THIS IS THE END, my friends....

[prtyr2]

Forget "tourism". Think cold hard cash...western union, prostitution...so forth. The government makes money no matter what...the putas have to spend...IVA tax where does that go?

Vast amounts of people are sustained by prostitution...do not pooh pooh it. It wouldn't be so acceptable with the culture if it wasn't so necessary to survive.

I am not pooh poohing it. . . . I am pointing out that:

1-sex tourism is responsible for a tiny fraction of tourism revenue

2-the majority of dollars spen on preostitution in the DR is by dominicans and not by us

3-if the govt is serious about this long term, which I am not convinced of yet, they will not care about losing revenue from prostitution etc.

usually when there is a crackdown in Boca for example it is at the "request" or complaint of the big hotels. Prostitution is small potatos compared to the clout of the major hotels. . . .in santo domingo prostitution is a pimple on the ass of the economy. . . .no govt official will lose any sleep over lost revenu. . . . .if they are serious about this. . . .


Time will tell. . . .but I am betting thing swill be relatively normal soon.,

On one dominican newspaper site people can comment on the news stories. People were asking why these hidden places were closed, but remington, teresa, azul, lapsus and tabu were still open.

When I hear that RP and Jazzys get closed down for more than a month. . . . I will be slightly concerned. . . . .

[D_W_]

Forget "tourism". Think cold hard cash...western union, prostitution...so forth. The government makes money no matter what...the putas have to spend...IVA tax where does that go?

Vast amounts of people are sustained by prostitution...do not pooh pooh it. It wouldn't be so acceptable with the culture if it wasn't so necessary to survive.

OK...let's talk cold hard cash.

I believe the "cold hard cash" driven by non sex tourism is maybe 20-50 times or more than prostitution. The AI's alone have multiples of hundreds, if not thousands more cold hard cash flowing through them than from prostitution.

It is impossible to stamp it out without draconian laws being passed and enforced. But I have to believe there are powerful international monetary forces at play in this thing than some here give credit toward. Go look at the history of the IMF and see for yourself. Remember, the DR is at the mercy of the internationalists.

RD,

That 20-50 times amount benefits a very small amount of people....the small fraction that whoring produces benefits a larger amount of actual poor citizens that is left to be believed. Don't get me wrong...I'm totally with you on the larger forces at play especially with that moral majority in office with rest of the Republican morons.

Let me put it this way...Tourism is not going to get any better until the dollar strengthens and services improve. Oh yes, at least 4 good friends of mine have taken straight vacations with their families to Puerto Plata and have described it as nothing more than a shithole. Puerto Plata is slowing becoming a dump in the sense of services and quality. AI's in POP are having a deterioating reputation.

It's snowballing and they're scapegoating.

[prtyr2]

You pay a chica 1000 pesos and she spends the 1000 pesos in the community. You pay Marriott 1,000 for your trip and 850 gets sent back to the states.

If I pay marriot 1000 pesos way more than 150 stays in the DR. Also the govt gets a big cut in taxes.

The chica spends 1000 pesos in the community? You are kidding right?

Chica gets 1000 pesos, She spends 100 pesos on rice and eggs for her kid to eat. 100 pesos on clothes for her kid, manufactured in the free zone by foreign companies. 300 at the salon, of which a good portion goes to the US exporter of Sebastien hair care products. 200 on getting her nails done. . .of which 100 pesos gets sent back to china. . . .

The rest will be spent on ornage cell phone cards and maybe saved up to buy a newer and cooler cell phone with color screen, camera and palm pilot. . . .most of that money goes to orange and sony erickson. . . .


I thought you were a bean counter. . . . . .?

[JDR]

You pay a chica 1000 pesos and she spends the 1000 pesos in the community. You pay Marriott 1,000 for your trip and 850 gets sent back to the states.

If I pay marriot 1000 pesos way more than 150 stays in the DR. Also the govt gets a big cut in taxes.

The chica spends 1000 pesos in the community? You are kidding right?

Chica gets 1000 pesos, She spends 100 pesos on rice and eggs for her kid to eat. 100 pesos on clothes for her kid, manufactured in the free zone by foreign companies. 300 at the salon, of which a good portion goes to the US exporter of Sebastien hair care products. 200 on getting her nails done. . .of which 100 pesos gets sent back to china. . . .

The rest will be spent on ornage cell phone cards and maybe saved up to buy a newer and cooler cell phone with color screen, camera and palm pilot. . . .most of that money goes to orange and sony erickson. . . .


I thought you were a bean counter. . . . . .?

Either way, nothing stays in DR.

[D_W_]

If I pay marriot 1000 pesos way more than 150 stays in the DR. Also the govt gets a big cut in taxes.

The chica spends 1000 pesos in the community? You are kidding right?

Chica gets 1000 pesos, She spends 100 pesos on rice and eggs for her kid to eat. 100 pesos on clothes for her kid, manufactured in the free zone by foreign companies. 300 at the salon, of which a good portion goes to the US exporter of Sebastien hair care products. 200 on getting her nails done. . .of which 100 pesos gets sent back to china. . . .

The rest will be spent on ornage cell phone cards and maybe saved up to buy a newer and cooler cell phone with color screen, camera and palm pilot. . . .most of that money goes to orange and sony erickson. . . .


I thought you were a bean counter. . . . . .?

Well let's see...the puta will eat, her kids will eat, her kids will be clothed and she will be clothed.

If the Marriot gets it...they give it to the government and then they will line their pockets. Further fucking over the peasant.

It's not a question of bean counting...it's who is getting to eat the beans. :?

[prtyr2]

RD,

That 20-50 times amount benefits a very small amount of people....the small fraction that whoring produces benefits a larger amount of actual poor citizens that is left to be believed. Don't get me wrong...I'm totally with you on the larger forces at play especially with that moral majority in office with rest of the Republican morons.




Let me put it this way...Tourism is not going to get any better until the dollar strengthens and services improve. Oh yes, at least 4 good friends of mine have taken straight vacations with their families to Puerto Plata and have described it as nothing more than a shithole. Puerto Plata is slowing becoming a dump in the sense of services and quality. AI's in POP are having a deterioating reputation.

It's snowballing and they're scapegoating.

Not even close to true. Look at any AI resort, hotel or restaurant in the DR. There are way more people employed at these places than there are hookers in the DR. These are real working stiffs that spend their money at the colmados and buy local products and services. They don't drop 5,000 pesos on a cell phone like a hooker would.

Puerto Plata is not the place where toruism has been taking off. Two words punta cana. Much nicer than POP. . . ..but POP and north coast tourism numbers were UP in the last year, but slightly down this quarter from last year. On the whole tourism is way up. First quarter this year with thedollar being weaker versus last year first quarter where the dollar was at it's peak. . . .

4% in Punta Cana, 12 % in santo domingo and santiago up over 15%. . .

from DR1 travel news:

The Central Bank first quarter tourism stats show non-resident travel to the country was up 8%. Non-resident arrivals increased from 961,213 inbound air arrivals to 1,038,388 from January to March 2005. Punta Cana continued to be the airport with most foreign arrivals, with 413,969 non-resident travelers coming during the first three months of the year. Traffic to Punta Cana was up 4% this year. Santo Domingo’s Las Americas International Airport (primarily serving Santo Domingo, Boca Chica and Juan Dolio tourism) showed a 12% increase, going from 212,047 non-resident arrivals in 2004 to 237,629 non-resident arrivals in 2005.
Traffic to Puerto Plata, nevertheless, slightly decreased, going from 218,491 during the first quarter in 2004 to 237,629 for the same period in 2005, or a 2% decline.
La Romana did well with an increase in 12,425 non-resident arrivals, or 91,758 passengers, up from 79,333 in the previous year.
Santiago’s Cibao International Airport posted the greatest increase, 15.6%. Non-resident arrivals to that airport increased from 50,136 in the first quarter of 2004 to 79,513 for the same period in 2005.




I totally agree that in theory you are right. In actuality though. . . . .there have been little consequences. The priority of the govt now is paying off large amounts of foriegn debt that is due. . . . .strong peso helps here greatly. . . .


The govt will also be upping the taxes on airline tix another 5 bucks. . . .

[D_W_]

I totally agree that in theory you are right. In actuality though. . . . .there have been little consequences. The priority of the govt now is paying off large amounts of foriegn debt that is due. . . . .strong peso helps here greatly. . . .

The govt will also be upping the taxes on airline tix another 5 bucks. . . .

In my 3 trips to POP in the last 10 months....people are sucking wind. I cannot believe these numbers the government is putting out. I just cannot.

[prtyr2]

If I pay marriot 1000 pesos way more than 150 stays in the DR. Also the govt gets a big cut in taxes.

The chica spends 1000 pesos in the community? You are kidding right?

Chica gets 1000 pesos, She spends 100 pesos on rice and eggs for her kid to eat. 100 pesos on clothes for her kid, manufactured in the free zone by foreign companies. 300 at the salon, of which a good portion goes to the US exporter of Sebastien hair care products. 200 on getting her nails done. . .of which 100 pesos gets sent back to china. . . .

The rest will be spent on ornage cell phone cards and maybe saved up to buy a newer and cooler cell phone with color screen, camera and palm pilot. . . .most of that money goes to orange and sony erickson. . . .


I thought you were a bean counter. . . . . .?

Well let's see...the puta will eat, her kids will eat, her kids will be clothed and she will be clothed.

If the Marriot gets it...they give it to the government and then they will line their pockets. Further fucking over the peasant.

It's not a question of bean counting...it's who is getting to eat the beans. :?

The Marriott employees and the employees of companies that provide services to the Marriott will spend way more money in the community than the hookers. How many hookers do you think there are in santo domingo?

1,000? Less I bet. At least in the places that are being shut down. That is nothing compared to the amount of employees in the hotels and restaurants in santo domingo that cater to tourists and business travelers etc.

That is in SDQ. . . .where tourism is not all that big and there are a ton of casas. . .

In the first quarter on 05 just over 230,000 tourists arrived in POP airport. What percentage of them do you think were there for hookers? How many hookers are there on the north coast? 200? 300? 400?

In punta cana over 400;000 people arrived at the airport. How many employees work at the resorts in punta cana? No way the money a handful of hookers spends more money than 10s of thousands of working stiffs trying to support their families. . . .


Even if the hookers were contributing a ton to the overall economy the govt would not care. Whether the govt keeps up these new policies will not be effected by any loss in revenue from the sex industry. That is not how it works down there.

[Pana]

I totally agree that in theory you are right. In actuality though. . . . .there have been little consequences. The priority of the govt now is paying off large amounts of foriegn debt that is due. . . . .strong peso helps here greatly. . . .

The govt will also be upping the taxes on airline tix another 5 bucks. . . .

In my 3 trips to POP in the last 10 months....people are sucking wind. I cannot believe these numbers the government is putting out. I just cannot.

I dont know about Punta Cana, but Puerto Plata every time last year and early this year I flew down there I was like the only one in 1st class and the plane was half empty. Every time I flew to Santiago there where only locals on the plane I rarely saw a tourist on that flight.
It is not Americans that are going down there all the time it is Europeans and Canadians chartering there own flights to DR.

[prtyr2]

I totally agree that in theory you are right. In actuality though. . . . .there have been little consequences. The priority of the govt now is paying off large amounts of foriegn debt that is due. . . . .strong peso helps here greatly. . . .

The govt will also be upping the taxes on airline tix another 5 bucks. . . .

In my 3 trips to POP in the last 10 months....people are sucking wind. I cannot believe these numbers the government is putting out. I just cannot.

I wouldn't believe em either. Go to breakfast at Rockies and talk to marco. Ask him if business is better now or 2 years ago. 2 years ago POP/Sosua was nearly dead. Last year things picked up greatly and this year it is down a bit.

Puerto Plata is not the place to judge tourism any way. . . .Punta Cana, La Romana. . . . .

Even with POP being a bad example. . . .3 months 230,000 vistors. That means an average of about 2,000 visitors per week. How many mongers in town on a great week? 2% maybe. .. .in punta cana note even close to 2%. . . . .. I bet way less than.1% he he he he

There will always be hookers in the DR and what mongers decide to do matters very little.

One could make a better argument that if a single tourist gets rolled by a hooker and her drug doing or dealing chulo, that can have a a bigger impact on tourism. Or if one jealous german woman kills her husband because she catches him with an underage girl. . . . . any publicity on violent crime or child prostitution etc . . . .could be a big PR hit to the tourism industry. . .

Anyone remember the bus full of tourists held up outside of POP a few months back? The NEXT day the govt was there cutting checks for stolen property, and in days cops and military were shooting the gunmen dead in the jungle. . . . .

That is to send a message to criminals. . . .the tourism industry can not afford to have potential customers hearing about getting held up at gunpoint. . . . .

[prtyr2]

I dont know about Punta Cana, but Puerto Plata every time last year and early this year I flew down there I was like the only one in 1st class and the plane was half empty. Every time I flew to Santiago there where only locals on the plane I rarely saw a tourist on that flight.
It is not Americans that are going down there all the time it is Europeans and Canadians chartering there own flights to DR.

Ya know. . . .I would have agreed with you on that as well. . . . Canadians traditionally are the largest segment. First quarter this year canadian vistors are down 3% from last year and US leads the pack. . .with an 11% increase. . . .again. . .do not use POP as a guide. . . . .Punta Cana. . .

Again from DR1 travel news:


US tourists lead the way in arrivals during the first three months of the year, with 270,895 Americans, or 11% more than the 243,264 Americans that came in 2004. Traffic from Canada declined 3%, going from 224,145 travelers in 2004 to 216,415 for the first quarter in 2005. Forty-four more Venezuelans came than last year, for an increase from 5,677 in 2004 to 8,179 for the first three months in 2005. Nevertheless, less Puerto Ricans visited, going from 5,835 in 2004 to 5,178 in 2005.
>From Europe, France lead with 109,639 French travelers, up 1.5% over 2004’s 107,990. Some 70,510 Germans visited in 2005, up 16.5% over last year’s 60,484. 1.7% more Spaniards came this year than last, or 44,537 compared to 43,792 in 2004. 7.1% more Italians visited, or 41,487 up from 38,720. From the United Kingdom, traffic was up 2%, with 40,135 arrivals, compared to 39,334 for the first quarter in 2004. Dutch tourists declined, going from 13,532 in 2004 to 12,098 in 2005, or a 10.5% decrease. Likewise, travel from Switzerland also dropped, this time 11%, going from 11,651 in 2004 to 10,373 so far this year. Swedish tourism was up, though, with 6,275 arrivals compared to 4,376 in 2005, for a healthy 43% increase.

[Bug Boy]

I also have never gone to the DR only to get laid. . . . . . .to me that is silly.

I don't get why anyone who so obviously has no respect for a country, it's culture or it's people, and only finds them useful for getting laid, would ever want to visit there in the first place. If you packed up all the hottest putas in the DR, brazil, and colombia. . . .and built whore complex in south dakota, taught all the girls english, played 50 cent and sevendust instead of bachata and regaeton. . . .. .it seems most of you guys would be all over it. . .. . yawn. . . .

Me? I'll still be heading to or living in the DR. . . .hanging out at a tipico in santiago, or a club in santo domingo. Drinking ice cold presidente, watching fine non puta mamis dancing sexier than women in most countries except maybe brazil. . . . .listening to a live bachata group or tipico group and contemplating which beach I should go to the next day with the cute chica I am about to go dance with. . . . . ..

I have traveled extensively in Western Europe and North America and the only place I have been to, where the #1 reason was to fuck, was the DR (Boca Chica.) Even on my Cuba trip, pussy was reason #3. Shit you can get laid in a hundred different locales, why go to Cuba (or half-way around the world to SE Asia) just for pussy.

The DR on the other hand is different. If you are coming from the NYC, the DR is a short (3 hour), cheap flight ($300) away from $20 teenage pussy on some PHAT asses. If priority #1 was beaches, I would head to the VI, Bahamas, or Aruba. If I wanted culture, I would head to Cuba. If I wanted to sightsee, I would check out the rain forests and volcanoes in Costa Rica. The DR isn't useless, but if I just want to listen to music, check out Domincanas, and drink Presidentes with Domincans I can do this at the stoop of my apartment (which I did this past weekend-- hell, in the summer my neighborhood "feels" more like the DR than Boca Chica ever did.)

BTW: I like this South Dakota idea, but it's still cheaper to fly to the DR. Shit, if the clubs in Bridgeport (CT) hadn't closed down, I would be there. They seemed to have a nice "UN" mix of cheap ($60) putas .

For me, the DR has always been about the price and convenience of pussy. For some people the DR is home, for me it's Pootang Island!!



-Helpmann

[el_papi_chew_low]

So what's the "worst case" scenario? Some of us are already out of the tourist economy and into the local economy in many ways. I guess those that rely on hardcore putas and sign language might suffer a bit. However, the economics don't support the total abolition of prostitution so there will always be a market for the hardcore jonnies. If Sosua prostitution were to go away next week, that would be fucked up and change the game but adaptations would be made. The reality is that putanomics in the DR is stronger than any political ideology.

[Reel Deal]

The weak dollar/ tourism argument doesn't wash. Americans are NOT the largest group of visitors to the DR. The stats are skewed, as MANY of the "Americans" being reported are Dominicans going back home for a visit-and they are NOT staying in resorts, spending dollars like a drunken sailor on shore leave.

The Euro is doing well against the peso. THAT has a positive impact on the economy. The dollar is NOT the only currency that floats the DR economy.

WE, as mongers, want to believe that WE are the reason for the DR economy, especially in Sosua. We aren't. Yes, we spend $$$. But we are but a tiny fraction of what makes the economy there go around. Go look at the beaches! All those pale bodies filling the beach chairs are NOT there for pussy.

Sorry, guys. The government and resort owners could give a rats ass about us, mongering, or whores. In fact, I'll bet they find the whole thing an embarrasment.

Don't get me wrong...I'm totally with you on the larger forces at play especially with that moral majority in office with rest of the Republican morons.

With all due respect, this comment is personal perception and emotion based, and not intellectually based. I asked y'all to research how the IMF worked. It is an INTERTNATIONAL body, not a subset of the U.S. Republican Party. This crackdown has NOTHING to do with the moral majority, Republicans, or any other Boogie Man that haunts you. I doubt most Republicans (or Democrats, for that matter) could point out where the DR is on the map, for Christ sake.

In international affairs, the U.S. is a big player, but not the only player. The DR is not JUST dependant on the US, as other countries play VERY prominent roles (how many American cars, appliances, telephones, etc. do you see there? Not a whole lot.). If we were talking Puerto Rico it would be a different story.

Hell, when I stay at the Gran Almirante Hotel in Santiago-the nicest hotel in the region, and one aimed specifically for business people-I am often the ONLY Norte Americano in the place (I've asked). There are Canadians, Europeans, Central/South Americans, and even Orientals there in droves.

The international forces I mention are the IMF. The DR is desperate for cash because of the debt run up in the last decade or so. They HAVE to do something to restructure the debt or the entire economy will collapse with the ensuing nasty civil unrest; hence likely behind the scene IMF ass kissing. Strengthening the DR currency in whatever way the Central Bank can (it is limited as we've discussed before, as they can effect only the supply of pesos) is one critical way to help pay the debt.

To the duly elected DR governmental officials, dealing with the debt and IMF is a HUGE priority; they could absolutely care less if some poor whore-who they find an embarassment anyway- goes hungry for a while until they find a real job.

[Reel Deal]

So what's the "worst case" scenario? Some of us are already out of the tourist economy and into the local economy in many ways. I guess those that rely on hardcore putas and sign language might suffer a bit. However, the economics don't support the total abolition of prostitution so there will always be a market for the hardcore jonnies. If Sosua prostitution were to go away next week, that would be fucked up and change the game but adaptations would be made. The reality is that putanomics in the DR is stronger than any political ideology.

Short of summary executions without trials, prostitution will always exist in about every country of the world. Always has, always will.

Enough girls get popped, and like the US notastripclubs, notanescortservice, and notamassageparlors, girls will become more paranoid. It'll not be so overt, and ~some~ degree of game may be required.

It's not the end of the world; it's just tha world may tilt off it's axis a few degrees.

It's prolly not going to be a disaster. It'll prolly be more of a hinderance.

[prtyr2]

]I have traveled extensively in Western Europe and North America and the only place I have been to, where the #1 reason was to fuck, was the DR (Boca Chica.) Even on my Cuba trip, pussy was reason #3. Shit you can get laid in a hundred different locales, why go to Cuba (or half-way around the world to SE Asia) just for pussy.

The DR on the other hand is different. If you are coming from the NYC, the DR is a short (3 hour), cheap flight ($300) away from $20 teenage pussy on some PHAT asses. If priority #1 was beaches, I would head to the VI, Bahamas, or Aruba. If I wanted culture, I would head to Cuba. If I wanted to sightsee, I would check out the rain forests and volcanoes in Costa Rica. The DR isn't useless, but if I just want to listen to music, check out Domincanas, and drink Presidentes with Domincans I can do this at the stoop of my apartment (which I did this past weekend-- hell, in the summer my neighborhood "feels" more like the DR than Boca Chica ever did.)



BTW: I like this South Dakota idea, but it's still cheaper to fly to the DR. Shit, if the clubs in Bridgeport (CT) hadn't closed down, I would be there. They seemed to have a nice "UN" mix of cheap ($60) putas .

For me, the DR has always been about the price and convenience of pussy. For some people the DR is home, for me it's Pootang Island!!



-Helpmann

That is cool, but is your opinion. YOU find the DR attractive only for the pussy. That is fine. You prefer the culture and possibly having to travel illegally in cuba, that is cool. I have never been but have heard nothing but good things. But. . . . your "proof" that the DR is useless except for pussy is nothing more than your personal opinion. In addition to my personal opinion, I posted "proof" that the vast majority of the people that travel to the DR, do so for a variety of reasons, besides pussy. Punta Cana has almost zero access to easy pussy, but attracts the most amount of visitors. Visitors that spend more money. How do you explain the fact that Punta Cana has 10 times the amount of tourists, with 10% the amount of pussy as boca chica? Might it be that your opinion does not coincide with that of the majority of tourists?

As far as hanging out listening to Bachata in the states. Yeah I do it too. After 2 beers and 3 songs, I am in the mood to jump on a plane. Dominican chicas in washington heights are not the same as Dominicanas in santiago or sdq, or small towns etc.

Bridgeport clubs. They haven't all closed. The chicas just moved to other clubs. Dwon the block from keystone is a shithole called bishops corner. Sunny, the flaca dominicana was there, Paula the silicon boobed colombiana was off that night, as was vanessa the short and cute PR
chick.Heck I think sunny, paula and vanessa moved to bridgeport now. Emilia is at another club. If I want cheap easy pussy, I could just call them and go hang out. Heck you could get cheap sleazy pussy at asscon etc. I was the one that told the bridgeport chicas about asscon and took paula there the first time to scope it out.

Hell, if all I wanted was dominican pussy, I can get all I want here in the states.

[Reel Deal]

I've been going to the DR since '88. Yes, the chicas are easy and cheap, no doubt. It is certainly a big attraction.

But that is not why I always go back.

I love the culture, the people, the gorgeous land. I love the smiling people. "no problema, amigo". I love the fact it's almost hidden from the rest of the world. I love the diversity of the land and climate. I love the history.

I guess we're all different.

It ain't all about the pussy...

[prtyr2]

Well said. If the peso stays strong against the dollar for long enough that the major hotel associations and resort ownership started really complaining. Leonel would be in more of a jam. These people are complaining, but not as much as they would if REAL tourism was down. The truth is tourism numbers are up so far this year.

The "monger" economy is nothing. In fact the 'western union" or "envias boya" economyies are MUCH more important. I am not talking just about guys sending chicas money, but dominicans in the states and europe sending home remittances every month. That is a much larger part of the economy than what mongers give hookers. People who depend on these remittances are seeing their DOLLARS not being able to buy nearly as much as it used to. If someone was receiving 200 bucks per month a few years back, they were living large. Heck even last winter $200 bucks was over 100,0000 pesos. Now it is half of that and the prices are MUCH higher.

As you said, paying of debt and making IMF happy is MUCH more important than worrying about the remittance problems.If the remittance probs are not high priority the monger or whore "problems" aren't even a pimple on the ass of the real problems in the DR.

The weak dollar/ tourism argument doesn't wash. Americans are NOT the largest group of visitors to the DR. The stats are skewed, as MANY of the "Americans" being reported are Dominicans going back home for a visit-and they are NOT staying in resorts, spending dollars like a drunken sailor on shore leave.

The Euro is doing well against the peso. THAT has a positive impact on the economy. The dollar is NOT the only currency that floats the DR economy.

WE, as mongers, want to believe that WE are the reason for the DR economy, especially in Sosua. We aren't. Yes, we spend $$$. But we are but a tiny fraction of what makes the economy there go around. Go look at the beaches! All those pale bodies filling the beach chairs are NOT there for pussy.

Sorry, guys. The government and resort owners could give a rats ass about us, mongering, or whores. In fact, I'll bet they find the whole thing an embarrasment.

Don't get me wrong...I'm totally with you on the larger forces at play especially with that moral majority in office with rest of the Republican morons.

With all due respect, this comment is personal perception and emotion based, and not intellectually based. I asked y'all to research how the IMF worked. It is an INTERTNATIONAL body, not a subset of the U.S. Republican Party. This crackdown has NOTHING to do with the moral majority, Republicans, or any other Boogie Man that haunts you. I doubt most Republicans (or Democrats, for that matter) could point out where the DR is on the map, for Christ sake.

In international affairs, the U.S. is a big player, but not the only player. The DR is not JUST dependant on the US, as other countries play VERY prominent roles (how many American cars, appliances, telephones, etc. do you see there? Not a whole lot.). If we were talking Puerto Rico it would be a different story.

Hell, when I stay at the Gran Almirante Hotel in Santiago-the nicest hotel in the region, and one aimed specifically for business people-I am often the ONLY Norte Americano in the place (I've asked). There are Canadians, Europeans, Central/South Americans, and even Orientals there in droves.

The international forces I mention are the IMF. The DR is desperate for cash because of the debt run up in the last decade or so. They HAVE to do something to restructure the debt or the entire economy will collapse with the ensuing nasty civil unrest; hence likely behind the scene IMF ass kissing. Strengthening the DR currency in whatever way the Central Bank can (it is limited as we've discussed before, as they can effect only the supply of pesos) is one critical way to help pay the debt.

To the duly elected DR governmental officials, dealing with the debt and IMF is a HUGE priority; they could absolutely care less if some poor whore-who they find an embarassment anyway- goes hungry for a while until they find a real job.

[BrooklynBeas]

I would love to say i read this whole thread but i would be lying... this whole stopping prostitution will never work in the DR... it brings in too much money... I know that the bulk of money we (US) brings in is through AI families and through the government purchasing shit and maybe manufactoring things there... but it wont work... Imagine undercover politur (women) trying to set you up... thats fuckin crazy..... Looks like i may have to book this Colombia trip after all.

[will_blueprint]

this has ruined my breakfast and made me sick to my tummy