Can Leonel Fernandez be Trusted?
Leonel Fernandez (President of the Dominican Republic) recently sent the Dominican congress a list of over 100 changes he’d like to make to the constitution. Here’s how a UN representative characterizes those proposed reforms (from DR1):
Dr. Cristobal Rodriguez, a constitutional specialist with the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP), says the proposed constitutional reform would give the Dominican President “unlimited power” adding that the personal management of the state’s resources by the President, as stipulated by the reform, could create a bureaucracy and a culture of potent clientilism.
Scary? A little bit, but it’s not over yet. Hopefully enough members of congress will see the danger and act accordingly. Then again, many of those people had to be taught to eat with utensils after they were elected.
The DR recently hosted a technology conference attended by dozens of countries and companies looking to show off new technological products. As usual, Leonel was there to smile wide for the cameras and put on a show. According to DR1:
President Leonel Fernandez says that the country has definitely started on the road to modernization and that it is currently entering the transition phase towards a model of knowledge based on science, technology and the efforts of a new productive system.
“There was a lot of skepticism about the construction of the cyber-park, and we were told that instead of spending resources on a technology park, we should concentrate on reducing poverty”. He added that the way to eliminate poverty and push the country towards development is precisely with technology parks of this type.
The President cut the ceremonial tape with a laser beam…
Is this guy serious? The best way to fight poverty is through technology parks? We have millions of people who cannot read or write. Now we’re going to magically turn them into computer programmers and web entrepreneurs? Although he’s been president for 8 of the past 12 years, poverty has increased and the quality of education has become progressively worse. Cutting the ribbon with a laser and declaring his decision to build a cyber park a success is the Dominican equivalent of Bush’s “Mission Accomplished” stunt back in 2003. Both were premature (and needless to say insulting) declarations of success. Reality tells a much different story.
About the Author: Randall H. Miller is an American college educator/blogger. He is also a former U.S. Army officer (82nd Airborne) with a M.A. in Diplomacy (focusing on International Terrorism) and a B.A. in Criminal Justice. Use the form on the right to sign up and receive notifications of new content. The words and ideas expressed here are 100% his own and not those of his employers or affiliated organizations.
RealDeal | Nov 1, 2008 | Reply
Who gives a shit about the dominican? That place could sink into the water and nobody would notice or care.
RHM | Nov 1, 2008 | Reply
@ RealDeal
Actually, there’s about 9 million of us on the Dominican side of the island who care a great deal. Where do you live?
Starburst | Nov 1, 2008 | Reply
Realdeal…I will assume you are kidding but judging by your picture I fear your not. classy
*Starburst*
WTF? | Nov 1, 2008 | Reply
If he’s been pres for 8 of the last 12 years then dominicans must be as dumb as americans. or Americans are as dumb as Dominicans. Either way.
Oliver | Nov 1, 2008 | Reply
@ Randy & “RealDeal”
Remember all the other like 16Million migrants and all the Gringos who love to spend money in our country(Which Lives on the tourists’ money). And to “RealDeal”(assuming your comment was serious) I can bet that you would be a 1000(thousand)%Percent Happier if you were from a beautiful country like the Dominican Republic. And I can see you got a picture of your dirty face smoking your life away with your jarhead. Perhaps you could be less depressed with a frosty Presidente in you hand in front of a grocery store.
BTW I agree with “WTF?” I think that we are as stupid as Americans for voting for Farmers like Hipolito Mejia, unfortunately we all just work under pressure. We should bring our old friend back Mr. Trujillo.
RHM | Nov 1, 2008 | Reply
@ Oliver
I’m with you, Oliver. People create their own happiness regardless of where they are. Lot of Americans have no idea how good they have it, others think they automatically have it better than everyone else.
Frank the Tank | Nov 1, 2008 | Reply
I know I am not the first to say this but Leonel is just Hipo with hair.
RHM | Nov 1, 2008 | Reply
@ Frank
I must admit that all the blackouts lately make Santo Domingo seem like the old days under Hipolito. I hope this gets better soon, but I think I know what’s coming.
Frank the Tank | Nov 1, 2008 | Reply
@Randy
Must be the Metro stealing everyone else’s luz. Leonel’s great legacy.
AlexandraBG | Nov 1, 2008 | Reply
All this sounds scary as hell. Maybe the guy is trying to look good in front of the rest of the world with all this high tech stuff, but he is acting like a total retard. He wants to start running before crawling.
@ Frank the Tank
I woudn’t say that Leonel and Hipo are the same, but it is true that for the last 20 years (or more) this country has been the same bs but with differente name tags on the oficce door.
JPS | Nov 2, 2008 | Reply
After a year and a half in DR I have come to the conclusion that it is a difficult place for well-educated, middle class, socially responsible people to live.
Oliver | Nov 2, 2008 | Reply
@ AlexandraBG
Agree with what you said that they are not the same at all, but don’t say for the past 20 years they have been bad because Balaguer was one of the greatest presidents we could have had. And concerning the whole Leonel “looking like he looks”: the only way to fight poverty is working in the education and in the infrastructure. He is already has worked on trying to change the education, but I guess he has failed. So maybe that he’s working in the infrastructure at his way, Technology.
RHM | Nov 2, 2008 | Reply
@ Frank,
I feel like it’s 2003-2004 again with the electricity problems and I fear it’s about to get a lot worse. The past few days it’s gone out early in the morning and hasn’t returned until early evening. I live in a decent neighborhood and pay my bill every month. It’s really starting to piss me off. My wife’s family lives in a more upscale sector and it’s the same for them. Something has to give.
@ JPS,
Your comment rings true to a certain degree as lately I find myself having to go into breathing exercises to keep from blowing my stack. But there are still a lot of great people here and I have to say the Dominican Republic has been pretty good to me and will always have a spot in my heart – my wife is 100% Dominican and my future kids will be dual citizens.
RealDeal | Nov 2, 2008 | Reply
@ RHM
It doesnt matter where I live. Its obviously better then there. I noticed that all of the above comments are about how shitty it is. Nuff said.
Frank the Tank | Nov 2, 2008 | Reply
@RealDeal
Have you ever been to the Dominican Republic?
Oliver | Nov 3, 2008 | Reply
@ RealDeal + Frank the Tank
Of course he hasn’t been in the Dominican Republic.
He doesn’t even wants to say where he is from.
A. Taveras | Nov 3, 2008 | Reply
‘[the reform] could create a bureaucracy and a culture of potent clientilism.’
I’m confused as to how that would differ from the status quo.
RealDeal | Nov 3, 2008 | Reply
@ Olliver and Frank the Tank
No. I have never been to the dominican. I’ve never been to Bangladesh either but I know its a shithole.
If its so great why do people make rafts to try and get to the states like they do from cuba????????? Nuff said.
Oliver | Nov 3, 2008 | Reply
I think there is “nuff said” since the subject is switching to Cuba now, lol.
Walky | Oct 23, 2009 | Reply
We have a beautiful country, almost like a paradise, but very badly administered, and it is from derives the things that do not let grow our society. Dominican Republic is a working town, that produces, and that has overcoming desires, but the corruption is like diesel oil over a plantation.