US Consulate Sued over DNA test

[NALs]

Maybe this will be a wake up call for the Embassy to rethink how they handle peoples lives. Their rude treatment of both U.S. and Dominicans makes me do all i can to avoid to ask for any help from them. I have worked and lived in many countries and never received such treatment as received here. Have an appointment stand in line in the burning sun for an hour then be treated as if you are being done a favor. Get inside citizen services and try to find a chair. Wait until an hour has passed your appointment time. Then be told you must come back as you do not have what they deem you need to have. Want to have a direct deposit sent to your bank no way you must use Banco Popular. No other Bank. All Americans must use Banco Popular i find that some what strange. They even have a man standing outside citizen cervices handing out pre printed forms for Banco Popular when you sign up for social security Very interesting how they force you into this Bank.

I guess you're not alone...

<iframe width="853" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NcGfHDTJzqA?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

By the looks of things, that guy sorted his issue, but goes to show what many people have been saying about the US embassy.

What has been people's experiences in other embassies in Santo Domingo?

 

[pdmlynek]

Maybe this will be a wake up call for the Embassy to rethink how they handle peoples lives. Their rude treatment of both U.S. and Dominicans makes me do all i can to avoid to ask for any help from them...

Although I love United States, I sometimes think that the US government makes it super difficult for foreigners to deal with embassies on purpose. It is like some sort of a test, or a hazing process.

 

[frank recktenwald]

Embassy workers are civil servants and like most of them they couldn't survive in the "normal" world so what's left for them is to work for the government. I could write a book about my dealings with embassies of the Netherlands and Germany in several countries and the book would be in the genre of Stephen King.

 

[BabyBlu]

I think they should do a third test.. who's to say that the most recent test is not the incorrect one?

 

[ExtremeR]

and on just exactly which legal principle is your assertion based? if the Embassy ordered him to go take a test, and he gets killed en route, can that be attributed to the Embassy, on the grounds that absent the order for a test, he would not have driven in that direction?

Those DNA tests labs have to be certified by the US Consulate, if the lab in question was certified by the US Consulate with those deficiencies then the US Consulate is at fault, the beef with the lab should by the US Consulate, not by the affected party who was sent there by the US Consulate.

 

[Chip]

I admit too I have been upset and disenchanted by the embassy's treatment of myself and others. It is a verguenza as we say in Spanish.

 

[CFA123]

I hope he gets every Penny and then that they investigate who actually performed the test and fire them

SHALENA

Shalena, you seriously think that's worth a US$180 million settlement?
That sort of thinking is insane. Nearly a quarter billion dollars? Nah

 

[JohnnyBoy]

I admit too I have been upset and disenchanted by the embassy's treatment of myself and others. It is a verguenza as we say in Spanish.

If you are treated poorly at an embassy. Write to your Reps in Congress and tell them. Call their offices, repeatedly. Eventually they will get on the phone to someone at the State Dept. Remember they are govt employees. They cant be fired and dont care if you are treated well or not.

As for this lawsuit. This guy didnt even trust his wife enough to get a second opinion? Some guys take other peoples kids as thier own. This guy threw his wife out in the street without the benefit of another test?
Now he wants Uncle Sugar to pay a hundred and eighty million dollars?

 

[Chip]

If you are treated poorly at an embassy. Write to your Reps in Congress and tell them. Call their offices, repeatedly. Eventually they will get on the phone to someone at the State Dept. Remember they are govt employees. They cant be fired and dont care if you are treated well or not.

As for this lawsuit. This guy didnt even trust his wife enough to get a second opinion? Some guys take other peoples kids as thier own. This guy threw his wife out in the street without the benefit of another test?
Now he wants Uncle Sugar to pay a hundred and eighty million dollars?

The lawsuit is laughable, I admit. As far as my interaction with the embassy, I try to limit it as much as possible which in my case is very rare.

 

[ExtremeR]

If you are treated poorly at an embassy. Write to your Reps in Congress and tell them. Call their offices, repeatedly. Eventually they will get on the phone to someone at the State Dept. Remember they are govt employees. They cant be fired and dont care if you are treated well or not.

As for this lawsuit. This guy didnt even trust his wife enough to get a second opinion? Some guys take other peoples kids as thier own. This guy threw his wife out in the street without the benefit of another test?
Now he wants Uncle Sugar to pay a hundred and eighty million dollars?

Dude, it was a DNA test which 8 years ago was the paramount of a paternity test. Back then you didn?t second guess a DNA test, in fact I think it is hard to second-guess a DNA now as well....

 

[monfongo]

The actual test is done in the US , All they do here is swab the mouths of the father and child and send them to the US where the DNA test is done .

 

[JohnnyBoy]

Dude, it was a DNA test which 8 years ago was the paramount of a paternity test. Back then you didn?t second guess a DNA test, in fact I think it is hard to second-guess a DNA now as well....

I hear you. so why now would he get one? Just sounds like BS to me.

 

[pollogringo]

Some guys take other peoples kids as thier own.

Yep. Happily. Understandably, the dynamic changes when the father considers the possibility of raising the offspring of another, while being led to believe it's his. It's important to note that the original test wasn't carried out due to suspicion of infidelity, but as a matter of protocol. None of us can say for sure how we'd react in the same situation, with the result that came back from the lab.

I neither support nor oppose the suit. But I feel for all of the members of the family. It's a tragedy and no amount of money can change that.

 

[bob saunders]

I hear you. so why now would he get one? Just sounds like BS to me.

Because maybe the little darling looks just like him.

 

[the gorgon]

The actual test is done in the US , All they do here is swab the mouths of the father and child and send them to the US where the DNA test is done .

so, how do we know that the lab did not screw up, and send the wrong swabs?

 

[Big Dan]

I guess you're not alone...

<iframe width="853" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NcGfHDTJzqA?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

By the looks of things, that guy sorted his issue, but goes to show what many people have been saying about the US embassy.

What has been people's experiences in other embassies in Santo Domingo?

Well, he is standing in front of the Consulate Office. If the camera had moved 20 degrees to the left we would all have seen the black marquis sign, with red lighting, that states how to contact the Consulate. Also, around 15 degrees to the right are 3 to 4 glass windows that is staffed until early afternoon. Since there was no one outside the embassy, this video was likely taken later in the afternoon. Most Consulate appointments are early in the morning (6:30 am).

Additionally, at that corner, which is almost visible behind the speaker's right shoulder, there are people just inside the doors that can give this gentleman direction if he would only ask.

I call bull crap on this video...this guy is a whiny gringo who wants everything handed to him.

 

[pollogringo]

Well, he is standing in front of the Consulate Office. If the camera had moved 20 degrees to the left we would all have seen the black marquis sign, with red lighting, that states how to contact the Consulate. Also, around 15 degrees to the right are 3 to 4 glass windows that is staffed until early afternoon. Since there was no one outside the embassy, this video was likely taken later in the afternoon. Most Consulate appointments are early in the morning (6:30 am).

Additionally, at that corner, which is almost visible behind the speaker's right shoulder, there are people just inside the doors that can give this gentleman direction if he would only ask.

I call bull crap on this video...this guy is a whiny gringo who wants everything handed to him.

He is an unhappy little fellow, isn't he?

 

[keepcoming]

Having had the pleasure to experience our US Embassy a few times I can honestly say it was no picnic however I didn't expect it to be. When dealing with anything "government" I never expect anything more. Many times when someone is trying to petition for their children the Consulate will ask for a DNA test because there is something that they see in the application that may not look quite right to them, hence the request for the test. Years ago the US Consulate would see a overwhelming amount of applications with people trying to claim nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters as their own. While this situation is sad I really do believe there is more to the story. The man did not even have faith in his spouse that the child was his (I know it happens). While the service could be better I am sure many are just burned out employees who have seen and heard it all.

 

[SKing]

Big Dan,

Then can we just make our appointments with you when we need to be seen?

SHALENA

 

[pollogringo]

While the service could be better I am sure many are just burned out employees who have seen and heard it all.

No son adivinos. My ex solicited her aunt years ago. She was approved and stayed with us for the three months. Went home on time, followed all the rules. When she went for another one a few years later it was denied. No reason given. There appear to be monthly allowances or quotas in place. As mentioned, they get lied to all day long. At some point, it must get hard to sort it all out.