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 organizing a project of nation for the World Baseball Classic team. It ended the life of Rubby Perez, whose interpretation of “Volvere” hums in the ears of all.
And that of Christian Tejeda, the director of Urban Infrastructure of the City Government of the National District, the capital city. And the life of vice minister of the Ministry of Housing Eduardo Guarionex Estrella who was the son of the newly appointed Minister of Public Works. These three institutions are in charge of ensuring the quality of construction and their inspections.
It also ended the life of the daughter of one of the country’s leading litigation lawyers. There are sure to be long months as suits seek accountability that can contribute to more willingness to comply with regulations.
This is the time for President Luis Abinader’s trusted Minister of Public Works, the highly respected former president of the Senate, Eduardo Estrella, to find healing in the crusade for the life of his son and the hundreds of victims and make a difference. As the country undertakes the World Baseball Classic, the best consolation for Nelson Cruz is that the nation take on this challenge to change, and the life of his sister not be in vain.
Minister of Public Works Eduardo Estrella needs to lead this crusade in the name of his son and daughter-in-law to end the culture of non-accountability and the lenience in government with the too frequent bending of the rules and laws.
This is the opportunity for the government and the people to put prevention first. In a country where the government is reactive, investing heavily in trauma hospitals, instead of technology to prevent traffic accidents that every day send hundreds to hospitals, the actions needed to change the culture are humongous. If this tragedy motivates change, the actions might possibly spill off to end the epidemic of traffic accidents.
Highly respected and wise Eduardo Estrella will know what has to be done. We hope he rises to the occasion as a tribute to his son and daughter-in-law and the lives of those the Dominican Republic is mourning now. They will bring hope and consolation to a land under collective trauma and their lives will have served a divine purpose.
Dolores Vicioso
14 April 2025