Time change

[Christian]

A friend told us on Sunday, 10/01/00, that The D.R. has officially moved the time back 1 hour, starting 10/01/00. We are new to the D.R. and speak limeted Spanish so we do not listen to D.R. news. Today the schools seemed to be operating on same schedule as last month. I searched DR1.com and found nothing. Can anyone help verify/clarify this time change for us. P.S. We live in Azua.

 

[Sarah]

Check the thread associated with this post: <A HREF="http://dominican-republic-news.com/board/index.cgi?read=38107">http://dominican-republic-news.com/board/index.cgi?read=38107</A>

Apparently DR will fall back one hour on Sunday October 29, and spring forward one hour in the spring - no date suggested for this as yet? Making folks in remote areas aware of this and helping them understand why should be a pretty good challenge, huh?

 

[rabble rouser]

sarah, daylight savings time starts 2am first sunday in april and ends 2am last sunday in october. i would guess that this will be the rule that DR will follow.
as roland was trying to point out in his messages last week, DR is not observing DST but is in effect creating a new time zone for itself.

 

[Sue]

Since I haven't been following this post please pardon my ignorance if this has already been answered. I'm confused - in the past when the time changed here in Toronto (fall - backwards, spring - forward, it stayed the same in the DR. Will this still be the case or are they now moving there clocks ahead/forward by an hour as well.

 

[Katia]

It will be the same as in Toronto and Montreal.

Katia

 

[NewT]

I think you are overestimating the importance

of time in many rural regions of the island.

 

[Sarah]

Re: I think you are overestimating the importance

I guess that was the point I was trying to make with my comment. It's not going to make much difference to folks many in rural areas of the DR. And the government is going to have a tough time implementing this change in those areas.

 

[Jim Hinsch]

The Dominican Republic is in the Atlantic time zone and they observe Atlantic Standard time year round. They do not observe Daylight Savings Time.

The eastern coast of the USA is on Eastern time.

Daylight Saving Time begins for most of the United States at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of April. This is also known as Eastern Daylight Time. Time reverts to standard time at 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of October, also known as Eastern Standard Time.

Because the Dominican Republic does not observe Daylight Savings Time, their time is the same as the eastern United States while Daylight Savings Times is being observed (Atlantic Standard = Eastern Daylight). In other words, April-October, NYC = Santo Domingo.

Prior, November-March, NYC and Santo Domingo were 1 hour apart.

The new law basically will put the Dominican Republic on Eastern time until the first Sunday of April 2001. If at that time, they move their clocks forward as most of the USA does during the implementation of Daylight Savings Time, the Dominican Republic will effectively be observing Eastern time zone, complete with Daylight Savings Time.

This new law is not the implementation of Daylight Savings Time in the DR, since setting the clock back in the Fall is "Coming Off" Daylight Savings Time, which the DR was never on, so they can't very well come off it. It is instead, a synchornization with the Eastern time zone.

In other words, NYC = Santo Domingo, always.

Jim Hinsch
JimHinsch@CSI.COM

 

[Sarah]

Very good explanation Jim.

Of course, I think the initial confusion came from DR1.com Daily News: <A HREF="http://www.dr1.com/daily/news092500.shtml">http://www.dr1.com/daily/news092500.shtml</A>

"Getting up an hour earlier
President Hip?lito Mej?a announced he will decree as of Tuesday the start of Daylight Savings Time in the DR. The National Council of Business (CONEP), the Academy of Sciences and several other local institutions requested the government set clocks back one hour to take advantage of sunlight.
The Academy of Science of the DR has requested that Daylight Savings Time be instituted by law, but suggested that while the law is passed, the Presidency issue a decree to this end.
With Daylight Savings Time the country will have savings one electricity consumption, improve airline service (especially with the Puerto Rico and the Eastern Seaboard of the US). It is also considered beneficial to the health of those living in the DR."

As you can see, Daylight Savings Time is referenced THREE times!

 

[DR1]

Re: I think you are overestimating the importance

Shouldn't be any big deal. The change of hour was a custom years back and wasn't a problem. People nattionwide will get accustomed to it again.

 

[Eddy]

Look at the good side. Now instead of people being one hour late for an appointment, they will be on time for 6 months and 2 hours late for the next.

 

[Katia]

Good way of seeing it Eddy!

Katia

 

[Sarah]

You're funny, Eddy! *DC*

 

[Ken]

Re: You're funny, Eddy!

There is no need to add anything about the specifics of the upcoming time change, except that I am puzzled by the president's inclusion of Puerto Rico on the list of places that the change will put the DR in sync with. Puerto Rico doesn't change the clock during the year.