Juan Dolio - South Beach of the Caribbean !!!

[STEVE G.]

Originally Posted by Fernandez

In an effort to make clear the exact location of what I saw, which would include 5 pumping stations, perhaps Steve can secure the exact location and we can confirm that all are speaking about the same place. I would venture, however, that the place I described is the place being developed...

I will check the place out next week on my own . Just to make sure . Is the place you visited located next to Talanquera Beach Resort ( Google Maps ) and not so called Talanquera Country Club cross the highway ?

[DrChrisHE]

What I want to know is whether those of you who think JD is clean (and state that you've never seen trash) are actually walking around with your eyes open? Seriously people...just take a walk and really observe during the light hours. Don't drive around--walk or ride a bike. Then at night...come in from the beach just a block or three and BREATHE in the fumes of the plastic burning.

The sewage plant IF it happens will improve things but it won't deal with this incessant dumping and burning of trash. I will applaud publicly "when" the sewage plant is built AND FUNCTIONAL however it is just one part of waste management. The dump sites are very clearly contributed to by the construction as all one has to do is actually go and LOOK at what the trash is: cement bags, paint cans, broken tiles, assorted take out lunch styrofoam containers. I think I'll take a little field trip with my camera this weekend to these areas. The dirt roads with the huge mounds of construction dumping go on for miles winding in and through the green bush. Tourists don't see it if all the do is stay on the paved roads. If they look closely on either side of the paved roads though they will see the cups, plastic and general household trash that is forever being dumped along the sides.

Go ahead and ding my reputation more if you don't like hearing the truth but at least have the guts to make a REAL comment and not some BS blabber-nonsense.

[Matilda]

The problem is that rubbish collection is not free. You have to pay for the collection service. The people who live 'in the bush' simply do not have the money to pay for this. Hence they put all of their rubbish in a pile and then burn it. They do not have any other solution. The other burning going on is to clear areas of land for construction. I can now see the beach from my house which I have never been able to do, because all of the trees and bush have been burned between my house and the sea. It is easier to burn than to cut down with machetes. The only way to solve the problem of rubbish is for the local council, based in Guayacanes, to provide rubbish bins all over the place, and to agree to collect the rubbish for free. The bins would get stolen and they will not do it for free. Hence nothing happens. I am not saying that it is right, but it is life here. To help in my area, I allow the local people who live around me to put their rubbish in my bin, which gets collected 3 times a week, hence I have little trash burned around me. Perhaps other people could do the same, which my help alleviate the problem.

Matilda

[Dre Broeders]

Originally Posted by Matilda

The problem is that rubbish collection is not free. You have to pay for the collection service. The people who live 'in the bush' simply do not have the money to pay for this.

I pay two Dollar a month for the rubbish collection.
And you believe that Dominicans do not have two Dollar for that.
Surely they have. But they like more to buy a bottle of rum for this two Dollars.
Because Dominicans are not interested in polution.

[Matilda]

I pay 1000 RD$ a year, the Colmado pays 400RD$ a month, and I tip 50 RD$ a time. No a lot of them do not have 70RD$ a month for rubbish when they can burn it.

Matilda

[DrChrisHE]

Matilda-yes I see your point and am aware of the local pobre population's dilemma but the huge sites that I mentioned ARE from construction/ developers. Moreover, this problem is also one of education. Even in Metro where there are rubbish containers, the security guards and other workers will just throw their trash over the bushes (even into someone's yard.) Hence the "If it's not in front of me and I can't see it, it must not exist" attitude that seems so prevalent.

I partially think this is purely from not knowing the hazards of both dumping trash (which either festers and collects flies, rats and mosquitos or collects water, rots and breeds mosquitos) and from people being SO used to being surrounded by garbage. It is possible that this is NOT the reason but I've been observing this for awhile. I even see it at the orphanage where there is collection of trash and composting (yes COMPOSTING!) for the organic garden. Huge fields and trash are burned. Then people don't understand why within a few hours they are having issues with respiratory distress, asthma, allergies and conjunctivitis. I'm amazed that they can't make the connection.

[Dre Broeders]

Originally Posted by DrChrisHE

I partially think this is purely from not knowing the hazards of both dumping trash (which either festers and collects flies, rats and mosquitos or collects water, rots and breeds mosquitos)

I saw a lot of information about Dengue and polution on the walls in Juan Dolio.
People are very well informed, but still everybody threw there garbidge everywhere.
Dominicans are totaly not interested in this.
Because they are not social-thinking.
They do not have any respekt for nature.
Now with Semana Santa. I do not come out of my house.
I do not like to see this people on the beach and throwing there garbidge everywhere.
I do not like to get angry about that.
I hope Semana Santa is over. They clean the beach again and I come outside my house again.
Sometimes I think. I live in the wrong country.
I live already 14 years in Juan Dolio.
I am sure that in 20 years there change nothing in the habits of the Dominicans.

[STEVE G.]

Originally Posted by DrChrisHE

...I am aware of the local pobre population's dilemma but the huge sites that I mentioned ARE from construction/ developers. Moreover, this problem is also one of education.... Huge fields and trash are burned...

You are right on this one ... unfortunately the same concept of trash throwing during and after constructions is all over DR and not only Juan Dolio . Usually a '' developer '' cleans the neighbor's lots around his construction site pushing it's garbage with the bulldozer to someone's lot saying '' you see ... I cleaned up your lot as well '' ... The '' neighbor '' does exactly the same to the other during his construction and so on , and so on untill there are no more undeveloped land left around ... so this is when a '' camionero '' is called and paid to pick up the trash and throw it away more far away on someones undeveloped lot . You can find out such trash all over around DR ... South , North and East coasts ... I guess when more developments are done less trash you will see around them , but green areas ... the quantity of land in Juan Dolio is limited and everyday become less undeveloped lots around ... and trash will go somewhere else ... unfortunately

[STEVE G.]

Originally Posted by mikey007

My analysis of the re situation in dr is as follows , I believe you will see a rebound in the market after the dominican election in May and especially after the US general election in NOv. Additionally , you have to realize the dominican re market is closely aligned with the us, economically and politically. The declining dollar and rising euro presents a dilemma for the upscale investor because the savvy investor is hedged in both dollars and euros. That particular investor is sitting out in the sidelines waiting for all the panic to set in and then pull the trigger for a rational purchase price. This is called Divesification. Finally , you wont see any improvement until this worldwide Banking liquidity crisis works itself out and that may take between 6 months and a year ...

You are right about '' diversification " mikey007 . While the US investors are sitting out in the sidelines waiting , the investors from Europe , South America , Canada and even Russia are overtaking the place right now . Remember the advantage of Juan Dolio like of the other major parts of the Dominican Republic is accessibility to major markets: North America and the European Union . So when there is a failure in one market there is the other to back it up

[mikey007]

It all comes down to individual responsibility, the politicians have to give up their billboard space and start an antipollution campaign GIVE A HOOT DONT POLLUTE But the problem in Dr is not only awareness and education. i believe there is a casual contemt for the law. THe policia have their hands tied because there is not a concentrared effort on the part of the govt to impose penalties on citizens for littering , burning toxic materials , dumping . in these cases im not talking about a bs fine or ticket because most of the violators will claim poverty and lack of funds.and just walk away laughing . You cannot put apricetag on freedom . If the policia were sanctioned to place these violators in the CAN, THE POKEY Jail or whatever you want to call it coupled with multiple hours of community service cleaning up their surroundings. I think that sounds like a plan but in Dr planning is always secondary. Finally ive heard that the dominicans travel to the beaches extensively on the weekends from santo domingo and are littering. solution 1 more garbage bins on the beaches 2 policia crack down heavy on the weekends and set the tone for anti littering on the beaches