Quote:
Originally Posted by SamanaJon
Can this "Report" be confirmed by someone who lives or is in Las Terrenas? No other newspapers have reported on it. If this is true, the DR Tourism effort, is on a mission of self-destruction. With the recent reports of the fraud uncovered in the "Wedding Scams", and now this crap in Samana, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON? We already know how it will end....nobody will be punished or be held accountable. This nonsence will give Tourism in the DR more than a black-eye. It seems fraud exist at all levels here, and occurs unchecked. Mexico, Cuba and Jamaica will pick-up our share of the tourist $$$/Euros, if the DR doesn't get it's act together.
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I can see from your previous posts that most of them center around outrage about injustices.
The sentiment is good, specially if one is active in bettering the situation, but as you are fairly new to the country, allow me to tell you that this is not new stuff.
This type of thing and worse, has been going on forever.
With the advent of the internet in the DR, online newspapers and world recognition of the DR as a popular tourist destination, debacles such as this are being brought to public attention.
Changes do not happen overnight, anywhere in the world, much less here.
Anyone who moves here, expecting world standards to apply, is in for a rude awakening.
Nevertheless, progress has been made in leaps & bounds.
As Eddy started this thread, and he has been around here for decades, why don't you ask him what it was like, "back then"?
Like when the head of immigration (can't remember her name) decided that it was time to get all the German criminals out of the country, and she sent up huge amounts of police & troops into Sosua, (and other areas too) who would go to the discos at around midnight, block all the entrances and exits, shut down the music, turn on the lights, armed to the teeth with big weapons and drag every single soul out of the place, checking each one out individually, and anyone who was on the Interpol list or who couldn't produce ID was taken straight to jail.
Imagine a tourist who doesn't speak the lingo, sitting in the disco, mellowed out by a few drinks, enjoying the eye candy and dreaming of paradise, and all of a sudden, he's fearing for his life as he's being dragged out like cattle.
This went on for over a month.
No, Jamaica, Mexico and Cuba will not get all our tourists (worse things go on there, btw)
No, this is not a country for the faint of heart.
No, the criminals will not stop committing crimes, because of your indignation.
No, a defeatist attitude will not help.
No, you (or anyone else) shouldn't live here, if all you see is the negative aspects of the country.
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International Terrorist gathering point raided by Samana Police
