Quote:
Originally Posted by J D Sauser
Base on news articles in the HOY papers and HERE too, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the government had acquired 10 millions of Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs to be distributed in a swapping program (eliminating incandescent bulbs) throughout the country (DR).
And it's truly happening! I was in a not so bad barrio just West of Penetracion al Muelle Av. in Puerto Plata to find a good bunch of homes bearing a sticker sign signaling that these homes were saving energy using CFLB's which had indeed been installed swapping about 4 to 5 normal bulbs in each home... FREE! (FREE? Well, sort'a, after all they take away the old bulbs... wouldn't we be surprised to see the pulgas starting to swamp the market with "slighlty used" or "package missing" incandescent light bulbs soon? 
But then, after going back researching the news articles, some numbers compelled me to stop short of hollering "hallelujah" from my balcony.
Here are the numbers: It's 10 Millions of bulbs for about USD 18.5 Million initial investment to acquire them. That's USD 1.85 a pop. I can get them at the super market in Puerto Plata for less, buying ONE by ONE.
Also, a 5 minute search effort on the net soon revealed offers from vendors at that same price (USD 1.85/piece) when you buy only 50 or more. I am almost tempted to drive that seller into total hysteria for asking if they couldn't take that price down just a little bit more for... erm... 10 Million units  .
I think these deals should be found under 1.00 USD (at least on fleabay I COULD) and in these quantities directly from a manufacturer, and if they (the gov) are not to be assumed stupid, I would suspect that's what they in fact may have done... so somebody may walk around with 8 to 10 millions of USD out of that deal...
Morale? My grandfather and your parents were right, we should have studied LAW instead of pursuing a technical career and stuff... I just can't seem to get into politics and get rich so quickly building homes and consulting to builders and developers... 
... J-D. |
JD, the CFL program is aimed at assisting lower income and poor families to get engaged in the soon to come energy savings programme of the gov.
The CFL bulbs are not in one wattage only, but depending on location and usage, they vary from the lowest to the highest that are available in the market.
The news reports in the DR are always missing most of the important and for the most part, essential part of the programme. The CFL programme is not ten (10) million bulbs, but way above that by a long margin. The first loads that were received are already being distributed along an educational backing to the users about energy savings and the impact in their budget.
About your post above with the link to an Ebay offer for equally energy savings bulbs at great savings:
24 Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs 23w=100w CFL Save75%
price: US $14.95
Shipping costs: US $18.00
US $28.50 Canada
Standard Flat Rate Shipping Service
Service to United States & Canada
Now let me ask you were do you think the DR buys the CFLs?
How do you think they arrive to country?
Do you have an idea of shipping costs regarding the lack of weight for the loads, yet shippers in contrast charge per volume when weight is under certain conditions?
Do you really think that those distributors were willing to provide a warranty for the minimum stated operational time of the bulbs in question to an order far exceeding the 10 million mark?
Did you know that the bulbs in question and purchase order is a contract made nation to nation with co-funding for the contract?
Did you know that Cuba is the largest supplier under that contract?
Do you know the terms of the loan that was approved via a third nation?
Canada is just to the north and by land, we?