(Oped piece) Leonel Fernandez setting up his next job

[RHM]

Dominican President Leonel Fernandez’s Global Aspirations

July 15, 2008

Dominican President Leonel Fernandez continues to take advantage of every opportunity possible to tell the Dominican people how smart he is instead of just leading the country as he promised. Most recently, according to DR1’s Daily News, instead of laying out his domestic plan for sky-rocketing fuel prices and a flimsy economy, he decided to share “his broader picture of the oil problems and listed his international efforts to tackle the problems on a global level.” This lecture included an attempt to educate Dominicans on how unregulated speculators can drive up the cost of crude oil by fiddling with futures options on commodities they don’t plan on ever receiving. Get it? It’s simple, right? Well, not exactly. You see, he’s speaking to a largely illiterate and uneducated population that, among other things, doesn’t know what they’re supposed to do at red versus green traffic lights.

“Doctor” Fernandez’s plan includes forming a fund from the excess profits (as if there is such a thing) of oil-producing countries (aka other people’s money) to help offset costs in the developing world. Not a word was spoken about domestic efforts to deal with the worsening crisis. Not a word about how he plans on dealing with Public Transport Unions that openly defy and bully him. Not a word about the need for conservation, fiscal responsibility, and, most importantly, national solidarity to weather the coming storm - the things you would expect from a leader of his alleged stature. Instead, the government and society will continue sailing along in typical Dominican style – drinking champagne on a beer budget.

In March of 2008, Fernandez hosted the XX Summit Meeting of the Rio Group just a few miles from my house in Santo Domingo. The meeting was held in the immediate aftermath of Colombian President Uribe’s cross-border attack on a known FARC position inside of President Correa’s Ecuador. Add Venezuelan President and “Mouth of the South” Hugo Chavez and the homeless-looking Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua to the mix and tensions were high. Fernandez displayed exceptional diplomatic skills, kept the tone somewhat civil, and was able to get the million dollar picture he needed for his scrapbook – orchestrated handshakes between Uribe, Correa, Chavez, and Ortega with himself (of course) as the peacemaker. I was proud of him that day and said so. If we are going to criticize our leaders every time they make a mistake we have an obligation to praise them when they do well. At the Rio Summit he had an obligation, as host, to step-up and lead the international effort to defuse an escalating conflict among fellow Latin American nations, but the global crude oil market is another problem all together and, quite frankly, over his head. It’s time for Fernandez to plant his feet firmly on the ground (preferably Dominican soil) and get to work on his own domestic agenda.

Fernandez’s reputation on the global stage is excellent (for some reason the Economist loves him). And it has become obvious that he wants to be an international political player with a significant position in the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund or another global institution and there’s nothing wrong with that. But if he really wants to “be someone” on the global stage he needs to stop talking and start leading immediately.

Fernandez has been President of the Dominican Republic for 8 of the past 12 years and there is little doubt his star is on the rise internationally. The only lingering question is what condition he will leave his country in when he finally sets up office in another part of the world. Will it be a better, stronger Dominican Republic or will the only change be a giant footprint on the island because he used his own country as a stepping-stool? Only time will tell.

RHM

[ExtremeR]

Lets see:

The country now is in better shape than August 16, 2004 so we can project from there, there's a world economic crisis including food and oil huge prices and yet the country is in good shape.

I don't know what the writer is trying to state here implying that Leonel only talks and doesn't lead, doesn't he knows that if it wasn't by the aggresive politics of the Banco Central the dollar would be in the 100's and therefore the gas gallon at 400 pesos.

Leonel strikes a very good deal with Venezuela and Petrocaribe and yet they criticize that the country is becoming full of debt. That is something obvious because we don't produce an ounce of oil and we had two options, to pay cash worsening the exchange rate or to finance it with a very good deal as the Petrocaribe deal.

Complains, complains, complains yet people doesn't look into the big picture.

[tjmurray]

Originally Posted by ExtremeR

Lets see:

The country now is in better shape than August 16, 2004 so we can project from there, there's a world economic crisis including food and oil huge prices and yet the country is in good shape.

I don't know what the writer is trying to state here implying that Leonel only talks and doesn't lead, doesn't he knows that if it wasn't by the aggresive politics of the Banco Central the dollar would be in the 100's and therefore the gas gallon at 400 pesos.

Leonel strikes a very good deal with Venezuela and Petrocaribe and yet they criticize that the country is becoming full of debt. That is something obvious because we don't produce an ounce of oil and we had two options, to pay cash worsening the exchange rate or to finance it with a very good deal as the Petrocaribe deal.

Complains, complains, complains yet people doesn't look into the big picture.

Every gallon of gas I put in my tank is taxed about 33%. Public officials make salaries of about RD$350,000-400,000 pesos a month (not including their famous perks) when the national average salary is RD$8,000 a month...please.

Bottom line is, the gov't has the money.

Now, until they learn how to spend it correctly (lower gov't salaries, lower corruption), the country will not progress. Leonel basically sidestepped every tough question in this recent press conference cause he doesn't have the answer.

[Hipocrito Mejia]

That picture says it all folks. It's all smoke and mirrors!

The books are fixed to make the economy seem like it's fine and dandy, while the country's future is mortgaged to the hilt with loan after loan to pay for overpriced projects, that only provide an opportunity for all the big fish in government to skim their huge portions off the top. Meanwhile, the level of the electric service worsens by the day, the roads are still full of craters, the schools continue to provide a sub-par education, and the so-called public health system is basically non-existent.

Fernandez is good at speaking, but his words are nothing but empty rhetoric. Does anyone remember the austerity and energy conservation plan that he mentioned? Where is it?

[Squat]

Originally Posted by Hipocrito Mejia

[IMG]Fernandez is good at speaking, but his words are nothing but empty rhetoric.

-Isn't that the definition of a Dominican politician ???

[RHM]

Originally Posted by Squat

-Isn't that the definition of a Dominican politician ???

No, that's the definition of all politicians, not just Dominicans.

The US government drinks champagne on a beer budget too. Perhaps worse.

RHM

[Chip]

It seams the normal population here just eats this type of smoking mirror stuff up. In other words it's almost if they prefer a politicians speak to them in words they can't understand about topics they have never heard of. With the exception of Hipolito, most seem to take this approach. Just look at the Vargas commercials - just plain ridiculous.

When will we ever have a politician who can speak the language without trying to impress and stupefy the electorate into an apathetic slumber and address real issues and then actually hold themselves accountable? If I were an opposing candidate I would call them narcissists and question their patriotism while repeatedly discussing the issues that need to be discussed.

I do believe once we are so fortunate to have a politician like that here, that this will set a new standard that the electorate will demand from and judge by all politicians in the future. But until then what are we ever to do?

[Lambada]

Originally Posted by Scandall

This lecture included an attempt to educate Dominicans on how unregulated speculators can drive up the cost of crude oil by fiddling with futures options on commodities they don’t plan on ever receiving.

I respectfully disagree with this part, Scandall. I don't think the President was attempting to educate anyone. What I saw it as was a blatant attempt to externalise the problem to a global level thus exonerating the DR Government from responsibility for country specific issues. The standard 'someone else is to blame' game. And maybe some of the proletariat will fall for it. But when you look at the responses from groups as diverse as CONEP & the Alternative Social Forum..........there are a WHOLE lotta folks who can see through it.

[RHM]

Originally Posted by Lambada

I respectfully disagree with this part, Scandall. I don't think the President was attempting to educate anyone. What I saw it as was a blatant attempt to externalise the problem to a global level thus exonerating the DR Government from responsibility for country specific issues.

Can't argue with you there, but don't you get the impression that he's always "showing off"? And what did you make of the main point - that he (like too many American politicians) doesn't seem to have a plan on some very important issues?

RHM

[Bayx-**]

The will be no change for now. Maybe in 10 years or more when the population of DR becomes more mixed. When the future generations of immigrant children take some part on the government. The new generations that hopefully will have some good backgrounds. What I mean is the DR's government is base on pure Dominicans mostly born and raised in DR. The politicians here are all the same, they come from the same environment. They are trained to do the same.

We need a new mixed goverment with a percentage of others races since politicians can not perform their job properly.

Hope I'm alive to see the change.

my opinion