Guillermo Moreno's Plan For Dealing With DR's Problems

[BushBaby]

Originally Posted by Texas Bill

Grahamme, Chris AND Cobraboy;
My observations, in theshort tome I have lived here, read a bit of DR history, leads me to believe that the "blame" for the cunundrum facing the DR rests with the "body politic" and their empty promises to their constituency over the years have resulted in the "general attitude" that the "government" is a know it all, do it all "savior". Without that constant influx of empty rhetoric on an uneducated and naieve population we would be in an entirely different social structure than we see today.
To me, the question is: "Can the EVER climb out of being a failed society in the eyes of those of us who were raised in a different and more progressive society"?
My own answer to that question is, NEVER.
Having said that, I was apalled at the lack of observable incentives exhibited by the Dominicans I came in contact with when I first arrived. No one was taking advantage of theidle, arible land to grow a garden, range cattle and hogs or even clean up their own refuse on their occupied property. To me that was the heigth of utter laziness and unawareness of the health problems they were creating and living in.
That and the out and out stealing from their neighbors who were a very little better off than they were spoke loudly of the lack of any awareness of even the most basic of social living relative to their fellow citizens.
What has happened to the total abandonment of self-respect, much less respect for the other's in the same boat?
Individually, the average Dominican is, I think, a descent sort, but collectively they're still in the "Dark Ages" socially.
We can't blame this endemic qualty on the lack of education and opportunity totally. A great deal must be attributed to family interaction, or lack thereof. As much as family members are excessively loyal, they lack that ingredient of making corrective action toward other members when the need arises.
'Nuff said.

Texas Bill

I agree with most of what you say Bill - I too was very dissappointed to see Manzanillo not get developed in a way that You, David Salem & quite a few others realised it cCOULD be developed. It was 'kept down' by politicians for the SAKE of politicians just so that they would remain the 'BIG GUYS' in the area.

This is what is happening (IMHO) in education - children are being cheated of a 'rounded' & 'FULL' education just because it would (long term agreed) threaten the power of political system here. Development of the YOUTH is one of the major ways to build up the country's future. From this youth may come someone who will work WITH the population, encourage them to want to do good for their fellow countrymen & take the steps forward necessary to allow the country GROW.

Our present President came in with such a (perceived) mandate in 2004 & so many people believed he could be the person to bring about positive changes. He has (to my mind) renaged on those who tried to support such a shake up & allowed his money grabbing cohorts to run roughshod over the Dominican businesses & the lower paid. Increasing the GNP of the country is ONE of the many ways to set a proper course for this country - a cultural revolution in getting Dominicans to take RESPONSIBILTY for their own future is another. May I use such dirty words as 'Planning', 'Analytical thought processes', 'Truthful communication' rather than relying on 'seat of the pants' & 'we have always done it this way' type progress?

To do this you have to show the youth of the country alternative ways of doing things so that they CAN CHOOSE the one they feel best will achieve their ends/needs.

You & I Bill KNOW that the GNP will not be increased until the country becomes more efficient in the way it conducts business - too much time lost waiting for meetings to take place, too much time lost waiting for DECISIONS to be made, too much time waiting for financial obligations to be made ....... the list is ongoing! & I Bill are too long in the tooth to expect this to happen overnight but I suspect that we think alike in that KNOWING the process has started, we would sit back a lot more content!!

Give more resources to public education Mr. President & I'll be a LOT more confident about the future of this country we love!! ~ Grahame.

[Lambada]

Well since you liked those documents, let me also offer something else. I take it you're familiar with the organisation La Via Campesina? They have some interesting material on the notion of food sovereignty ( a different concept to food security)
La Via Campesina : International Peasant Movement - Food sovereignty

Would indeed be interesting if Moreno was to build some of this into his platform.

Hoping of course that the reference supplied does not result in automatic inanities such as the labelling of rabble rouser status

[Chirimoya]

Balaguer said it many years ago - "La República Dominicana es un país rico, pobremente administrado". A bit like Gandhi's "...enough for everyone's need, not everyone's greed".

[Chris]

Originally Posted by cobraboy

However, the per capita GNP has nearly tripled.

And people are still hungry. And people will be hungry if the GNP triples again. Perhaps not for the reasons that you will immediately jump to.

Originally Posted by cobraboy

As long as GNP growth rises at a rate faster than population, economic progress is being made.

Economic progress or development is a concept. The value statement around the words, the way one understands the words, is a function of one's own 'set'. The way I understand progress and the way you understand progress (or development) surely is different. So, you may say what you are saying one hundred times fast, I may still not accept it as fact. But I am willing to look at a different 'set' if I feel that there is room for debate. Here I feel there is room for argument, therefore I am out of here. As I leave, I have to say, you're seeing a set of Dominican Life that you want to see. You need some time under your belt to see the bits that you are missing now.

[Chris]

double post .. carry on.

[Texas Bill]

Chris, I think the set of values, today, in the DR stem form the 30-0dd years of theTrujillo Dictatorship.
The "dictatorship of the ONE" transfered itself to the "dictatorship of the PARTY" and those were many. It skipped, much to the dismay of Castro & Company, the "dictatorship of the 'proliterate'" by a wide margin.
However, once the "Parties" became entrenched, it has become impossible to disengage their effect on the population. They began, early on, to make wild promises to the constituency and gave jobs, money and building materials to the "campisinos" who were migrating to the center of the political scene, where they have remained for the past 2 generations, with a 2rd on it's way up in the same situation.
As a result of all my observations, as long as the politics remain the same as today, there is absolutely no hope in the future of the DR to progress socially, or economically. The cards just aren't there. The people are just collectively too ignorant about govenment and economics to make a difference at this time. Given the educational opportunities available (or lack thereof) I see a continuation of the "status quo" of serfdom being continued into the future.

Texas Bill

[bob saunders]

The average Dominican Campesino, of which I happen to know a few, was somewhat happy with his lot in life because through ignorance he/she though living hand to foot day by day was what God intended for them. Then along comes TV, and other modern conveniences, and now they want a better toilet, running water, electricity, ....etc. They are not content as BB says, with just having a full belly, especially not their children. Those of us with complicated fast-paced western lifestyle yearn for a simpler life that is less materialistic because as CB says we have reach the peak on our hierarchy of needs, the average Dominican is several levels below that, but they are mostly above the first level( in their minds)

[Chris]

Originally Posted by Texas Bill

.... the set of values, today, in the DR stem form the 30-0dd years of theTrujillo Dictatorship

That is a good way of looking at it. The form has changed but the underlying values not. There certainly is enough reason to my mind for the populace to literally take to the streets but instead, there is the odd huelga about a specific issue so now and again. People do not seem to want to act politically.

Originally Posted by Texas Bill

Given the educational opportunities available (or lack thereof) I see a continuation of the "status quo" of serfdom being continued into the future.

This is such a strange thing. In my country I fully believe that I saw the only miracle that I will ever see in my life, and that is that the place did not erupt into bloody revolution. Yet, 20 years on, things are really still the same, only now a majority has the ruling power. But things have not really changed for the majority of the body politic. It looks the same to me in the DR in terms of change ... people do not really believe that they are empowered to speak out and to act. The peaceful and evolutionary political change process is painfully slow for people that existed under a dictatorship. We need a good revolution!

[bob saunders]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas Bill
.... the set of values, today, in the DR stem form the 30-0dd years of theTrujillo Dictato
------
Do you really belive that- Trujillo was 45 years ago and most of the people in the DR are under 45 years of age.

[cobraboy]

Originally Posted by Lambada

Well since you liked those documents, let me also offer something else. I take it you're familiar with the organisation La Via Campesina? They have some interesting material on the notion of food sovereignty ( a different concept to food security)
La Via Campesina : International Peasant Movement - Food sovereignty

Would indeed be interesting if Moreno was to build some of this into his platform.

Hoping of course that the reference supplied does not result in automatic inanities such as the labelling of rabble rouser status

Well, with his party's socialist past, that might very well happen.

But I'm doubting it.

Why?

Because if you look deeply into their website, you'll find a great amount of vehement anti-IMF and anti-WB vitriol. The IMF is a major player in keeping the DR floating along. In fact, not too long ago they pretty much bailed the country out, didn't they?

So, which do you think a politician, understanding the difficult financial position the DR has been and currently is in, would be more prone to embrace, IF he actually wants to get elected: a radical anti-WB/IMF and radical land reform, or cooperation with international financial institutions and private land ownership?

Just sayin'.