Dominican Work Ethic

[Jon S.]

Dominican work ethic is due mostly to the Dominican general populace's lack of responsibility!!!!!! I'm with CC on this one. There are few exceptions to that rule and those come along when have been exposed to other cultures and their work ethic. For example, my father grew up in a tumultous time in the DR, during and right after the Trujillo dictatorship. His father was a Navy officer who got killed in the War back in 1965. From that point on, my father has managed to put 5 of his brothers and sisters thru college. He even had a candy stand and sold soda pop to the sailors over at the Navy post by San Souci, saved up enough money to put up a roof over the house and still had money left over......even though it took a while to save it all up. He's been traveling since the late 60s so it definitely has something to do with it..........thats 1 example

[Texas Bill]

Fred;

Before you read any further, do a little research into Roman and Byzintine history.
Then look at the Arab historical culture. Then equate all this to present day Mediterranen culture as applies to government beaurocracies throughout the entire Mediterranean region and Latin America in it's entirety.
I think you will begin, thereby, to understand the Dominican cultural work ethic as being an inherited syndrome through the associations. Dominican culture, while being unique in many ways, is still one that has been inherited from the Med. You must remember that the "what was good enough for popi is good enough for me" idea is very prevalent and not likely to be abrogated anytime in the near future.

Texas Bill

[ltsnyder]

Generation upon generation of white people who expected others to do the work, as the layers of lard collected on thier butts and as they multiplied, we a left with a bunch of complainers that are incapable of action, that is our legacy.
I've never seen any one work as hard as a Haitian at field work, hell I'd collapse after the first hour of following one of those field workers around.

-Lee

[samiam]

Originally posted by ltsnyder
I've never seen any one work as hard as a Haitian at field work, hell I'd collapse after the first hour of following one of those field workers around.
-Lee

Martin is a Hatian friend of mine. I met him in a construction site and asked him to do some work in a house my father left me. He doesnt bitch about the economic situation, doesnt come late, doesnt leave a mess and doesnt stop untill he finishes. I hired him to take down a wall on a 35 year old house (construction wise is far more solid and rigid than now a days) and then pick up the debris and load that into a truck. This task he completed in a single day and I would bet his Dominican counterpart would have taken atleast 3.

Martin is also a friendlier type of guy, likes to play with the dogs (Dominican workers where always afraid of them) and always says hello smiling, while Dominican workers had a strange attitude as if they where doing me a favor.

I dunno, thats just my experience.
Hard construction labor = Hatian
Gardening = Dominican
House work = Yourself but if you must, Dominican with supervision
Plumbing, Carpintery Ironwork and Painting = Dominican with really close supervision.

The rest, you are better off doing it your self!!

[goatfarmnga]

My husband is a hard working Dominican, who is physically fit and tall. He can and has dug ditches for a construction company while all Americans, Mexican co-workers watched in AWE..He is usually the only one working when I go to have lunch with him...They generally give him all the hardest jobs..He has cleared alot of our 35 acres mostly with a Machete' much to the amazement of all our neighbors who are afraid of anyone who can swing a Machete' the way he can..
I think some Dominicans who grew up doing HARD work even as a pre-teen like my husband have that hard work instilled into them..My husband for one is not Money driven...He works but has a menial job where the people he works with and for love him as he does not sit around and BS, gets to the job at hand and has no fear of hard labor..This he learned from his dad in the DR on a cocoa farm...He rode a donkey everywhere..Can walk for miles with no complaints..So some have been taught that hard labor is a way of life and are willing to do it.
I am sure though if you are looking for someone who is meticulous in their work..I may not pick a Dominican...Kind of a Half-ass approach to many things...The only person I have seen load a dishwasher and consider it full with about 10 dishes.. PAM

For the few who think since I have not BEEN to the DR YET that I should not post....I am speaking of first hand experience of 6+ years of watching a dominican work almost daily..He refuses to work on Sunday..something he learned from his father in Yamasa' DR..

[MaineGirl]

When I first visited the Dr during Holy Week 2001 I could not believe that people were working and construction was going on.

Previous experience in Venezuela taught me Holy Week was a full week off!

So in comparison to Venezuelans I find the work ethic to be better.

My host family in PoP had a lovely Haitian guy working for them, he was reliable and caring. He also spoke Parisian French because his uncles travelled often to France and spoke it well.

Now their maids on the other hand, it was like a revolving door, three years, three visits, three maids with changes in between those changes. All Dominican girls. However the reason they came and went to quickly was because la abuela in the house abused them.

"Hey stupid, fix the food," isn't the best working conditions.

However when the lady of the house was present and in charge, the girls practically worshipped her and did boatloads of work. Of course she was the type to roll up her sleeves and get the job done with their help, she wasn't the type to sit back and boss them around.

[calamardoazul]

I´m dominican born and raised , I´ve worked my*** out in this country with so many really few opportunities for hard working people... and I think I´ve succeed ,look, foreign investors come here looking for cheap, hard working people:

Why the Dominican Republic?
1) Quality of life. It's a good place to live and raise a family.
2) It's got great weather.
3) Well organized business community.
4) Geographically located near major trade markets in the center of the Americas.
5) Abundant non-skilled work force of earnest and fast-learning young people.
6) Abundant qualified managerial staff available.
6) It has a large domestic market.
7) It has the largest tourism industry in the Caribbean which is a large export market within the country.
8) Excellent telecommunications service.
9) Diversity of investment opportunities
10) Preferential trade agreements signed with Europe, the United States, the Caribbean and Central America
11) Positive attitude towards foreigners and foreign investors.
12) Fastest growing economy in Latin America for the past five years.
13) Political stability.
14) Low crime rate.
15) DR is a true melting pot with little racial tensions.

All the above 15 items are posted in the very DR1 site (sorry if is copyrigthed material)

Most skilled dominican workers are reliable and hard working...

I think my friend (may I call you so?) CC maybe have to be introduced with honest and hard working dominican people....

[Cleef]

It takes all kinds.

I've met some incredibly hard working Dominicans in the states and they were part of the allure to this culture for me.

Once living here, I've seen some very hard working and concientous efforts. But as for quality, I have yet to see much where a little pride (quality workmanship) has been applied - but a part of the mentality (here) is to just make do. My father was an amazing carpenter, I have very high standards when it comes to such things. Most "craftsmen" here don't pay attention to "painting within the lines".

But then again I agree in the sense that you'll find many that will drop everything to help you fix a flat, figure out your electricity problem, or work all day to help fix a water problem or whatever. I have yet to meet a "neighbor" that wouldn't go the extra kilometer for me in a time of need.

I've also seen the polar extreme of laziness that is mindboggling, but that is clearly evident all over white trash America too - they aren't the most obese because there are simply more Wendy's. The only ones left living the American dream in the States are all foreign born.

That being said, I'm sure the origins of the culture have a lot to do with it. In addition, those of us that come from the northern hemisphere where there is the inherent battle to the winter elements, our forefathers (and mothers) worked long and hard hours to supply for a winter in near hibernation - even I, born in 70, canned fruits and veggies for the winter that we stored in our root cellar. That certainly has some carryover.

Here, where the weather is constant, and fruit (food) hangs from bushes and trees all year long, there is less concern for tomorrow's meal, so to speak. Staples of the diet are weed roots, they grow anywhere and all the time.

This is just a different place with a different pace.

Comparing it to anywhere else is good fodder for old ladies sipping tea (or know-it-alls-on-message-boards), beyond that, get over it..... and buy yourself a killer set of tools and concrete drill.

....DAMN! I let my neighbor borrow it!

[MaineGirl]

Comparing it to anywhere else is good fodder for old ladies sipping tea (or know-it-alls-on-message-boards)

Hey! I resemble that remark .

[Cleef]

We're so damn smrt.