SANTO DOMINGO.- The Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) representative yesterday affirmed that to solve the country’s electrical problem the distributors’ commercial management must improve and the technical losses must be lowered to no more than 12 %.
Manuel Labrado said in the coming years US$150 million will be allocated to improve the distribution networks to prevent technical losses and improve the metering, and cited US$42 million in funds from the World Bank, US$40 million from the IDB, US$30 million from OPEC, plus the Government’s matching funds.
He said a magic wand isn’t needed to make the electrical system work, and instead to invoice the light bill and pay it to cover costs.
The IDB official said if the measures which will be presented to president Leonel Fernandez are be applied within two years, reaching a balance between income and expenses is possible and noted that some are already functioning, such as the updated billing, the subsidy for poor families, and the elimination of the Blackouts Reduction Program by decree.
From: Dominican Republic, Parque Colon statue of Anacaona
more money down the sewer pipe
Written by: juanb, 7 Aug 2009 9:56 AM
From: Dominican Republic
The Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) representative yesterday affirmed that to solve the country’s electrical problem the distributors’ commercial management must improve and the technical losses must be lowered to no more than 12 %.
Pigs will fly before this happens if the leadership (R.segura, his family and friends) of the CDEEE remains the same.
Written by: juanb, 7 Aug 2009 9:58 AM
From: Dominican Republic
They and others like them (R.segura for one) have been promising improvement for 7 years. They are just buying 2 more years of thievery at our expense.
From: United States, Bronx, NY
This situation has gone on long enough. People have basic human rights. Here in the Dominican Republic with so many intelligent people have not come up witha solution to the power outtages of 10-14 hours a day. This is inhumane! There is solar power, wind energy! La energia solar es el futuro. Solar power is the future. Life cannot go on in the darkness! There seem to be no hope for Dominican families! Please to the Dominican goverment look for other ways to power up the poor families of the Dominican Republic!
Written by: Escott, 7 Aug 2009 5:08 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Cabrera and Sosua a 2 days a month for payday
Poor Catherine... The DR is a country of ladrones. You will never see anything change as long as Dominicans can steal money out of it.
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes
Escott,
I very much agree with your statement above......it is right on!
DR really needs a revolution, but not one of blood or violence.
It needs to resolve to shed status quo of scamming and stealing and corruption at all levels [all!!!!], and institutionalize integrity. With this revolution, everything else will fall in place and progress of all kind will materialize.
Other small countries such as Luxembourg, Singapore, Cayman Islands are doing just fine-even though the creator wasn't as kind to them with regards to natural resources.
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes
Electricity is not a right guaranteed by our ever-changing constitution.
It is a purchased commodity that, to be effective, should be provided by private enterprise.
We all need to pay for what we use, and I don't want the government taxing me to death to give it to everyone who either doesn't want to pay for it or can't afford it. Private charity is best for latter. Former and thieves could enjoy free electricity in jail.
I recently visited the Greek isle of Santorini, a community of only 13,500 inhabitants. They had plentiful electricity 24/7, good roads and schools. They pay for it all. Amazing!
BTW, Grece is not a rich country; in fact, it is what I would call 2nd world. They just manage their resources better, and possess more integrity than dominicans. That's why their situation is better.
From: Dominican Republic
Glomar you want discipline and exemplary citinzery out of the Dominican, military dictatorship is the answer. Just telling people they "must pay what they consume" is not enough! It mus enforce with force! Fear is the biggest and faster way to get compliance!
Written by: pelaut, 8 Aug 2009 8:13 AM
From: United States
Catherine: electricity is a "human right"?
Glomar: Santorini is an excellent example, a rock in the sea with nothing, but they pay their bills.
Written by: nycgirl, 9 Aug 2009 7:30 AM
From: United States, nyc
The other day I read that something like only a little over a 3rd of the inhabitants of thr DR have electricity meters.Does that mean that about two thirds of the country is not paying its bills? The problem will end when everyone pays a bill, if that means hiring people to go door to door and installing meters and underground electricity, and yes, maybe even a snitch on your neighbor for a reward policy, will things get better.otherwise that third of paying customers will carry the country.
From: Dominican Republic, Puerto Pata
I find it fitting that the verb ESPERAR means both the HOPE and to WAIT in Spanish.... maybe adding TO DREAM to the short list explains it all away.
From: Dominican Republic, Puerto Pata
The unmetered population is being billed monthly on a "campo/barrio rate"; basically prorated and usually at well below the value of service provided.
In my village non-payment is answered by disconnection... within an hour after the service truck has departed, some neighborhood mechanico reconnects the wires and all is forgotten for about three months... For the camposinos, this works but in the end, they are a huge part of the troubled finances of the electric companies. Essentially it's free for many of them.... Free rides always cost someone else the freight.
From: Dominican Republic, Puerto Pata
My neighbor and I have started the process of using solar, soon adding wind and have increased the storage capacity of our battery banks. The invertor - charger size has been doubled to make better use of the limited hours of electrical service. Both of us have 5Kw backup generators to take up the slack...
Once completed we will be happy to see the metered usage drop 70%. With luck our bills will hover within the first third of the continually escalating prorate.
Well, that's fine for us... just how the people less fortunate deal with it can only come from paying up their fair share to the power provider, that's another quandry.
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Pigs will fly before this happens if the leadership (R.segura, his family and friends) of the CDEEE remains the same.
I very much agree with your statement above......it is right on!
DR really needs a revolution, but not one of blood or violence.
It needs to resolve to shed status quo of scamming and stealing and corruption at all levels [all!!!!], and institutionalize integrity. With this revolution, everything else will fall in place and progress of all kind will materialize.
Other small countries such as Luxembourg, Singapore, Cayman Islands are doing just fine-even though the creator wasn't as kind to them with regards to natural resources.
It is a purchased commodity that, to be effective, should be provided by private enterprise.
We all need to pay for what we use, and I don't want the government taxing me to death to give it to everyone who either doesn't want to pay for it or can't afford it. Private charity is best for latter. Former and thieves could enjoy free electricity in jail.
I recently visited the Greek isle of Santorini, a community of only 13,500 inhabitants. They had plentiful electricity 24/7, good roads and schools. They pay for it all. Amazing!
BTW, Grece is not a rich country; in fact, it is what I would call 2nd world. They just manage their resources better, and possess more integrity than dominicans. That's why their situation is better.
Glomar: Santorini is an excellent example, a rock in the sea with nothing, but they pay their bills.
In my village non-payment is answered by disconnection... within an hour after the service truck has departed, some neighborhood mechanico reconnects the wires and all is forgotten for about three months... For the camposinos, this works but in the end, they are a huge part of the troubled finances of the electric companies. Essentially it's free for many of them.... Free rides always cost someone else the freight.
Once completed we will be happy to see the metered usage drop 70%. With luck our bills will hover within the first third of the continually escalating prorate.
Well, that's fine for us... just how the people less fortunate deal with it can only come from paying up their fair share to the power provider, that's another quandry.