Dear Mr. President....

frank alvarez · #1 10-24-2005, 05:54 PM

....please read the 'Wake Up Leonel' thread in this section. This is what many people are feeling. After the disaster that was the PRD/Hipolito government of 2000/2004, most Dominicans looked to you with a great dealof hope to get things turned around. In many ways you have but, the impression you give by some inactions, unkept promises and how your collaborators act, do you and your party more harm than you appear torealize. In the end, the harm will be done to the country when the people go looking for another alternative in 2008 and we may fall into irresponsible handsonce again. Next year's congressional and municipal elections, where the PRD and others are already working tirelessly to continue in power to cause your further problems, are not looking too good for your PLD.

It's a shame. You lowered the exchange rate drastically and improved the
economy in terms of sheer statistics, but these numbers are important only to the ruling class and big businesses. The lower classes, the masses, where
most of the votes are, can be had by the opposition due to you and your party's 'attitude' of arrogance, your detached approach to the exercise of your office in this 'presidentially oriented society' and some questionable or clearly stupid decisions. Why in the world do you close gas stations at 8, on Saturdays at 12 and keep them closed on Sunday? Do you really think these measures save any fuel? Perhaps the contrary! Now we all have to run around with full tanks, worrying about weekend movement and the ill will towards your government by the masses is very widespread.

Perhaps it's not too late. Stop travelling so much, participating in these endless seminars, doing long, tiring professorial expositions and roll up your
sleeves, go out into the country, get rid of at least half of your government
officials and bring in fresh faces that you believe can do the job for you and us. Spent a lot less time with government officials, leading businessmen and their associations, the clergy, etc., etc., and go out to Guachupita, Gualey and Capotillo in Santo Domingo, Cienfuegos in Santiago and most communities in all provinces. Unless you do a 180 degree turnaround immediately your government and the country may be doomed.

Porfirio · #2 10-25-2005, 11:45 AM

I submitted the ¨WAKE UP LEONEL¨thread. You are totally correct in your submission. I doubt if Leonel reads our submissions. He would be in for a crash course in the true opinions of us who sincerely desire a Government for the people, and not just for himself, his friends and ¨hangers on¨, who do not realize the discontent within this Country. To continue his erroneous desire to build a subway and disrupt the commerce of the City for years, while a monorail would be less disruptive, cheaper and eye appealing. To continue his ¨whacky¨idea to build an island off the malecone is beyond belief. He continues to barrow funds putting us deeper in a quicksand of debt. He continues to neglect a decent educational system for the poorer families. He continues to neglect the implementation of a proper and decent health-hospital-medical system for all Dominicans, while he travels to New York or Miami for his and his families medical needs. Let´s hope for a better Government is in our future.

project9 · #3 10-26-2005, 08:13 AM

Quote:

you give by some inactions, unkept promises and how your collaborators act, do you and your party more harm than you appear torealize.

Can you please be a lot more specific? starting by saying which are those unkept promises, what do you mean by inaction and who(and what) are you talking about when you say "how your collaborators act.

From you (and Porfirio) i expect a reply like this: "if you can't see it you're blind" ... so please surprise me.

Quote:

It's a shame. You lowered the exchange rate drastically and improved the economy in terms of sheer statistics, but these numbers are important only to the ruling class and big businesses.

What a load of crap, really. First of all the exchange rate was not lowered by the president ... remember: this country has managed floating exchange rate, in the case of any authority intervention it would be done by the CB and not the president. You say that the numbers in our economy are only important for the people with money, which leads me to a question: are the rich people the only ones who go to supermercados and colmados? No, the masses do that too and if they do that they too are enjoying the "sheer statistic" that says that prices have only increased 8% in the last year.

Your last paragraph is not worth of an answer ... it's the same political bs we heard in the past regarding the president's trips abroad, and we all saw the results of those trips 4 years ago.

Andy B · #4 10-26-2005, 08:54 AM

project9,
Some else on this board said previously that "Leonel is nothing more than Hippolito with hair," and from the horror stories about what is REALLY going on in Santo Domingo that I'm getting from my friends deep within the national government coupled with the way the PLD is running things at the local level, there is no doubt in my mind that this government is not as bad as the previous one,...it's WORSE! If you would remove your rose colored glasses and really see what's going on around you, you would know that what Frank Alverez and Porfirio are saying is dead on the money.

Out here in the sticks (and the real world of the DR), the average. everyday guy on the street is really beginning to resent what Leonel is doing with his grandiose schemes (which are ways to do nothing more than siphon off money into their pockets) rather than tend to his country's people. And these are not just PRD supporters I'm talking about, but people that I personally know who strongly supported the PLD in the last election. The PLD lost the election to Hippo and the PRD because of this and from the way things are going now, it's going to happen again.

project9 · #5 10-26-2005, 10:44 AM

You managed to give the impression that threre's "something" wrong in the country ... what you didn't do was actually saying WHAT is wrong with the country and the way it is being managed ... that usually happens when people talk out of their asses.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndyB

there is no doubt in my mind that this government is not as bad as the previous one,...it's WORSE!

Do you have any tangible evidence of that? Or you just say it because "Leonel es un comesolo y no hay cuarto en la calle" ?

Andy B · #6 10-26-2005, 12:27 PM

Re talking out of my ass: no need to insult my intelligence which anyway, is probably a lot greater than yours. If you knew my background other than being a hotel owner on the Samana peninsula you would know that I don't speak lightly. And as a business owner here for many years I can tell you that there is "something wrong" and things ARE worse at all levels of government. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that the country is not only rife with a greater level of corruption but is being mismanaged starting from the highest level on down. Even the local people that were somewhat above corruption during the previous government are now openly big barracudas and are doing all manner of ilicit things with their hands out constantly. And the rest of the local people are just getting more p*ss*d by the day. From the timbre of your posts I can tell you don't have your finger on the pulse of the everyday people, just those that buy the same, old, tired PLD political malarky, hook, line and sinker. "Come solo?" You bet it is and it ain't good.

And just to get the record straight, I have NO DR political preference other than good government and lately I don't see much of that on this island.

project9 · #7 10-26-2005, 12:57 PM

Again, you gave the impression that "something" is wrong ... now all you have to do is put your money where your mouth is and say exactly WHAT is wrong.

I do have one question tho ... can you explain for us the comparision you made to arrive at the conclusion that "the country is rife with higher levels of corruption". I ask because i do believe that corruption is not particular to any political party but i also think that your affirmation is way over-exaggerated.

Quote:

Re talking out of my ass: no need to insult my intelligence which anyway, is probably a lot greater than yours.

Ya but i can **** further than you! Can you beat that? eh? can you beat it?

project9 · #8 10-28-2005, 07:57 AM

Too much talk ... very little substance.

thepiper · #9 11-21-2005, 02:03 PM

"What a load of crap, really. First of all the exchange rate was not lowered by the president ... remember: this country has managed floating exchange rate, in the case of any authority intervention it would be done by the CB and not the president. You say that the numbers in our economy are only important for the people with money, which leads me to a question: are the rich people the only ones who go to supermercados and colmados? No, the masses do that too and if they do that they too are enjoying the "sheer statistic" that says that prices have only increased 8% in the last year."

This would be a very good point if the CB administrators did not answer directly to the president who gave him the job for their loyal political service. That is true now and always has been in DR. I hope you are just finding this out.

RHM · #10 11-21-2005, 02:41 PM

I would like to take moment to tell all of you how much I love reading threads like this. You guys sound just like Republicans and Democrats in the U.S.

Let me say this....those who are truly enlightened when it comes to politics are the individuals who don't get blinded by party and partisanship and come to the realization that under the surface politicians and parties are ALL the same. Their number one priority is to get in and stay in office. Then they take care of themselves and their buddies. Then they think about MAYBE doing something that actually helps their constituents.

I follow international politics pretty closely and I have yet to find a politician and/or party who can be supported whole heartedly although some are better than others.

Leonel would have to rape a nun in St. Peter's Square for some of his followers to denounce him and Hipolito still has tons of supporters. Go figure.

At least people are interested.

Scandall

Edit to: fix a whole bunch of stuff...I'm in a hurry