Dominican professionalism

[kimbjorkland]

Right then!

Now that this thread has been re-opened, I'm gonna hop over to the other side and join Chip! But rather than just generalising, I will give an actual example of Dominican professionalism which is what every folk reading this wanted all along.

As Pedro mentioned earlier in this thread, I mend aeroplanes for a living. I am also a pilot and I own my own aeroplane. So needless to say, I know a thing or two about aviation.

Aviation is a fickle mistress. She doesn't tolerate unprofessionalism very well. In fact she rewards it with newly planted aluminium mines which are decorated with hundreds of charred corpses scattered around it.

When I first came to live and work in this country, I was initially very cautious about dealing with Dominicans in the aviation industry. Very similar to how I felt when I briefly worked in Indonesia for Garuda Airlines. As you may or may not know, Indonesia has an appalling air safety record and their aviation industry has killed many people.

As time passed here in the DR, I met many Dominicans involved with the aviation industry. Maintenance technicians, pilots, air traffic controllers, load controllers, dispatchers, airport managers, fuelers, ground handlers and people from their aviation authority. I am proud to say that almost all of these individuals are absolute professionals.

I have met Dominican technicians who have served in the US military and studied in Europe. These guys have actually started a maintenance company that holds a European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approval. Something that the Europeans do not grant willy nilly. You have to be at the top of your game to earn such an approval. I occasionally contract for this company, and it's standards are on par with my former employer from the UK.

I regularly talk to Dominican pilots who fly Jetstreams, Citations and helicopters. They are only too happy to talk about flying here and offer advice and flying tips. I have also flown with them on many occasions and I have never felt unsafe with them the controls. They are educated, eloquent (in Spanish and English) professional pilots, with safety at the forefront of their minds. The Caribbean can be a tricky place to fly with such unpredictable weather and limited forecasting technology available. There is no substitute for experience in these parts, and this knowledge and experience is widely shared.

Whilst flying over this island I am handled by Dominican air traffic controllers who communicate clearly, provide excellent situational awareness and treat me with extreme courtesy.

I have dealt with officers from their aviation authority (IDAC). I have found that they take their jobs very seriously and are very proud of their professionalism.

The Dominican aviation industry is trying very hard to emulate the American FAA system, which in my opinion has the the highest standards in the world (after all, the Americans did invent modern aviation) That's saying something, coming from a Brit! But I fear that our European system has become bogged down in it's own self importance and bureaucracy.

So there you go Chip...it's only taken 16 pages!

How many times in Indonesia did a Garuda airplane go 'missing' off the tarmac?

The truth is, professionalism isn't a measure of the 'elite', it's a measure of the 'average'. Is the 'average' pilot here as high caliber as a Polish or British Pilot?

Computer says no.

 

[dv8]

polish pilots? like in squadron 303 from the war or pilots now?

back to the subject:
there are some professionals in DR who'd put first world specialist to shame. my ginecologo from union is fantastic and i have no complaints whatsoever about his work and his skills. i put my life in his hands during the surgery and he was superb.
but then there s my cleaner who throws the whole bucket of water into the windows (from inside) with no regard to the fact there is an electric socket underneath with two laptops connected to it (she puts chargers on the chair, i give her that, put the plugs are in ).
i always recommend dr lepe in POP (a dentist) even thou his dental chairs are kinda rusted in the bottom (i gues another great cleaner) and look like props from "silent hill". but he does a fantastic job and that's what counts.

dominican specialist? some are good but on the average i sigh and shake my head. thank's good i'm a sloppy worker myslef so other people's laziness does not bother me much.

 

[Celt202]

I had a crown break on a upper incisor tooth. I had a young UASD grad dentist do a new crown. She sent the measurements to a lab. When it came in she sent it back to be redone which impressed me. She put in the new crown and it fell out after about a week. She tried to charge me 500 pesos to put it back in but I got the office manager to recognize that that was BS.

That clinic had given me a detailed estimate for extensive work but I drifted away.

I never liked that crown. The size and color were off. It fell out after about a year so I went back to the clinic and they agreed to put it back in without charge. There was a blackout while I was in the dentist chair so I went home to come back another day.

I put the crown in a napkin and never saw it again. It's in a safe place somewhere.

While walking my dogs one day I was chatting with a neighbor and found out that he was a semiretired professor of Odontological Pathology so I asked him for a recommendation. He recommended a dentist in a Gazcue clinic. I've had extensive work done there. The doctors are mature, professional and thorough. The costs are about half of US costs but more than UASD grad I used before

I had an Italian mechanic who was very professional. I drifted away from him when he started cutting back and his son and daughter started running the place and jacked up the rates drastically.

I found a very professional shop to fix my vehicle's AC based on the recommendations of johnny and JDJones here on Dee Ah 1.

I found a very reliable transmission specialist based on the recommendation of the Italian mechanic.

There's wheat and there's chaff. It's like tap dancing through a minefield sometimes.

Grammar Watch

I had a colleague from South Carolina and a friend from Tennessee who use 'any more' in the same way Chip does. Every time they would say it my ears would perk up like a dog hearing a refrigerator open.

That's a common southern US regionalism.

I know it's all the rage anymore to mock my English ...

 

[Chip]

I had a crown break on a upper incisor tooth. I had a young UASD grad dentist do a new crown. She sent the measurements to a lab. When it came in she sent it back to be redone which impressed me. She put in the new crown and it fell out after about a week. She tried to charge me 500 pesos to put it back in but I got the office manager to recognize that that was BS.

That clinic had given me a detailed estimate for extensive work but I drifted away.

I never liked that crown. The size and color were off. It fell out after about a year so I went back to the clinic and they agreed to put it back in without charge. There was a blackout while I was in the dentist chair so I went home to come back another day.

I put the crown in a napkin and never saw it again. It's in a safe place somewhere.

While walking my dogs one day I was chatting with a neighbor and found out that he was a semiretired professor of Odontological Pathology so I asked him for a recommendation. He recommended a dentist in a Gazcue clinic. I've had extensive work done there. The doctors are mature, professional and thorough. The costs are about half of US costs but more than UASD grad I used before

I had an Italian mechanic who was very professional. I drifted away from him when he started cutting back and his son and daughter started running the place and jacked up the rates drastically.

I found a very professional shop to fix my vehicle's AC based on the recommendations of johnny and JDJones here on Dee Ah 1.

I found a very reliable transmission specialist based on the recommendation of the Italian mechanic.

There's wheat and there's chaff. It's like tap dancing through a minefield sometimes.

Grammar Watch

I had a colleague from South Carolina and a friend from Tennessee who use 'any more' in the same way Chip does. Every time they would say it my ears would perk up like a dog hearing a refrigerator open.

That's a common southern US regionalism.

Nice well balanced post showing both sides, thanks.

It's also good to know that my English isn't really that bad...anymore.

 

[pedrochemical]

Keep on believing that chip, it might be true one day. lol

 

[Chip]

Now Chip, do not get your hopes up. I do not like you at all, and I doubt I ever will.

Truth be told Peter I had nothing against you nor your wife until you both starting posting lies about me even after what you had done to another DR1'er. Specifically your wife thrashed me for supposedly diminishing the Belgian peacekeepers that died in Rwanda and you accused me falsely of coming to the DR from the States because I was running from something when I actually told you personally I came to save my marriage and then had the gall to claim that i got into the PUCMM because I knew someone at the school, another bald face lie.

Nonetheless, I'm willing to let bygones be bygones and I will gladly battle it out civilly over the issues as long as you guys don't make up lies about me. Making fun of my grammar doesn't constitute a lie so have at it, btw.

 

[belgiank]

Well Chip, very civil of you. So I will do the same.

As soon as you stop accusing me of something you only know one very twisted side of.

 

[SantiagoDR]

.... More Professionalism in D.R. Government

Professional Robbery - D.R. Style

Just got back from Santo Domingo after renewing my "Cedular" card.
I knew it was no longer free and that I would have to pay a fee to renew the card.

Well, The trip cost me $1,000 pesos in transportation costs to get there and back.
Another $2,000 pesos to renew the "Cedular" card.
$3,000 pesos total.

Now, the Dominican "PROFESSIONAL" logic:

They only renewed the "Cedular" card for two (2) years, not six (6) as has been the norm in the past.
(Last year appears to be the last year they did the 6 year term)

The reason and Dominican logic that they give is that they only renew it now for the SAME term as your "Residency" card, which in most cases is only two (2) years.

The kicker is:

My current "Residency" card expires in AUGUST, 2012
....... My new "Cedular" card expires in NOVEMBER, 2013

If their "Professional" logic is to correlate the two terms, would it not be reasonable to have them both on the same dates of validity?

Like using your "BIRTHDAY"?

Who else thinks that does not make any sense what-so-ever?
It makes no sense to have them both on two years terms for the reason specified.
Just another excuse to triple the price of the "Cedular" card.

Oh, and forget the statement on the card about the "Cedular" card expiring on your birthday, that no longer applies either.

My new "Cedular" card expires two (2) years from today, today is not my birthday by over a week.
It is actually "Stamped" with an expiration date of 29/11/2013

Considering someone that leaves the country at least ONCE per year:
The penalty for overstaying your VISA in the D.R for 9 months to a 1 year is $2,500 I believe.
The costs associated with the two(2) year Resident card and the two (2) year Cedular card: Per year is OVER $3,000

It is "CHEAPER" to live here illegally then legally per year
Looking at the penalty table, in many cases, it's still cheaper to live here illegally then have residency.

(For those not living in the Capitol with no transportation costs, and even then it is marginal)

 

[jrhartley]

Is it groundhog day ?

 

[Chip]

As Don usually has his nose to pick, err bone and posts little that has to do with the topic.

Please delete moderator if you so wish and any others that stray. Thanks

 

[SantiagoDR]

As Don usually has his nose to pick, err bone and posts little that has to do with the topic.

Please delete moderator if you so wish and any others that stray. Thanks

Chip:

Do you seek attention here because you aren't getting any at home?

Are you now the "Boss" of the moderators and tell them how to do their job.

When did Robert get demoted?

 

[Bronxboy]

Are you now the "Boss" of the moderators and tell them how to do their job.

No one does.

I gave this thread a chance.

Adios!!!!!!