Comments on: A Misdirected Appeal http://www.dominica-weekly.com/a-misdirected-appeal/ Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:44:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Janet http://www.dominica-weekly.com/a-misdirected-appeal/comment-page-1/#comment-13294 Janet Fri, 14 Nov 2008 06:43:59 +0000 http://www.dominica-weekly.com/?p=3313#comment-13294 Patrick Baker wrote a thesis and follow up to these types of troubles in his book: Centering the Periphery - Chaos Order and the Ethnohistory of Dominica The moral of his story is that cultures on the “periphery” of a central civilization will ultimate lose more than they gain in effort & investment. The only hope for a culture on the periphery is to forge its own “center”; and to NOT invest itself in the parasitic draining by another far-away culture, (e.g., growing banana’s to be sent to other countries – Whose “middlemen” control the prices) I have very exciting news: There is indeed an incredible solution to the problem! Patrick Baker wrote a thesis and follow up to these types of troubles in his book: Centering the Periphery – Chaos Order and the Ethnohistory of Dominica

The moral of his story is that cultures on the “periphery” of a central civilization will ultimate lose more than they gain in effort & investment.

The only hope for a culture on the periphery is to forge its own “center”; and to NOT invest itself in the parasitic draining by another far-away culture, (e.g., growing banana’s to be sent to other countries – Whose “middlemen” control the prices)

I have very exciting news: There is indeed an incredible solution to the problem!

]]> By: Dan http://www.dominica-weekly.com/a-misdirected-appeal/comment-page-1/#comment-13272 Dan Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:24:08 +0000 http://www.dominica-weekly.com/?p=3313#comment-13272 There's a tragic and oft-repeated dynamic here, perhaps it's human nature: Create a condition and then blame the victim. So, increase the price of land sold to foreigners and then blame the foreigners for purchasing land at a high price. Makes sense. You can probably think of other examples, but here's one for my ethnic group (Jews): In Europe Jews were not allowed to own land or participate in trade guilds. So, Jews turned to the only opportunity left -- education and the professions. Then they got blamed for always wanting to be doctors and lawyers and such... There’s a tragic and oft-repeated dynamic here, perhaps it’s human nature: Create a condition and then blame the victim.

So, increase the price of land sold to foreigners and then blame the foreigners for purchasing land at a high price. Makes sense.

You can probably think of other examples, but here’s one for my ethnic group (Jews): In Europe Jews were not allowed to own land or participate in trade guilds. So, Jews turned to the only opportunity left — education and the professions. Then they got blamed for always wanting to be doctors and lawyers and such…

]]> By: nieve http://www.dominica-weekly.com/a-misdirected-appeal/comment-page-1/#comment-13270 nieve Wed, 12 Nov 2008 01:40:27 +0000 http://www.dominica-weekly.com/?p=3313#comment-13270 First off, I would like to say that I am a Dominican that can't afford to come home and buy land. Yes, Dominicans (using the term generally) think that once you get to America that you rich and have money. I think I can speak for most when I say that is not true. We all had to start at the bottom and make our way up the ladder. Some of us still not there yet. It is sad because the same way Dominicans are struggling, people over here in America struggling as well. Everything is not what it seems people. We all have to work hard for the little we have. First off, I would like to say that I am a Dominican that can’t afford to come home and buy land. Yes, Dominicans (using the term generally) think that once you get to America that you rich and have money. I think I can speak for most when I say that is not true. We all had to start at the bottom and make our way up the ladder. Some of us still not there yet. It is sad because the same way Dominicans are struggling, people over here in America struggling as well. Everything is not what it seems people. We all have to work hard for the little we have.

]]> By: Suki http://www.dominica-weekly.com/a-misdirected-appeal/comment-page-1/#comment-13266 Suki Tue, 11 Nov 2008 08:52:34 +0000 http://www.dominica-weekly.com/?p=3313#comment-13266 I agree that it is the individual or the individuals that are selling the land that are responsible for the price increases. The purchaser is not to blame for increasing prices and therefore inflated value of the land. This is of course one of the byproducts of a capitalistic system. I am unaware of what Dominica has chosen as its monetary philosophy, however, the individual who sent over the e-mail is better served asking the government to take regulatory responsibility. Other Dominican's, including the Dominican government benefit from the inflated prices, not the foreign investors. In addition to their dollars, foreigners, as Dan mentioned, can bring invaluable knowledge and investment that far outweigh the rising costs of homes. SKT I agree that it is the individual or the individuals that are selling the land that are responsible for the price increases. The purchaser is not to blame for increasing prices and therefore inflated value of the land. This is of course one of the byproducts of a capitalistic system. I am unaware of what Dominica has chosen as its monetary philosophy, however, the individual who sent over the e-mail is better served asking the government to take regulatory responsibility. Other Dominican’s, including the Dominican government benefit from the inflated prices, not the foreign investors. In addition to their dollars, foreigners, as Dan mentioned, can bring invaluable knowledge and investment that far outweigh the rising costs of homes.

SKT

]]> By: Kristen http://www.dominica-weekly.com/a-misdirected-appeal/comment-page-1/#comment-13264 Kristen Tue, 11 Nov 2008 06:59:32 +0000 http://www.dominica-weekly.com/?p=3313#comment-13264 As an American living in Dominica, I would like to point out that I feel that there is an assumption in Dominica about Americans. Namely, that all Americans are rich and can afford to pay all the inflated prices in Dominica-gas, food, electricity, rent etc. For me, it is much more expensive to live in Dominica than it is in the US . In fact, I may be packing up and leaving because of this. Do not assume that Americans can afford the cost of living here. The majority of Americans that are here are affiliated with Ross University. They are not rich people, they are people in major debt. They are people who are living on student loans, thousand and thousands of borrowed dollars that they will pay back at a very high interest rate. Please don't resent the "well -intentioned americans" we are just trying to make it here too, and some of us frankly, are not. Not only are we not making it, we are forced to accept that because we are Americans we are charged higher prices than the locals. As an American living in Dominica, I would like to point out that I feel that there is an assumption in Dominica about Americans. Namely, that all Americans are rich and can afford to pay all the inflated prices in Dominica-gas, food, electricity, rent etc. For me, it is much more expensive to live in Dominica than it is in the US . In fact, I may be packing up and leaving because of this. Do not assume that Americans can afford the cost of living here. The majority of Americans that are here are affiliated with Ross University. They are not rich people, they are people in major debt. They are people who are living on student loans, thousand and thousands of borrowed dollars that they will pay back at a very high interest rate. Please don’t resent the “well -intentioned americans” we are just trying to make it here too, and some of us frankly, are not. Not only are we not making it, we are forced to accept that because we are Americans we are charged higher prices than the locals.

]]> By: Dan http://www.dominica-weekly.com/a-misdirected-appeal/comment-page-1/#comment-13263 Dan Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:11:53 +0000 http://www.dominica-weekly.com/?p=3313#comment-13263 I'm also wondering whether local people would resent foreigners more if those greedy Dominicans who are now raising land prices hadn't and we could then afford to purchase large tracts. And: Why did local people not buy land when it was cheap? Does the writer have a problem with us purchasing (at a fairly high price) land that (a) apparently nobody wanted to buy previously at any price, high or low, and (2) which was not being used for farming or any other purpose (we had to clear it of saw grass). I’m also wondering whether local people would resent foreigners more if those greedy Dominicans who are now raising land prices hadn’t and we could then afford to purchase large tracts. And:

Why did local people not buy land when it was cheap?

Does the writer have a problem with us purchasing (at a fairly high price) land that (a) apparently nobody wanted to buy previously at any price, high or low, and (2) which was not being used for farming or any other purpose (we had to clear it of saw grass).

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