Jose R. Vargas (left) with President Fernandez cutting the ribbon.
Picture 1 of 2
MOCA, Dominican Republic.- President Leonel Fernandez yesterday toured communities in this region to supervise the reconstruction of streets and highways and inaugurate a correctional facility, activities marred when some ruling PLD party leaders party running for elected posts and government officials handed out money in yellow envelopes to the hungry throngs.
The Head of State’s tour of the Central Cibao province is part of nationwide meetings and visits with community representatives to supervise and inaugurate public works.
PLD leaders who seek elective posts for the 2010-2016 term in other provinces have also handed out money to crowds, although this time the focus of attention of Fernandez’s ribbon-cuttings and official events was Senate candidacy hopeful and Dominican Telecom Institute (Indotel) president Jose Rafael Vargas, whose tenure has been marked by transparency.
Contrary to what occurred in other years little effort was made to disguise the handout of the cash to the needy, who after waiting for hours in the tropical sun pleaded just to get a little bit of the government alms.
SOURCE: clavedigital.com
From: United States, Faber College Double Secret Probation
Vote Early and Vote Often.................Mayor Daley's Motto
Written by: juanb, 6 Nov 2009 9:21 AM
From: Dominican Republic
They are giving away MY money. You can be sure that for every Peso they put in some poor person's pocket, they put 10 in their own. Isn't anyone smart enough to realize that?
From: United States
SERIOUSLY, it's the loan money they take ... it's your own money they are giving you
From: United States
I should just go to DR and get my cut!!!!!!!!!!
stupid people do stupid things...
Written by: xwill7, 6 Nov 2009 11:13 AM
From: United States, Chicago
Shouldn't he be working on the illegals problem???
Written by: locco, 6 Nov 2009 12:35 PM
From: Dominican Republic
sounds like Obama in Detriot welcome to the next USA territory the DR.
From: United States, Washington, D.C.
where is the JCE? WHere are the oversight mechanisms? IS IT NOT OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS VOTE BUYING? THAT THIS IS CLIENTELISM?
Who's going to protect us from our leaders? WHO?
The IMF is a culprit in this. How can they be giving out money to cash strap country, when the government just turns around and instead of promoting public policies that benefit all, they are out giving $$ away to party faithfuls and people they're trying to recruit.
THIS IS CLIENTELISM @ IT'S MOST OBVIOUS, and this is a sign that the DR is far far from being a representative democracy.
Written by: BASTA, 6 Nov 2009 1:16 PM
From: Dominican Republic, = Ghetto-SPM-Barrio Blanco
Fernandez a poster child for legal abortion!
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes
Man,
Those are pretty nice accommodations for Dominican miscreants. They will live better than most working citizents, but I could understand it.....politicians are hedging their bets just in case they are eventually caught and convited of the many misdeeds they perpetrate-handing out public's money being one of them!
From: United States, Washington, D.C.
ANother thing... not to put a cat among pigions... what amazes me from MANY MANY people on this site is that there's no greater outrage towards politicos, and towards people who are fighting for the protection of human rights for ALL people in the DR, these people are vilify...
Regardless where you stand on the issue of undocumented migrants in the DR, POLITICAL CLIENTELISM is the #1 problem we have. W/o addressing this issue, we will never have economic development, stability, good public services, and a TRUE DEMOCRACY...
Political Clientelism does more harm to our society than anything else! For more information, just google this excellent in-depth analysis of the situation in the DR:
"The power of political parties: Political participation, clientelism, and remittances in the Dominican Republic"
http://gradworks.umi.com/33/55/3355141.htmlWritten by: josean, 6 Nov 2009 2:25 PM
From: United States
It is alleged there were METRO cards in the envelopes as well!
Written by: locco, 6 Nov 2009 2:26 PM
From: Dominican Republic
Baldaria 23 excellent point I had to look up Clientelism and it is dead on sad to say that until the coruption is controlled things will not change also sad to see USA sliding in that exact direction the politcal beast is out of control
From: United States, Rock Hills, North Carolina
El Presidente, the right honorable Sani Abacha knows how to play the game doesn't he...?
I would not blame the "pobres & campesinos" for taking the money. After all, a drowning man only lusts after a lifesaver...
From: United States, Washington, D.C.
Your right Rosa, the public is not to blame. ANY rational person would go for the immediate pay-off of clientelist exchanges. What we need are strong institutions that would prevent things like this from happening, and when they did they would sanction the party and/or candidate.
here's an email I just sent a colleague:
I agree this is a "political culture" issue, but that doesn't make it impossible to correct. I'm a firm believer that institutions shape culture, therefore we, as international donors, can:
1. Push for inst. changes in oversight mechanisms
2. Promote Civil Society org that can act as watchdogs
3. Have education programs for political leaders on the ills of Clientelism, b/c for many, especially local leaders, this is what they are taught, and they don't see anything wrong w/ it
4. Publicity campaign against clientelism and maybe even creating mechanisms to report clientelist activities...
From: United States, Faber College Double Secret Probation
I did not know Acorn had offices in the DR
From: Dominican Republic
"When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that justifies it."
Frederic Bastiat
Written by: mrweepa1, 9 Nov 2009 12:44 PM
From: United States, Huntington Station NY. Juan Dolio DR.
When do they hand out the FREE BLOCK CHEESE ????
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stupid people do stupid things...
Who's going to protect us from our leaders? WHO?
The IMF is a culprit in this. How can they be giving out money to cash strap country, when the government just turns around and instead of promoting public policies that benefit all, they are out giving $$ away to party faithfuls and people they're trying to recruit.
THIS IS CLIENTELISM @ IT'S MOST OBVIOUS, and this is a sign that the DR is far far from being a representative democracy.
Those are pretty nice accommodations for Dominican miscreants. They will live better than most working citizents, but I could understand it.....politicians are hedging their bets just in case they are eventually caught and convited of the many misdeeds they perpetrate-handing out public's money being one of them!
Regardless where you stand on the issue of undocumented migrants in the DR, POLITICAL CLIENTELISM is the #1 problem we have. W/o addressing this issue, we will never have economic development, stability, good public services, and a TRUE DEMOCRACY...
Political Clientelism does more harm to our society than anything else! For more information, just google this excellent in-depth analysis of the situation in the DR:
"The power of political parties: Political participation, clientelism, and remittances in the Dominican Republic"
http://gradworks.umi.com/33/55/3355141.html
I would not blame the "pobres & campesinos" for taking the money. After all, a drowning man only lusts after a lifesaver...
here's an email I just sent a colleague:
I agree this is a "political culture" issue, but that doesn't make it impossible to correct. I'm a firm believer that institutions shape culture, therefore we, as international donors, can:
1. Push for inst. changes in oversight mechanisms
2. Promote Civil Society org that can act as watchdogs
3. Have education programs for political leaders on the ills of Clientelism, b/c for many, especially local leaders, this is what they are taught, and they don't see anything wrong w/ it
4. Publicity campaign against clientelism and maybe even creating mechanisms to report clientelist activities...
Reportaje Nuria Piera Nominas CB 1/2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vAaVc-HMac
Reportaje Nuria Piera Nominas CB 2/2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2L7vueu9_s&feature=related
Frederic Bastiat