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The dark side of Tanzania’s unlikely GovTech success

admin — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 05:00:01 +0000

The dark side of Tanzania’s unlikely GovTech success

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admin Mon, 06/12/2023 - 05:00

Thursday, May 25, 2023

Original Publisher

The Citizen

Original Article

The dark side of Tanzania’s unlikely GovTech success

Summary

In conclusion, while it is important to acknowledge Tanzania’s GovTech success, and I hope to get opportunities to explore this subject even further, but it is also essential to address the challenges and limitations that exist

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Tanzania’s unlikely success in the GovTech field should make us all take notice. Outstanding success requires sustained effort. We ought to take stock of our accomplishments and celebrate them.

There are many reasons for doing that. Change is a gradual process, and acknowledging even modest successes can keep people motivated. Positivity can inspire people to push for further improvements. But, above all, this provides an opportunity for reflection, helping us pinpoint the actions that influence success and failure. That knowledge can then be applied to future programs.

At the moment, one of the biggest takeaways is that when people choose progress, progress becomes inevitable. Think of how the West and East coasts of America were connected. Think of how Fidel Castro eliminated illiteracy in Cuba in nine months. Think of how China pulled 700 million people out of poverty. In our case, if it is possible in GovTech, it is also possible in agriculture, industry, power, and water supply, and so on. That said, we also need to view Tanzania’s GovTech progress a bit soberly. Not everything that shines is all gold.

By 2017, Max Malipo offered the most comprehensive payment service in Tanzania. The government contracted Max Malipo to collect payments for Luku, water bills, Dart, road licenses, municipal taxes, property tax, hotel levies, and city service levies. Max Malipo was flying high, but because of its excessive reliance on government contracts for expansion, the company was perched on a dry tree branch. When the company tried to recruit overseas investors, the potential partners turned them down, highlighting that very risk.

There were question marks about how Max Malipo won all those contracts and who stood to gain from them. Some sources hint at foul play. There were also questions about Max Malipo’s effectiveness.

The Magufuli government’s solution was cold-blooded. They sent engineers to Max Malipo to learn about the system, then – for lack of a better word – seized the servers to give way to GePG. Barring Max Malipo’s foreign operations, the firm could have been buried for good. Now, several people I have talked to admire GePG technical ingenuity on a number of issues, but it can be said that GePG was founded on Max Malipo’s ashes. Such is the cost of Tanzania’s GovTech progress.

Such stories abound. Often, these are stories of regulators taking the role of the industry by usurping opportunities available to private companies. The outcome is huge redundancy and information silos, which hinder industry progress. By some counts, over 700 systems have been deployed, where 70 percent are redundant. This is where you have, for example, different water authorities deploying different systems to do the same thing.

Moreover, what happens after the current phase is accomplished? In other words, how are we going to use the knowledge and experience we would have gained through these deployments? Are government engineers going to start deploying solutions for other governments out there and create further employments in Tanzania?

The current approach, while yielding success, has its dark side that cannot be ignored. One pressing issue is the high cost associated with development. Programmers spend months in camps developing solutions. Today, Morogoro serves as the new hub for government project software development. The financial burden is exacerbated by the absence of industry rivalry and the prolonged development times required to obtain per diems.

Another drawback is the perception that government systems are treated as investments rather than tools for providing public services. The National Data Centre, charges unwarranted fees, prompting institutions to opt for standalone servers instead. Similarly, Nida charges substantial amounts for user authentication services. These barriers hinder the widespread adoption of these systems and limit their effectiveness in serving the public.

I don’t think if we have thought our strategy through. There seems to be a lack of an overarching vision driving these developments. In some cases, it feels like the right things are being done with wrong motives. There is, therefore, the need to develop a clear long-term goal to lead to sustainable results. Without a clear vision, we might end up with low-quality, barely scalable, redundant, and highly porous systems from the security point of view. That is how you end up with systems with outdated information, limited support, and little utilisation.

In my opinion, the GovTech development craze should have as one of its primary objectives to spur the local software development industry. There is so much to be gained from such a development. Therefore, we need to involve the best brains in the industry and give space for the private sector. Breaking down silos and fostering cooperation can lead to more innovative solutions and sustained growth of the software development industry.

Africa

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Comissiong cops Presidents’ Award St Martin Book Fair

admin — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 14:50:01 +0000

Comissiong cops Presidents’ Award St Martin Book Fair

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admin Mon, 06/20/2022 - 14:50

Friday, June 17, 2022

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Barbados Today

Original Article

Comissiong cops Presidents’ Award St Martin Book Fair

MARIGOT, St. Martin — His Excellency David Comissiong, Barbados’ Ambassador to CARICOM, recently received The Presidents’ Award from the St. Martin Book Fair. The annual Award is the final highlight of the three-day St. Martin Literary Festival, said book fair coordinator Shujah Reiph.

“The Presidents’ Award is presented to individuals and institutions whose work is noted for its excellence and for combining literary, cultural, and liberation components in the service of progress, of their people or nation, and of humanity,” said Lasana M. Sekou, House of Nehesi Publishers’ consultant to the festival.

“This is an unexpected gift,” said Comissiong while accepting the ebony statute award before the 120 plus guests that filled the literary big tent.

The festival’s main book launch and closing ceremony — dedicated to noted Bajan novelist and political thinker George Lamming (8 June 1927 – 4 June 2022) — was held at the Port of Galis Bay, overlooking Marigot Harbour with the night lights of Anguilla in view across the channel.

The theme of book fair 2022, “The Rebirth” had already been elaborated on by Comissiong in his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the festival in the garden of the Government administration building in Philipsburg.

Over the three book fest days, some 38 guest authors from Canada to Australia, the St. Martin public, and visitors to the island at book fair activities, had come to know David Comissiong as Barbados’ Ambassador to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and to the Association of Caribbean States.

“Few knew that he was a former senator in the government of Barbados and that he was born in St. Vincent,” said Reiph. Comissiong is also a founder-member of the Caribbean Pan-African Network; the Clement Payne Movement of Barbados; the Caribbean Chapter of the International Network in Defence of Humanity; and the Global Afrikan Congress.

Comissiong was an architect and the first director of the Barbados Government’s Commission for Pan-African Affairs. He also represented the Caribbean region at the 7th Pan-African Congress in Uganda (1994).

Comissiong played a key role in the United Nations’ World Conference Against Racism in South Africa (2001) and has represented the Diaspora on the African Union’s Economic Social and Cultural Council.

Since 2012, the alumnus of The University of the West Indies (UWI) has served as a member of Barbados’ National Task Force on Reparations.

An attorney-at-Law since 1984, Comissiong is the author of The Wide Streets of Tomorrow: Essays and Speeches, It’s the Healing of the Nation: The Case for Reparations, The Pan-African Love Story of Arnold and Mignon Ford; and The Year 1953 and The Shaping of the Soul of Guyana (pamphlet, 2022).

Among past recipients of the St. Martin Book Fair Presidents Award are Edwidge Danticat (USA/Haiti), Computech (St. Martin), Benny Wenda (West Papua), Norman Girvan (Jamaica), Casa de las Americas (Cuba), George Lamming (Barbados), Quince Duncan (Costa Rica), Nicole Cage (Martinique), Kamau Brathwaite (Barbados), Will Johnson (Saba), Drisana Deborah Jack (St. Martin), and Derek Walcott (St. Lucia).

The Presidents’ Award is named after the presidents of Conscious Lyrics Foundation (CLF), House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP), and the University of St. Martin (USM), said Reiph. (PR)

Caribbean

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America’s mess

admin — Sun, 19 Jun 2022 19:40:01 +0000

America’s mess

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admin Sun, 06/19/2022 - 19:40

Friday, June 17, 2022

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Searchlight

Original Article

America’s mess

Anyone who has never worried or thought about the future of the US must be doing so following the revelations of the January 6 panel on the US Capitol riots, which so far reveal what has been an attempted political coup. Something of course which the US has condemned in the ‘s-hole’ countries as Trump had described some countries of the world. And why should we be concerned about what is happening in the US? For one, the US still has a commanding position in the world, and whenever it sneezes many countries catch a cold. It has played a leading role in organising a coalition among European countries to defend Ukraine as it faced and is still facing an invasion by Russia. Certainly not a ‘Special Operation’! Already we are facing, like the rest of the world, increased prices that are creating enormous problems for our people. There is a shortage, among other things, of wheat, affecting particularly many African countries.

When the Ninth Summit of the Americas took place in California from June 7-10 one of the talking points was the exclusion of three countries of the Americas. The host country apparently reserves the right to decide which countries should attend and the Biden administration decided to exclude Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela because it claims to be concerned about strengthening democratic rule in the Americas. Some leaders stayed away in protest, including our own Prime Minister, who was recently awarded Cuba’s highest National Award, the Order of José Marti. Prime Minister Mia Motley of Barbados who attended spoke to the issue of exclusion of countries. She did not sock it to them, but politely drew attention to the matter, stating that it was wrong to exclude the countries and decried the policy of talking at rather than with each other.

But where am I going with this? While the Biden administration professes to be concerned about democracy in the Americas, the US is facing an assault on its own democracy. So, the US needs to clean its house first before urging others to do so. In fact, it has a history of ‘shacking up’, metaphorically speaking, with countries to which democracy is a bad word. Isn’t he supposed to visit Saudi Arabia, an authoritarian regime, as it is described by human rights activists. Has the Crown Prince not been linked to the assassination of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi?

There is much more. Former president, Donald Trump is seen as the one behind the attempted coup, an effort on his part to remain in power. The findings of the January 6 Panel are revealing a dark side of the US. Now we know that many of Trump’s closest allies had been warning him about his claims of election fraud. His former Attorney General, William Barr indicated to him that his claims about an election stolen from him “were completely bogus and silly and usually based on complete misinformation; . . . the stuff that his people were shovelling out to the public was ‘bullshit’ – I mean that the claims of fraud were bullshit . . . “

His efforts to take those claims to Court were all dismissed even by his own appointed judges. Hopefully justice will take its place and Trump will have to defend himself in Court. But it goes beyond Trump. His continuing claims about stolen elections have found a home among many Americans. In recent Republican Primary elections, over 100 of the GOP winners are backing Trump’s false claims of election fraud. One can only hope that in November elections most of them fail. But a number of States have already put in place measures to control the outcome of the elections. In New Mexico over the past week State Commissioners refused to approve tallies from ‘primary’ elections. Fortunately, the New Mexico Supreme Court has ordered the Commissioners to certify the election results and they were given until today to do so. Would they comply or continue their political shenanigans as dictated by Trump?

This year’s Congressional Elections and State Elections will reveal a lot. Control of both houses of Congress by Republicans will admit a number of persons who still maintain that the last presidential election was stolen from their man, while all the evidence indicate otherwise. But the real story of American democracy has never truly been told when one looks at the difficulties over the years experienced by Blacks and minorities, including the indigenous people.
There will be more startling revelations by the January 6 Panel. We already know that there is some method to Trump’s apparent madness since he has been profiting financially from his “Big Lie”. We have to stay tuned!

Dr Adrian Fraser is a social commentator and historian

Caribbean

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The Summit of the Americas – Picking and Choosing Attendees

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The Summit of the Americas – Picking and Choosing Attendees

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admin Sun, 06/19/2022 - 19:40

Friday, June 17, 2022

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Searchlight

Original Article

The Summit of the Americas – Picking and Choosing Attendees

I WAS THINKING about the most recent edition of the Summit of the Americas, which closed on June 10 in Los Angeles, USA.

Who did not attend –

Not in attendance were the official leaders of Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. They were not invited. Also, not in attendance, by choice, were the heads of government of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Their absence constituted a protest or a statement of principle, regarding the non-invitation of the aforementioned “Excluded Three”.

This story made regional news headlines and hit global news networks as well. It had the makings of a controversy that would have diminished the intended purpose of this hemispheric gathering. Yet, the Summit went on as scheduled.

It seems that they got some work done in relation to migration, climate change and general hemispheric collaboration. At least, they arrived at a position on these matters, along with accompanying action plans.

Clearly, if they want meaningful results, on the matter of immigration at least, discussions must take place with those who stayed away. Let us see what happens in the upcoming months.

The Gonsalves Stance –

I am a bit ambivalent about the position that CARICOM should have taken in relation to participating in the Summit. On the one hand, I can appreciate Dr Gonsalves’s decision to stay away. The Americas is for and about all countries and peoples who are in this hemisphere.
The Biden/Blinken administration should not decide whom to be invited or not invited because it does not agree with their political systems or the politics of their leaders. Although you may ask yourself whether you want to break bread with a leader (Daniel Ortega) who incarcerated the major opposition leaders and barred them from participating in presidential elections.

Principle versus Pragmatism –

Principle must not clash with pragmatism. There are those who argue that the Biden policies towards Latin America and the Caribbean are a bit more accommodating than those of his predecessor – there is greater dialogue between the USA and Cuba today. Whether for the right or wrong reason, since Putin’s troops have set foot on Ukrainian soil, there have been strong murmurs of USA and the Maduro government returning to the negotiating table to discuss the lifting of sanctions and increased oil production.

But whether these actions have taken place or not, I will not hold it against those CARICOM leaders for attending, with the aim of dealing with the over-arching matters. While there, they could have opted to speak on the US government invitation faux-pas, making it clear that the best way to deal with hemispheric bugbears is to talk straight-up, face to face with those you oppose or with those who oppose you.

The same view applies to those who deliberately stayed away.

An Ease in Covid-19 Protocols –

At the time of writing, the number of known active cases in SVG is fewer than 200, and currently trending downwards. Although, new cases are riding a roller-coaster, the mean number is not alarming. However, we have to keep our finger on the pulse of what is happening.

I get the impression that many persons feel that the pandemic is all but gone and life should return to normal – “tings nice agen!“

Border health in the UK and in the USA are no longer tasked with checking on travellers with vaccination certificates and Covid tests. This is a significant relief for those who are heading off/ back to any one of those countries during the upcoming weeks. It has been quite a stressor for both visitors and port health officials, over the last two years.

SVG Health’s position –

It is a bit different in SVG. At this time, SVG Health is telling the unvaccinated (only), to come with a valid Covid test and be quarantined for five days at an approved facility. Some persons are not happy with the country’s position. But, as the figures show, Covid has not yet left our shores. With Vincy Mas coming up in a matter of days, we run the risk of another major spike.

I am quite comfortable with this requirement. If you are going to SVG anytime soon, don’t stress yourself, get vaccinated within the requisite time frame and then enjoy the country’s delights, without the pre-travel bureaucratic hassle.

Caribbean

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Hurricane season brings first named storm

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Hurricane season brings first named storm

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admin Sun, 06/19/2022 - 04:00

Tuesday, June 14, 2022

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Local News - The BVI Beacon

Original Article

Hurricane season brings first named storm

Hurricane season began last week, bringing with it the first named storm of the year.

The system that became Tropical Storm Alex on Sunday killed three people in Cuba, flooded parts of Florida, and brushed Bermuda before dissipating over the Atlantic Ocean on Tuesday.

Here in the Virgin Islands, leaders are warning residents to prepare for more.

“For the seventh consecutive year, forecasters advise that this season will bring above average levels of storm activity to the region,” Governor John Rankin said on June 1, the first day of the hurricane season.
This year, meteorologists from Colorado State University are predicting 19 named storms, nine of which are likely to develop into hurricanes, with four classed as “major.”

“I am sensitive to the fact that for many in the territory, Covid and recent events may make it more difficult to devote the required time and effort to plan and prepare for a possible storm im- pact,” Mr. Rankin added. “However, these tasks need not be taken on your own.”

Instead, he urged residents to speak to colleagues, friends and neighbours about how they can work together to protect each other “before, during and after” storms and other hazards.

Public service

Meanwhile, he said, the public service is carrying out its annual readiness assessments to make sure that each government agency can continue to provide essential services throughout the hurricane season.

“This year, in an effort to minimise any gaps in access to food, shelter, fuel, building materials and communications service, businesses from those critical areas of the private sector have been invited to join the readiness assessment exercise,” he said. “The Department of Disaster Management is providing technical support and guidance to those businesses to help to im- prove their emergency operations
and contingency plans.”

Outside the territory’s borders, he added, the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency have reiterated their commitment to providing support in the event of a major disaster.

Irma’s destruction

Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley also delivered a message on June 1, recalling the destruction wrought by Hurricane Irma in 2017.

“With the memories of what we faced five short years ago still fresh in our minds, I urge all of us to recall what we learned during the fateful 2017 season and since,” he said. “Whatever you wish you had done then, rally your families, coworkers, villages and communities and do it now, because together we can be ready.”

Though much of the government’s Irma recovery has been delayed by a lack of funding, Dr. Wheatley highlighted the progress that has been made, including rebuilding roads, public buildings, and reservoirs.

“Please do not let that progress fall by wayside,” he said. “Rather, let’s do all we can to support our family and community.”

To that end, he urged residents to review and update emergency plans and supply kits.

“Now is when we should take steps to protect property by inspecting structures, shoring up homes and businesses where needed, and removing hazards from around the exterior,” he added. “For those who are able, now is also the time to identify vulnerable members of our extended families or villages to see what assistance may be needed.”

The post Hurricane season brings first named storm first appeared on The BVI Beacon.

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Hon. Kenneth Darroux expresses disappointment in Cuba and Venezuela not being invited to the 9th Summit of the Americas

admin — Sun, 19 Jun 2022 02:30:01 +0000

Hon. Kenneth Darroux expresses disappointment in Cuba and Venezuela not being invited to the 9th Summit of the Americas

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admin Sun, 06/19/2022 - 02:30

Thursday, June 16, 2022

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Local – Dominica Vibes News

Original Article

Hon. Kenneth Darroux expresses disappointment in Cuba and Venezuela not being i…

Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business and Diaspora Relations Hon. Kenneth Darroux

Speaking on behalf of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business and Diaspora Relations Hon. Kenneth Darroux expressed his disappointment in Cuba and Venezuela not being invited to the 9th Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles last week.

He stated that the real value of this summit must be that it serves as the platform for mutually beneficial exchanges to address our common issues. He declared that this calls for a new approach to collaboration and economic alliances founded on the principles of solidarity, cohesion and comradery, and respect for sovereignty as individual states.

“The equitable future, which we are seeking to build, cannot be achieved if we continue to create the grounds for discord and disunity to thrive, but the deed is done this time. But I reiterate the full participation of Cuba, Venezuela, and every country in our region, in the process of addressing the dire issues faced by our countries and the people of the Americas. For the deliberations to hit the intended mark, for our presence here to truly transform and enhance lives, for the decision-making to be relevant and timely, and for the people of the Americas to feel the positive impact of our leadership, we must be open to greater participation and consideration for the views of all.”

Hon. Darroux mentioned that many Caribbean states, including Dominica, have enjoyed friendly relationships with the Republic of Cuba for many years, and have benefitted from its exceptional record of their humanitarianism, particularly in the areas of health and education.

He stated that had it not been for Cuba’s assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of Caribbean nations would’ve suffered greatly.

“We look forward to the day when the Republic of Cuba receives the respect it truly deserves and is once again allowed a seat at the table to assist in forming solutions to our region’s most persistent problems. The Commonwealth of Dominica applauds the efforts of your administration towards reversing some of the unjust and harsh measures imposed on the Cuban people, by the former administration and the indication of the willingness of Washington to resume talks with Havana quite frankly, what better opportunity it would’ve been than at this summit, together with the rest of the OECS family, where you could signal to the world the seriousness of your intentions.”

He commended the United States for the recent measures to working with Cuba but stated quite bluntly that these measures are still not enough. He reiterated Dominica’s call for the lifting of the Cuban Economic Embargo and also called for the removal of Cuba from the State-Sponsored Terrorism List.

Caribbean

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The Martinican bèlè dance – a celebration of land, spirit and liberation

admin — Sat, 18 Jun 2022 22:40:01 +0000

The Martinican bèlè dance – a celebration of land, spirit and liberation

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admin Sat, 06/18/2022 - 22:40

Friday, May 20, 2022

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African diaspora – The Conversation

Original Article

The Martinican bèlè dance – a celebration of land, spirit and liberation

On May 22 each year, when the eastern Caribbean island of Martinique observes Emancipation Day, drums beat from sunrise until the break of dawn the next day.

Participants at open-air, starlit gatherings dance, sing, play drums and feast for ancestors who fought to break the chains of bondage. The uprising that eventually led to the abolition of slavery on the island in 1848 was sparked by the arrest of Romain, an enslaved man who refused to comply with his master’s ban on beating drums.

Today, drums are still a symbol of rebellion and freedom. The traditional dances that span the island each May 22, at performances called “swaré bèlè,” are filled with an electrifying aura of reverence and honor.

But the bèlè is not only a genre of ancestral Afro-Caribbean drum-dance practices. Rather, it is “an mannyè viv:” a lifestyle and worldview through which many people find healing and empowerment for themselves and their communities.

My first encounter with bèlè occurred when I was a graduate student in anthropology, conducting fieldwork in Martinique. As a former dancer, I was drawn to how bèlè drummers, dancers and singers experience spiritual and cultural freedom. Performers tell me their participation feels transformative, sacred and otherworldly.

Bèlè linò

Martinique is an overseas region of France in the Lesser Antilles islands. Most of the 400,000 people living there are descended from Africans brought to the islands by the slave trade, whose traditions have left a deep imprint on Martinican culture.

Centuries of history have given bèlè a complex set of symbols, only understood by those deeply immersed in the practice.

Swaré bèlè gatherings typically begin with a few matches of “ladja/danmyé,” a martial art tradition between two combatants in the center of a circle, which warms up the energy of the space as guests are arriving.

The remainder of the event involves an improvised rotation of performers playing and dancing sets from the “bèlè linò” repertoire. These square dances use the quadrille configuration, with four pairs of female and male dancers. After the opening sequences, each pair takes turns dancing in a playful exchange in the center of the circle, then dances toward the drummers to salute them.

Bèlè traditions use the “tanbou,” a goat-skinned conical drum. There is also the “tibwa”: two wooden sticks beaten on the side of the drum with a steady tempo.

The ensemble of dancers, drummers and singers is normally encircled by a crowd of spectators who clap their hands, sway their bodies and join in the song’s refrain.

All dancers master the base repertoire. Yet the order and style of interactions between partners is improvised – making it remarkable that the drummers can match their rhythm to the dancers’ intricate footwork.

In the playful, flirtatious and at times competitive game of certain bèlè styles, the woman is the object of her male partner’s pursuit, and she ultimately decides if she will welcome his affections. This aspect of bèlè performance, whereby women are admired and praised for their sensual dance prowess, brings female performers a sense of affirmation.

Repressed, then embraced

Martinique has been under French control since 1635. Even during the post-colonial era, many Black Martinican folk traditions faced repression, as leaders imposed mainland French culture on the population. For example, bèlè practices were often denigrated as “bagay vyé nèg,” “bagay djab” and “bagay ki ja pasé”: primitive, indecent and outdated, in the Martinican Creole language. To many in the church, traditional drumming and dance symbolized heathenism. In a country where the vast majority of people belong to the church, it was difficult for devout Catholics to support bèlè.

Many practitioners see bèlè as a dance of the earth that reinforces human connections with the land, divine spirits and ideals of freedom. Touted as a fertility ritual for both humans and the land, the dance reflects sensuality between partners. Other symbolism suggests sacred connections with the soil, vegetation and water on which Martinicans’ enslaved ancestors labored and survived. Many dance movements represent agricultural labor.

During the 1980s, student activists and youth groups led initiatives to revive traditions that had nearly dissolved as a result of French pressure to assimilate. Today an ever-growing community has embraced bèlè as they challenge the legacy of colonialism and racism in Martinique.

Bèlè performance is increasingly visible in the Catholic Church. “Bèlè légliz” or “church bèlè” fuses the liturgy with references to Martinicans’ African and diasporic heritage.

Diaspora

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A U.S. military base in the country in the twilight of the dictatorship

admin — Sat, 18 Jun 2022 21:40:01 +0000

A U.S. military base in the country in the twilight of the dictatorship

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admin Sat, 06/18/2022 - 21:40

Thursday, June 16, 2022

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Local – Dominican Today

Original Article

A U.S. military base in the country in the twilight of the dictatorship

On November 23, 1956, a Directed Missile Base was inaugurated in the town of Sabana de la Mar, El Seibo province, by virtue of an agreement signed in 1951 between the governments of the D.R., the U.S., and Great Britain.

The facility was in operation until 1962 when the 10-year agreement expired and was extended by mutual agreement for one year in its final phase.

The common interests explain Great Britain’s participation in the base’s objectives and that similar bases were located in British colonial possessions.

After the Second World War, the so-called “Cold War” and its effects on our region began in 1945, encouraging military dictatorships and tyrannical regimes at the service of U.S. geopolitical interests. As is well known, Trujillo benefited greatly from this circumstance.

Sabana de la Mar, bordered by the Bay of San Lorenzo, is a sub-bay of the Bay of Samaná, whose strategic position has been highly valued since ancient times by different powers, which led to attempts to control it for geostrategic purposes.

Therefore, it was not by chance that this project was installed in that location.
“Located in any other part of the island, Samaná would be nothing more than a large peninsula forming a large bay. Placed where nature has placed it, it is one of those maritime positions such as are not found but two or three on the map of the world” (Sir R, Lepelletier de Saint Remy, Santo Domingo, Dominican Society of Bibliophiles, 1978. p. 197).

Communication center
The base established at Sabana de la Mar was part of the system of similar bases established by the U.S. from Cape Canaveral, Florida, to the southeast of Puerto Rico. The network of bases consisted of two bases in Florida (Cape Canaveral and Jupiter), four in the Bahamas (Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, San Salvador and Mayaguana), one in the Turks (Grand Turca), one in the Dominican Republic and the last one in the chain located in Puerto Rico.

The Patrick Base at Cape Canaveral was the headquarters for launching guided missiles, and the others had the mission of controlling the aircraft in flight, for which they had sophisticated equipment.

When the base was inaugurated in Dominican territory, different types of guided missiles were being tested, capable of transporting atomic explosives across the ocean, without a pilot, which represented a far-reaching achievement in military technology at the time.

The projectiles were launched across the Atlantic Ocean in a test area extending more than 5,000 miles from Cape Canaveral, Florida, to the island of Asuncion in the southern Atlantic, where they fell into the sea.

The Sabana de la Mar Station served as a communications hub for relaying scientific information between Cape Canaveral and Puerto Rico.

The financing of the project was the responsibility of the U.S. government; however, the availability and access to critical resources (the necessary land and water) was the responsibility of the Dominican government.

Members of the 1962 Council of State.

The State-owned part of the land and part was privately owned; a small portion of the private property was obtained through purchase, and most of it was obtained through donation, supposedly voluntary, by the owners. There was at least one case of appropriation because the owner refused to sell due to disagreement with the price offered.

The endowment at the base, from the construction phase, undertook actions aimed at generating social impact in the region. For example, public health supported the national authorities in controlling mosquitoes through fumigation campaigns carried out by military personnel.

Remains of the base
During the ten years that the base was in operation, between military personnel stationed there and native women of the community, some 30 marriages took place, none of which ended in divorce, according to the testimony of a then married woman, now a widow, interviewed by the author of this text.

The effective operation of this military infrastructure ceased on October 22, 1962, and using a public act on November 6; the facilities were handed over to the Dominican Government represented by Donald J. Reid Cabral, member of the Council of State; representing the government and the U.S. Air Force, Ambassador John Bartlow Martin, and Brigadier General Harry J. Sands.

Speaking for the U.S. Government, Ambassador John Bartlow Martin said that he was “very pleased to be here in Sabana de la Mar next to the beautiful bay of Samaná,” adding that “the act symbolized the spirit of cooperation between both governments…

Today, 700 miles away on another Caribbean island, a base of a different nature, is also being dismantled under very other circumstances…”, thus referring to the famous “October Crisis” or “of the missiles” in Cuba. Three days earlier, El Caribe newspaper published an eight-column headline, “U.S. verifies dismantling of Russian bases in Cuba.” Strange coincidence.
The Señorita Elupina Cordero municipal hospital now occupies the central infrastructure of the former military base.

Infrastructure

– Service center
What remains of the U.S. military base in Sabana de la Mar is today part of the Miss Elupina Cordero municipal hospital. Part of the land was private.

Caribbean

News

Cuban businessmen interested in investing in the Dominican Republic

admin — Sat, 18 Jun 2022 15:20:01 +0000

Cuban businessmen interested in investing in the Dominican Republic

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admin Sat, 06/18/2022 - 15:20

Thursday, June 16, 2022

Original Publisher

Economy – Dominican Today

Original Article

Cuban businessmen interested in investing in the Dominican Republic

SANTO DOMINGO.- Cuban businessmen are interested in expanding business and commercial relations in the Dominican Republic.

In this event, Cuban SMEs will offer their production and technology portfolios in Punta Cana and Puerto Plata.

Executives from dozens of Cuban companies will present their product portfolios in the Dominican Republic to establish commercial relations with small and medium-sized entrepreneurs.

Cuban and Dominican businessmen will discuss, at the working tables, strategies to achieve a broad, stable, and fruitful commercial exchange for the benefit of consumers in both Caribbean nations.

The negotiating tables will be installed at the Ocean Blue & Sand Beach Resort Hotel in Punta Cana from Sunday 19 to Wednesday 22. The event will also be held in Puerta Plata on June 23 and 24, 2022.

Cuban companies will present their production tools based on construction materials, technology, medicines, food products, dairy, meat, fruit, and vegetable preservation, and passenger ground transportation services to install industrial plants.

Also, commercialization of furniture, textile articles, metal products, clothing, hairdressing products, arts, and other aerial.

The media and small entrepreneurs who will participate in exchanging ideas and proposals are interested in buying all kinds of products to market in stores and markets (retail sales), such as food, clothing, footwear, appliances, and hardware stores.

Cubans also want to establish commercial relations in containers and packaging for food products for preserves and juices, as well as in aluminum carpentry, paints, mortar, ceramics, cement, and electricity.

The entrepreneurs of Cuba are interested in partnering with Dominicans for the production of goat cheese, for the supply of raw materials for the plastic industry, steel plates or cattle for the production of tiles, luminaires, office furniture, wood, machinery for the production of furniture, software, and means of transport.

The SMEs of Cuba will experience new perspectives with the mentality of the “self-employed” figure; they are entrepreneurial companies with free private sector capital.

This figure, driven by the Cuban economy and the breeze of openness to foreign capital, established an obligatory policy of transaction and development for a new world of Cuban businessmen and merchants who come in search of business partners with a bilateral sense of Cuba and the Dominican Republic, to reissue the exchange of trade based on the technological science of the modern market in the Caribbean and its insular importance for the geopolitics it represents the global impact of the economy.

“SMEs move the world and the Caribbean, it is part of this universe with tens of millions of inhabitants.”