So what happened at the meeting yesterday at the casino?
I'm assuming you meant Friday's meeting organized by ASOCOBAS.
I was surprised by the low attendance, despite the association's efforts to promote this meeting in most of the neighborhoods in Sos?a by handing out invitations on the street and appearances on local TV claiming that they would be addressing not just the issue of the closing hours for businesses but also infrastructure, e.g. water, electricity, roads, etc. Approximately 70 people total, including the association's board members, local press, and the staff supporting the event.
In attendance were the owners of "El Flow", Hotel Europa, Blue Ice Bar, Bar Central, employees from Rumba, Club X, Classico Disco, Merengue Bar, Hotel Bellarmar, Costa Norte TV, Platinum Gym, Coral Reef Casino, several local taxi drivers, beach vendors and motoconcho drivers. Conspicuous by their absence were residents from Sos?a's neighborhoods away from El Batey who were being aggressively solicited to attend by the association in the days preceding the meeting.
After welcoming formalities, the president of the association Antony Martes promised the audience that they are working hard on the issue of the water problems of Sos?a and had sent a letter to COORAPLATA (water company) demanding action. A few more words were spoken regarding addressing infrastructure issues and then he began to speak about the operating hours. In total about seven minutes of the meeting were dedicated to the infrastructure issues.
The president of the association then went on to speak about the injustice of the operating hours, how it is devastating Sos?a's economy and how more people are becoming unemployed and more businesses are closing. He quoted some passages from the constitution of the Dominican Republic referring to freedom to do business and certain rights granted Dominican citizens.
The next speaker was Julio Taveras, president of the "junta de vecinos of El Batey de Sos?a" who's tone was more aggressive and much louder. He continued the theme of injustice of the hours, increased unemployment, etc. Several other ASOCOBAS members spoke each one pontificating and speaking louder than the preceding member, it was annoying to listen to the rhetoric.
Final speaker was the owner of "El Flow Bar", he is one of the more militant of the members. He mentioned how he is not afraid of the local government or authorities and knows his rights under the law. His discourse included veiled threats toward more "aggressive" protests or other "actions".
In the president's final statement he mentioned that the association would continue communicating with the government and working toward changing the operating hours, he also said that they will be organizing "concentrations" in Los Charamicos, Maranatha and Los Castillos. Then the meeting concluded.
Throughout the entire meeting audience members were leaving two and three at a time so by the end of the meeting maybe 60% of the attendees remained. It was obvious they (ASOCOBAS) were embarrassed by the original low attendance and even more so by the exiting audience members during the meeting.
Outside after the meeting, in a much more informal atmosphere, the majority of the people expressed that the only way the authorities would pay attention to the issues is if "we go to the streets", which can be interpreted as possibly more aggressive protests, burning tires, stopping traffic, etc.
