That the 226 lives not be in vain

[Dolores]

The devastating JetSet Club tragedy, claiming over 226 lives, serves as a too painful reminder of the urgent need to move beyond a deep-seated culture of wishful thinking and negligence in the Dominican Republic towards proactive prevention. The prevailing culture manifests itself in the reliance on divine protection rather than diligent enforcement of standards to prevent disasters.

The ghostly or divine coincidences of the victims of the 8 April 2025 JetSet Club tragedy presents an opportunity to rise to the challenge and save hundreds of thousands of lives in the future.

The collapse of the concrete roof of the JetSet Club took with it the lives of two offspring of the founder of the Banco Popular, one of the most powerful banking groups in Latin America. It took with it the life of the governor of Montecristi, Nelsy, sister of Nelson Cruz, who is...

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[Joseph NY2STI]

Very well said, especially this part: The prevailing culture manifests itself in the reliance on divine protection rather than diligent enforcement of standards to prevent disasters.

Every time I hear someone say "si Dios quiere", I want to respond that what Dios quiere is for you to use the brain He gave you. Bravo on saying what needs to be said. We can only hope that people will listen.

 

[Manuel01]

I wouldn't ask for to much.
To think that from now on the will apply higher building standards and/or Post Building supervision or Inspection would be naive.
Structures used or paid by the government would be affected way more than private ones.
If they throw the owner of the club for a long time in Jail, confiscate everything that he owes and distribute it to the victims, this would be more effective and doable.
Also high jail sentences to the a..holes that published videos of dying people under the rubble would make the DR instantly a better place.

 

[MiamiDRGuy]

Sad that number rosed now to 231. I am afraid the number will keep going up. This is real sad and DR is already hurting

 

[Manuel01]

Sad that number rosed now to 231. I am afraid the number will keep going up. This is real sad and DR is already hurting

True, i just drove by. Very weird and sad atmosphere.

 

[CristoRey]

I wouldn't ask for to much.
To think that from now on the will apply higher building standards and/or Post Building supervision or Inspection would be naive.
Structures used or paid by the government would be affected way more than private ones.
If they throw the owner of the club for a long time in Jail, confiscate everything that he owes and distribute it to the victims, this would be more effective and doable.
Also high jail sentences to the a..holes that published videos of dying people under the rubble would make the DR instantly a better place.

I saw a picture Friday evening of the singer taken immediately after his passing. I took a minute and explained to the kid who showed me the picture why he should delete it and not share it with anyone else. He scoffed at me and walked off.

Like many other uncomfortable aspects of Dominican society, it took years to create, will take years to correct.

 

[AlterEgo]

I saw a picture Friday evening of the singer taken immediately after his passing. I took a minute and explained to the kid who showed me the picture why he should delete it and not share it with anyone else. He scoffed at me and walked off.

Like many other uncomfortable aspects of Dominican society, it took years to create, will take years to correct.

It’s not horrifying to them the way it is to us. The first time I attended a funeral at Blandino’s in SD, I was stunned when multiple people took photos of the deceased in the coffin. I was sure it was an anomaly.

Nope.

I’ve been to many more, and photos at every one. When Mr AE’s mother died, one of his brothers pulled out his phone and snapped a few. This is an educated man who was an executive VP of BHD. I’ll never understand.

 

[Joseph NY2STI]

It’s not horrifying to them the way it is to us. The first time I attended a funeral at Blandino’s in SD, I was stunned when multiple people took photos of the deceased in the coffin. I was sure it was an anomaly.

Nope.

I’ve been to many more, and photos at every one. When Mr AE’s mother died, one of his brothers pulled out his phone and snapped a few. This is an educated man who was an executive VP of BHD. I’ll never understand.

Old European custom. I have a picture of my great-grandmother seated in front of her casket, and one of my mother lying in hers. She looked so good it was hard to believe she was dead!

 

[keepcoming]

AE, agree, most Dominicans do not think of it that way. Now saying that, my spouse's friend who died in the Jet Set tragedy, the last photo his kids saw of him was a photo of him being carried out on a stretcher that someone posted online. IMO there is a line that should be not crossed in these types of situations.

 

[josh2203]

It’s not horrifying to them the way it is to us. The first time I attended a funeral at Blandino’s in SD, I was stunned when multiple people took photos of the deceased in the coffin. I was sure it was an anomaly.

Nope.

I’ve been to many more, and photos at every one. When Mr AE’s mother died, one of his brothers pulled out his phone and snapped a few. This is an educated man who was an executive VP of BHD. I’ll never understand.

I have attended 3 funerals in the DR. What you write is behavior at least I have not witnessed or could be that I simply have not seen anyone doing this... I would also never understand.

 

[josh2203]

Old European custom.

Really? I had no idea, news to me. I'm European, and as far as I know this has not been a custom in my family.

 

[Joseph NY2STI]

Really? I had no idea, news to me. I'm European, and as far as I know this has not been a custom in my family.

Key word: Old .Like anything else, not all encompassing, but not unique. I didn't know it was a thing at D.R funerals, although the macabre fascination with corpses in the street is not new.

 

[CristoRey]

I have attended 3 funerals in the DR. What you write is behavior at least I have not witnessed or could be that I simply have not seen anyone doing this... I would also never understand.

I attended one at 11am this morning. Close friend. Kidney failure. A lot of ups and downs for the last two years. We think he just got tired of fighting and gave up. People were very respectful.

Been to about a dozen since moving down here. At every single one folks were well-mannered, even the few I attended in proper barrios like Cristo Rey down in SD and La Joya here in Santiago. Always respectful.

Snapped this pic before leaving.

 

[josh2203]

I attended one at 11am this morning. Close friend. Kidney failure. A lot of ups and downs for the last two years. We think he just got tired of fighting and gave up. People were very respectful.

Been to about a dozen since moving down here. At every single one folks were well-mannered, even the few I attended in proper barrios like Cristo Rey down in SD and La Joya here in Santiago. Always respectful.

Snapped this pic before leaving.

My condolences, sorry for your loss.

Yes, at every funeral I have attended, people have always been extremely respectful, the thing that I had to get used to first was a "slightly" more powerful way of showing emotions here than back home.

The first ever deceased person I have seen in my life was my wife's grandmother in the campo many years ago. At her home, in her 90s. The house was filled with people, first my wife went to see her, I stayed with the kids on the street, then it was my turn. She looked very peaceful, I used to talk to her a lot... The nicest person you can imagine...

 

[josh2203]

Key word: Old .Like anything else, not all encompassing, but not unique.

I actually went to Wikipedia and checked this. You're right, this was a custom right in my home country in the very early 1900s, so a bit more than a century ago... I had no idea...

 

[JD Jones]

I have seen things done at funerals here that I would not believe if I didn't see a video of it, especially with today's youths who feel it's perfectly OK to pull a body out of a casket and ride them around on a motorcycle, pour alcohol or drugs all over them, girls who dance and twerk on a body.... The list goes on and on.
What we consider respect for the dead is a foreign concept here.

 

[Manuel01]

I have seen things done at funerals here that I would not believe if I didn't see a video of it, especially with today's youths who feel it's perfectly OK to pull a body out of a casket and ride them around on a motorcycle, pour alcohol or drugs all over them, girls who dance and twerk on a body.... The list goes on and on.
What we consider respect for the dead is a foreign concept here.

Unfortunately 100% true !!!

 

[Ecoman1949]

Unfortunately 100% true !!!

I’ve witnessed some bizarre social behaviour in the DR but, thankfully, nothing like disrespect for the dead. The few DR funerals I’ve attended were respectfully done. What does sadden me is the state of some of the cemeteries, especially in the campo. The poor do their best for their deceased but some of the cemeteries are rough and in desperate need of attention.

 

[CristoRey]

I have seen things done at funerals here that I would not believe if I didn't see a video of it, especially with today's youths who feel it's perfectly OK to pull a body out of a casket and ride them around on a motorcycle, pour alcohol or drugs all over them, girls who dance and twerk on a body.... The list goes on and on.
What we consider respect for the dead is a foreign concept here.

I've seen plenty of these videos. Dominicans will often share them on social media as a form of entertainment.