NewsWhore
07-09-2010, 03:40 PM
When the words "Barrio Seguro" are mentioned, images of the Police pursuing criminals or preventing crimes in the poor barrios of Santo Domingo and Santiago are what come to mind. However, even though some say that this program has failed, the Ministry of the Interior and of the Police also plan to use it to help change people's lives and bring progress to the residents of the 103 barrios where the program operates. As well as controlling micro-drug trafficking and other types of crimes, they are also working to help hundreds of poor families in the barrios of Santo Domingo and Santiago to improve their homes, pay for studies and even become sports and music personalities through training, starting and improving small, micro-businesses.
Barrio Seguro, one of the components of the Democratic Security Plan (PSD), which was launched in 2005 through the Ministry of the Interior and of the Police, by way of Decree 268-05, now has 11 sub-components. Some of the barrios taking part in the program in Santo Domingo are Gualey, Capotillo, La Zurza, Los Guandules, 24 de Abril, Los Mina Norte, La Victoria, Villa Maria and San Luis. In Santiago the barrios include Peking, Cienfuegos, La Joya, Ensanche Espaillat, Yapur Dumit, and Ensanche Bermudez.
Although the vice minister of the Interior and of the Police, Yadira Pena, who is the operational coordinator of the PSD, accepts that not all the components are working as planned, she highlights the fact that some 5,000 families have already benefited. Barrio Seguro is currently undergoing an evaluation with the aim of improving, says Pena. The traditional sub-programs are: Financing micro-businesses in my barrio, A roof for my barrio, Scholarships for my barrio, Technological training and community centers, Competitors from my barrio and my barrio Feast day. At the same time, since January some new elements have been devised and implemented, such as: Bands from my barrios, which began with recorder classes with the aim of forming an orchestra, The muralists and painters of my barrio, Unschooled boys, girls and adolescents in my barrio, Underage mothers and The Right to an identity. "Up until now, we have covered more than 60% of the needs of the barrios", said the Democratic Safety Plan operational coordinator.
One sub-program that has not been successful is called "Job incubation", which sought to provide jobs for the labor force in the barrios. This has only come up with a database that the Ministry of the Interior and of the Police provided to the Ministry of Labor. According to the PSD coordinator, the lack of jobs and "the fact that they have not given the program enough attention" have been factors in the poor results. While the job program lingers, another sub-program called "Scholarships for my barrio" tries to help unemployed students. It has already benefitted 4,000 university students who are following different career paths in several schools such as the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) and the Technological University of Santiago (UTESA). The beneficiaries of this plan receive RD$2,000 for transport and RD$1,000 for food coupons with the requirement that they serve as mentors in the Barrio Seguro Community and Technological Centers.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#8)
Barrio Seguro, one of the components of the Democratic Security Plan (PSD), which was launched in 2005 through the Ministry of the Interior and of the Police, by way of Decree 268-05, now has 11 sub-components. Some of the barrios taking part in the program in Santo Domingo are Gualey, Capotillo, La Zurza, Los Guandules, 24 de Abril, Los Mina Norte, La Victoria, Villa Maria and San Luis. In Santiago the barrios include Peking, Cienfuegos, La Joya, Ensanche Espaillat, Yapur Dumit, and Ensanche Bermudez.
Although the vice minister of the Interior and of the Police, Yadira Pena, who is the operational coordinator of the PSD, accepts that not all the components are working as planned, she highlights the fact that some 5,000 families have already benefited. Barrio Seguro is currently undergoing an evaluation with the aim of improving, says Pena. The traditional sub-programs are: Financing micro-businesses in my barrio, A roof for my barrio, Scholarships for my barrio, Technological training and community centers, Competitors from my barrio and my barrio Feast day. At the same time, since January some new elements have been devised and implemented, such as: Bands from my barrios, which began with recorder classes with the aim of forming an orchestra, The muralists and painters of my barrio, Unschooled boys, girls and adolescents in my barrio, Underage mothers and The Right to an identity. "Up until now, we have covered more than 60% of the needs of the barrios", said the Democratic Safety Plan operational coordinator.
One sub-program that has not been successful is called "Job incubation", which sought to provide jobs for the labor force in the barrios. This has only come up with a database that the Ministry of the Interior and of the Police provided to the Ministry of Labor. According to the PSD coordinator, the lack of jobs and "the fact that they have not given the program enough attention" have been factors in the poor results. While the job program lingers, another sub-program called "Scholarships for my barrio" tries to help unemployed students. It has already benefitted 4,000 university students who are following different career paths in several schools such as the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) and the Technological University of Santiago (UTESA). The beneficiaries of this plan receive RD$2,000 for transport and RD$1,000 for food coupons with the requirement that they serve as mentors in the Barrio Seguro Community and Technological Centers.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#8)