I have been Identified

Not by the police or the "shut-up-or-we'll-disconnect you" squad. Nope, Saturday morning, around 10h am, I got my national id card. I need it to vote in the oct-nov elections. 7,000 seats to be filled, after all . As an incentive/coercion, the government decreed that it would be valid 10 years and would be used for opening a bank account, getting a new passport, etc. Plus it's free and who can resist a freebie?

The shocking part was the speed. In 10 mn, I walked there, answered questions, took a picture, had my prints scanned and walked back. Unheard of!!! Of course, you don't get the card until Septembre. Stay tuned for the sequel to this adventure...

Dearest Dennis' numbers are in: according to the officials it's 11 dead, 20 wounded, 3 missing, 15 000 homeless, 154 homes dammaged, 102 homes destroyed. Don't do the math, I couldn't figure it out myself. This assessment does not take into account dead cattle or flooded fields.

Meanwhile, the police has published a list of 300 "suspected criminals, actively wanted" (whatever that means) including their purpoted address and weaponry. Apparently, Wilmé's death hasn't meant even a slowing down of criminal activity in the capital. 10 people rumored to have been kidnapped yesterday alone. 3 funerals, at least, of former kidnappees (2 post-traumatic deaths, 1 suicide).

And to top it all off, the dominican foreign affairs minister is here to talk shop. Let's review what they have to discuss: import(us)/export(them) between the two countries, massive haitian illegals dumping on the border by the dominican gvt, the free zone thing planned around the border line, and, always, money (can't leave out that one).

Hasta luego!