encourages local delinquency, whether it be pimps, beggars, drug dealers, petty thieves, etc. Eliminating those tables helps eradicate some of the congestion caused by the sex trade along this sidewalk.
What they did not do, was bother in any way, the actual restaurants on the western end of Pedro Clisante. Cafe Cubano, Carpe Diem, Tipico Alberto, Schnitzel Paradise, Elefante Rosada, etc., all allowed to continue their open air dining in what is usually a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere.
Instead of randomly removing tables on the sidewalk in front of EVERY business on Pedro Clisante, the specific problem area was addressed. The restaurants were not bothered and continue their open air dining, and the "bars" will just have to accept that their patrons will be limited to the interior of their businesses. And they ALL benefit from the extended closing times. I don't think the trade off was so bad, it could have been worse.
Another link with some photos:
http://detrasdelrumor.com.do/el-ayu...rios-en-la-calle-pedro-clisante-ver-imagenes/
I wouldn't characterize it as a "War on Whores". Remember, prostitution is legal here in the Dominican Republic. It is the "image" that it has attained and how it is being portrayed and promoted, especially in Sos?a and specifically on Pedro Clisante, at least in the context of this thread.
With specific reference to Sos?a and Pedro Clisante, it is also the changing local tourism demographic that is causing angst for so many Dominicans. Except perhaps, for a very small number of certain business owners actually on or near Pedro Clisante. And even the majority of that small group ARE NOT Dominican, thus accentuating the problem as to not only include the tourists themselves but also certain businesses catering to them. Look no further than the "deportations" of the owners of Rumba and Classico as an example.
The "war" isn't on the sex workers themselves. They are actually being included in the discussions and meetings about the situation on Pedro Clisante.
Snakes and Ladders
Very enjoyable thread to read at times.
NY-DR Commuter posts the facts and quickly gets derided and hissed at by the mongers, closet mongers and status quo brigade. He should be congratulated for taking time to discover and post the facts rather than the rumors and keeping a semblance of a story to this thread which began about the demise of businesses in the town before any of the events which have now become the main points of discussion.
What has been posted as happening appears like a game of snakes and ladders, but likely very real with a clear end objective by the government, and a mayor and council who have no option but to go along with it to get the required government (and private) investment, and is trying to appease as many as she can, as good politicians should.
The end game....the top of the final ladder......is probably some way off and has the same objectives sought much earlier by the tourist and community associations and confirmed by the mayor......an end to blatant in your face prostitution and all that goes with it, and so a better image for the town, the North Coast and the country at large. In the meantime there are some moves upwards and some moves slip back.
Wonder what are the next moves indicated in the earlier informative post by NY-DR-C?
Very enjoyable thread to read at times.
NY-DR Commuter posts the facts and quickly gets derided and hissed at by the mongers, closet mongers and status quo brigade. He should be congratulated for taking time to discover and post the facts rather than the rumors and keeping a semblance of a story to this thread which began about the demise of businesses in the town before any of the events which have now become the main points of discussion.
What has been posted as happening appears like a game of snakes and ladders, but likely very real with a clear end objective by the government, and a mayor and council who have no option but to go along with it to get the required government (and private) investment, and is trying to appease as many as she can, as good politicians should.
The end game....the top of the final ladder......is probably some way off and has the same objectives sought much earlier by the tourist and community associations and confirmed by the mayor......an end to blatant in your face prostitution and all that goes with it, and so a better image for the town, the North Coast and the country at large. In the meantime there are some moves upwards and some moves slip back.
Wonder what are the next moves indicated in the earlier informative post by NY-DR-C?
I do agree. It is just my why of describing the situation. They want to minimize the appearance of prostitution and have done what they can think of to achieve that end.