NewsWhore
08-19-2009, 01:41 PM
Economist and historian Bernardo Vega writes today in Hoy on how the successful nationwide rejection of the construction of a cement plant in Los Haitises is evidence of a new "soft power" in the DR. He makes the point this is the same online community effort that is said to have taken Barack Obama to the presidency in the US.
Vega says the proponents of the cement plant at the site adjacent to the National Park seemed to have it all in place to impose the site over the initial opinions of Ministry of Environment technicians who had rejected it. He writes it was President Leonel Fernandez himself who had suggested the site for its easy access from the new Samana highway. Furthermore, Monte Plata senator Charlie Mariotti, of the ruling party, proposed the specific location. Moreover, the beneficiary, Grupo Estrella is the owner of the very influential CDN multi-media group, including El Caribe newspaper.
"But soft power prevailed," writes Vega. "Thousands of youths made the environmental cause theirs. On the Internet, in chats, they sent out hundreds of messages and videos. Priests, the state university and the Academy of Science fed the discussion. Car stickers were widely used by those who protested.
Vega points out that even Environment Minister Jaime David Ferandez admitted he was watching from his balcony the passing of his political corpse. Indeed, his popularity as an aspirant to the presidency in 2012 dropped to a practical all time low.
And then a recent Gallup poll showed 85% of Dominicans rejected the project, an all time high among the usually indifferent and very tolerant Dominican people. Moreover, Vega highlights that the cement plant even received a 81% rejection rate among those identifying themselves as PLD partisans in the poll.
Given the widespread rejection, President Leonel Fernandez called in a team of experts from the UN that at a cost of US$100,000 will give their opinion in late September. Vega speculates this means the plant will be relocated.
"But it is most interesting to speculate whether this 'soft power' could play an important role in the 2012 presidential election. If sufficient youths, older than 18 [voting age], can undertake an effort to sponsor a new person, perhaps with the support of a minority party," he wonders out loud.
"The conditions are given because the possible candidates of the PRD and the PLD probably just mean "more of the same" and the PRSC is no longer an option. The question remains whether a new face among us could come forward, propelled by the new forces that opposed the installation of the Gonzalo plant," he writes.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#3)
Vega says the proponents of the cement plant at the site adjacent to the National Park seemed to have it all in place to impose the site over the initial opinions of Ministry of Environment technicians who had rejected it. He writes it was President Leonel Fernandez himself who had suggested the site for its easy access from the new Samana highway. Furthermore, Monte Plata senator Charlie Mariotti, of the ruling party, proposed the specific location. Moreover, the beneficiary, Grupo Estrella is the owner of the very influential CDN multi-media group, including El Caribe newspaper.
"But soft power prevailed," writes Vega. "Thousands of youths made the environmental cause theirs. On the Internet, in chats, they sent out hundreds of messages and videos. Priests, the state university and the Academy of Science fed the discussion. Car stickers were widely used by those who protested.
Vega points out that even Environment Minister Jaime David Ferandez admitted he was watching from his balcony the passing of his political corpse. Indeed, his popularity as an aspirant to the presidency in 2012 dropped to a practical all time low.
And then a recent Gallup poll showed 85% of Dominicans rejected the project, an all time high among the usually indifferent and very tolerant Dominican people. Moreover, Vega highlights that the cement plant even received a 81% rejection rate among those identifying themselves as PLD partisans in the poll.
Given the widespread rejection, President Leonel Fernandez called in a team of experts from the UN that at a cost of US$100,000 will give their opinion in late September. Vega speculates this means the plant will be relocated.
"But it is most interesting to speculate whether this 'soft power' could play an important role in the 2012 presidential election. If sufficient youths, older than 18 [voting age], can undertake an effort to sponsor a new person, perhaps with the support of a minority party," he wonders out loud.
"The conditions are given because the possible candidates of the PRD and the PLD probably just mean "more of the same" and the PRSC is no longer an option. The question remains whether a new face among us could come forward, propelled by the new forces that opposed the installation of the Gonzalo plant," he writes.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#3)