Or we could just stick to the truth.
There's nothing wrong with telling people what the COULD be. But to do what you are suggesting would be irresponsible.
Scandall
- Thread starter RHM
- Start date
If you think DR-CAFTA is a bad idea...
Or we could just stick to the truth.
There's nothing wrong with telling people what the COULD be. But to do what you are suggesting would be irresponsible.
Scandall
What is the truth? Are the people not resourceful, creative, intelligent and kind? And don't they badly lack education?
I have yet to read anything about the MASSIVE RURAL EXODUS.
You guys are all enthusiastic about huge fincas, but it will be for sure mostly automatic, with machines, so they won't need all those "worthless" campesinos...
-So what do you have in mind for this important segment of the dominican population ???
-If it is a job in some Zona Franca with a 3900RD$ salary at best, you are all very optimistic...
You guys are all enthusiastic about huge fincas, but it will be for sure mostly automatic, with machines, so they won't need all those "worthless" campesinos...
-So what do you have in mind for this important segment of the dominican population ???
-If it is a job in some Zona Franca with a 3900RD$ salary at best, you are all very optimistic...
Perhaps I misunderstood what you meant. Anyway, to answer your questions...
Some can be creative, resourceful, and intelligent. But that is not how I would personally describe the workforce in general.
I stand by my previous post that what the DR needs more than anything is a wide spread literacy/workers skills programs...beef up domestic institutions and do things slowly. We cannot compete in our current condition. Not at all.
My two cents,
Scandall
SQUAT: on your worrying about DR's inability to compete with US agro because of the DR's "non-subsidized dominican agriculture"...
Goodness! What are all those Agribanks doing in every little town?
What's INSESPRE all about?
What are the rice import restrictions about?
What are all other agro product import restrictions and tariffs about?
What are all the Haitian slaves about?
(Ooops. I meant "illegals" for whom Inmigración is desperately searching.)
Darn! Must all be scams by another ministry yet to be made public ... or are they all too another example of CIA meddling from the evil empire?
Goodness! What are all those Agribanks doing in every little town?
What's INSESPRE all about?
What are the rice import restrictions about?
What are all other agro product import restrictions and tariffs about?
What are all the Haitian slaves about?
(Ooops. I meant "illegals" for whom Inmigración is desperately searching.)
Darn! Must all be scams by another ministry yet to be made public ... or are they all too another example of CIA meddling from the evil empire?
I am glad someone finally understands the obvious truth !!!
-So what, in the name of liberalism, we'll push this guy who doesn't know how to swim, in a huge pool, with plenty of sharks ???
We are in agreement, and yes, there was some misunderstanding.
To get back to the original question,
To answer for myself, and in the current business climate, the Taiwan thing was too much to worry about. When Fernadez went there initially, he used the DRCafta as a 'carrot', inviting Taiwanese manufacturing to the DR, to be able to benefit under DRCafta. I do not remember seeing any serious comments about that in the news or even on the board. I thought it was a clever move.
If this agreement is meant to encourage Taiwanese business doing their thing using the DR as a base, perhaps it would not altogether be a bad thing for transfer of manufacturing skills from Taiwan to the DR?
I think generally DRCafta is seen as an agreement where the US could basically 'dump' cheaper product into the DR, putting the DR local business in jeopardy while dictating what they want from the DR. Initially, you may remember, the DR was 'tacked on', and did not take part in the complete set of negotiations.
I don't think the possible agreement with Taiwan is seen in the same way. A major criticism that has come up according to the DR1 news, is that the negotiators are too busy with other talks.
My own feeling is that this is too iffy to worry about.
I don't usually do this on my board (it is my board now...and Rick's!!) but Tuan you just do not know much about Dominican agriculture.
Inespre is worthless and about to be shut down. It does not "subsidize" anything. It buys crops at the lowest possible price.
Rice import restrictions ARE there to protect the Dominican rice producer who has to pay taxes on EVERYTHING in order to bring in a crop. And when there is a scarcity, well then the government can award a nice, very juicy import permit to one if its "faithfull"....who then goes out and buys another Beemer.
Agro product import restrictions, ?? Such as?? Garlic? Same thing as rice. Beans??? Same as rice. etc etc etc
those Agribanks in every little town actually finance crops at a less than market interest, and they DO collect on their loans....there is no "give away there!!
Fact is there is no sector of the Dominican agro spectrum (any foodstuffs) that can compete with any of the "partners" in DR-CAFTA!!
And, so far, no one has even mentioned Central America. They will bury us! They pay 1/3 the wages paid in the DR. Have electricity that costs 1/4 to 1/2 less than the DR, and have a much more favorable treatment for investors at this time. For all his salesmanship, Fern?ndez just cannot get around the fact that there is no electricity here, that it takes months to get a company up and running ( in spite of reports to the contrary) and the tax laws are horrendous.
Not even the free zones can compete with Central America. No way. their energy costs kill that off at once. While the Energy Law permits access to non-taxed diesel, the people that emit these permits refuse to give thim out because the electricity distributors will lose their best paying customers!! And there are well know private houses that have access to this type of fuel, especially in Arroyo Hondo and other exclusive places..in Sto Dgo. The rich don't pay....
Just talk to any Dominican farmer, either livestock, in any form, or any crop. Let him tell you about the things he has to put up with.
HB
I am very glad to read these lines, as I was starting to think no one had a clear judgement (or I was the only fool not bright enough to realise how great that whole Free-Trade Paradise was !!!)
Thank you, HB
Why Free Trade Agreements are not Free!
OK, I guess I'll be thoroughly tarred and feathered for this one .. but, here goes:
10 reasons why Latin American women oppose Bush’s free trade agenda
OK, I guess I'll be thoroughly tarred and feathered for this one .. but, here goes:
10 reasons why Latin American women oppose Bush’s free trade agenda
Why Free Trade Agreements are not Free!
Oops, double post..
http://www.bilaterals.org/article.php3?id_article=3312
Oops, double post..
http://www.bilaterals.org/article.php3?id_article=3312
Chris, that page makes a lot of sense...
I am just wondering why the entire dominican press remains totally silent in front of that AMAZINGLY HUGE MASSIVE FRAUD that is the DR-CAFTA ???
Maybe all the press-owners are tied up with some deals that will come with this CAFTA thing...
-Freedom of press in DR ???
Hey, Clave Digital, what happens ??? Not a word ???
Well, at least you knewyou would.
The organization and article you quoted had this as #3:
"Ensure that access to basic services, including health care, housing, education, and sanitation is recognized as a human right that governments are obligated-and empowered-to protect."
Pretty clear this organization is just another radical socailist/Marxist activist group.
Some folks think government is central to human endeavors and want to empower it to solve individual problems. It exists to distribute wealth.
Others think the individual should be empowered, and free to act for his benefit. He is beholden to no man.
The organization you quote is the former. I am the latter. IMO the former creates more problems than he solves, and the individual, left to his own efforts. choices and creativity, can provide for himself at the level he chooses.
It simply says that government are obligated to protect those basic human rights. Not that government need to hand them out. Read again ...:laugh: I don't see the pinko color in the list....
Could be. I'm close with some folks who gave The Donald a tour of the santiago area near the airport, an area I've heard referred to as "New Santiago".
I don't blame him. Think of how much of the bits and pieces of a high end resort would have to be imported, and subject to what I consider to be high import duty (and assorted BS). It would drop his costs considerably.
How is "government access" to someone elses property and labor EVER a Human Right?
Socialists/Marxists just don't see themselves as appropriating someone elses property and labor as anything but a "right". It's in their DNA. I understand. Compassion is more important that a persons property and labor.
Basic Human Rights don't go far beyond the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness", IMO.