Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
there were no administrative changes made in Cultura on the August 16th announcement.
Minister Rodriguez is still heading Cultura and Sub Aquatico and according to the office of the president no changes will be made in the foreseeable future
anyone interested in verifying may call the Minister of Cultura or the division of Sub Aquatico
for verification and or the status of permit renewals
It was not just the salvage lease for percentage from Cultura that President Danilo Medina put a stop to. He stopped American gold companies that were mining here in the DR and foreign lumber and other mining companies as well. He has raised his approval rating to record levels by promising the Dominican people that he would put a stop to foreign companies exploiting what is theirs.
This is where the real problem of the change in policy has occurred.
The Dominican Government does not care about the poor Dominican fisherman stealing some silver, even though it is a tragic crime. But I know this, let a foreigner get accused of it and he will have the full weight of the fiscal on his back, that is why I have urges caution in dealing with people you know to be up to no good.
There were no changes in government positions announced today for the 16th of August.
However because it was a Sunday, changes may be announced tomorrow.
It really does not matter who the Ministre of Cultura is, he serves at the discretion of the president.
And these are the presidents wishes- to save the resources of our country.
There is always next May for elections
I agree the history is amazing, the first 100 years of western infusion into the new world came through our doors.
DGC is licensing a company to make a series of films about our wrecks, I know some other Americans who were in the salvage business have been hired as consultants, maybe it is something that you are interested in.
It is a way to share this knowledge of our history with the world.
many people here are quite excited with the project and it may benefit the business of commercial salvage down the way.
Have you seen Senior Pedro's new book on the shipwrecks of our island
Earlier I had posted that it was doubtful that the office of the Director of Cultura would be changed.
However is has become a real possibility for tomorrow on the sixteenth.
That such a change may takes place.
Captain Billy I would suggest you report these people instead of socializing with them, have you never heard of "Guilt by Association?"
If you are suspect of fraternizing with them, and are continuing to purchase artifacts from them even if your intentions are good
It is not good for you.
You seem like a nice man, think of you family and use common sense. If they are looting our cultural heritage they are not your friends- stay away from them and report them.
There are no easy answers
The mandate for change came down from the office of the President. Cultura is following those directives exploring all options. ONPCS allowed leases expire without the option for the renewal process.
This was performed with much thought and deliberation. DBM was only working here under their own contract for two years, some others had been working here for thirty years without a blemish and their contract was not renewed as well.
Cultura has brought on international consultants from a wide spectrum, from commercial to academic
and is searching for solutions.
While the division of artifacts was an incentive to commercial companies, it was not always handled
wisely by those companies and unfortunately DBM was a prime example of questionable business dealings from the CEO down. Just the presence of so many disgruntled investors for so long is indicative of these problems. This started long before the contract expired.
Any company that worked here should have been forthcoming with information to investors.
This is not my area of law, but I believe a US public company has the fiduciary responsibility of transparency in its financial dealings, and DBM is clouded in confusion.
I do know that the new criteria for anyone working with the patrimonial heritage of our country in the future will be quite demanding. The bar on ethics, finance and transparency as well as a verifiable history of the company and or its employees of good conduct will be set very high.
For we are not talking of a renewable resource here- we are talking about the history of this country and the days of it being divided up on a table are past forever.
and for the accusers The Dominican government has all of its recovered artifacts inventoried and in safe keeping, from the first inception of ONPCS under Senior Borell
Again anyone with a concern is free to call the Ministre of Cultura for the official government position at any time.
There is much validation in your argument
there is no easy answer to this dilemma, It is obvious after 19 months of negotiations that UNESCO
is not the answer for the Dominican Republic. Academia can not afford to pursue the quest with any
serious productivity. But this country will not return to the loose regulated systems of the past either.
Until a reasonable solution is stated and administered unfortunately the moratorium will probably stay in effect.
The country at large has always taken a dim outlook on a commercial company sailing away with half of what is found, but some people such as myself understand that there is great cost involved in your efforts.
The looting of cultural sites is a concern for this government, however the amount of artifacts that a couple of local fisherman can recover without sophisticated location and excavation tools is very small. You as someone who worked in this country in the past and excavated artifacts must understand this.
We attempt to remain vigilant, but we are an island country and it is a daunting task.
However most of our sunken cultural heritage is below three or four feet of overburden, and will remain so as it has for the last three or four hundred years- until we develop a better solution.
I appreciate your commitment to saving our cultural heritage.
leaving artifacts in situ is not the answer, academic grants are not the answer,
but neither are the poorly regulated treasure hunting grants of the past.
Cultura is working with respected consultants to attempt to find a better more regulated way of
saving our lost patrimony. The days of splitting finds with commercial companies are a thing of the past. Commercial entities with a design on international cultural enrichment is the direction the Dominican Republic is heading. This is a mandate from the highest branch of our government and not the whim of Director Rodriquez.
Forget calling ONPCS, one phone call to Minesterio de Cultura will verify this.
Señora Lourdes and Senior Borell have not been affiliated with ONPCS for many years. Senior Borell has done many wonderful things to preserve our underwater heritage.
He is also very good friends with Senior Alejandro and any recommendation that may or may not have occurred did not come from Dominican Government.
Moreover the greater issue is DPB's repeated attempt to pass off an archeologist as a required marine archeologist as per the agreement of DPB lease.
DPB's miss representation to its investors on this issue is of no concern to us- except to further display the type of problems we wish to eliminate in the future.
Anyone is welcome to call the office of the Minesterio de Cultura and fact check the issue of salvage leases and most other information that is not deemed of a confidential nature.
Cultura maintains a very open source of information.
Senior Alejandro is a ver nice man, but he is not an accredited marine archeologist and do not believe he ever claimed to be..
He was never endorsed by any official action or any person acting on behalf of the Dominican Government as you say he was.
The Director of Cultura and everyone in a decision making capacity within the Dominican Government know that
DPB never had an accredited marine archeologist on board its vessel during salvage activities.
Senior Alejandro has a Bachelor degree in land based Archaeology from the Canterbury University (look up his resumé). Senior Alejandro is a very honorable man and never claimed to be a marine archeologist.
However DPB has claimed he was so in writing and in doing so both was a violation of its contract
and a violation of trust with people whom invested and you have done business with.
By Captain Billy to continue to perpetrate this fabrication even now is a point driven home that the corruption within DPB is endemic from the top down.
It is another point of violation on your lease that has been noted in the DBM file.
The false claim of a marine archeologist when DBM in fact had none is further proof of the need for better control over contractors within this industry should the situation here ever change and lease holders are again allowed to perform salvage operations.
Cultura has brought in an international recognized person in this industry for consultation on the matter of salvage leases. As dealings with UNESCO have not progressed forward as hoped for
If leasing is once again an option in the future it will not be so for the next few years until the current system is evaluated and the deficiencies are corrected. The criteria to work within the waters of the Dominican Republic (business history, financial and ethical) will be very high,
and no one of questionable character will be permitted to work in this industry at ANY level.
Companies will need to prove their financial ability to work the entire lease term without the need to fabricate erroneous reports to gain investment.
Cultura will utilize college graduate MdG officers to take over care of control and inventory of artifacts as soon as they reach the surface.
Indipendant MdG divers will inspect and photograph the sites on a regular basis and a government appointed Marine Archeologist at the contracting companies expense will be on the vessel at all times to oversee salvage operations.
If you still think I don't know what I am talking about- time will tell
but I think I am done posting here. What started as a plea to stop the name calling of our public officials has degraded to an unpleasant task.
One more thing to Captain Billy. The Preciosa Beach site is not a proven wreck site and therefor it is impossible at this time to give it a ships name. It is indicative of a spill pattern of a ship with a ruptured hull that in most likelihood beached itself and was salvaged, This is according to accredited Marine Archeologist working with Cultura who has performed many dives on the site. Also the site was first recorded in 1997 and artifacts from this site have been in place at the laboratory since January 1998 submitted by Senior Poppa.
So naming it after yourself is an error on your part.
Also Captain Billy thank you for the images of artifacts, I will forward them and a description of your helpful undercover work to Cultura, PN, MdG and DNI to assist you in helping the people of the Dominican Republic stop the looting of their treasure.
The Director of Cultura and everyone in a decision making capacity within the Dominican Government know that
DPB never had an accredited marine archeologist on board its vessel during salvage activities.
The archeologist you hired has a Bachelor degree in land based Archaeology from the Canterbury University (look up his resumé). Senior Selmi is a very honorable man and never claimed to be a marine archeologist.
However DPB has claimed senior Selmi was so in writing and in doing so both was a violation of its contract
and a violation of trust with people whom invested and you have done business with.
By Captain Billy to continue to perpetrate this fabrication even now is a point driven home that the corruption within DPB is endemic from the top down.
It is another point of violation on your lease that has been noted in the DBM file.
The false claim of a marine archeologist when DBM in fact had none is further proof of the need for better control over contractors within this industry should the situation here ever change and lease holders are again allowed to perform salvage operations.
Cultura has brought in an international recognized person in this industry for consultation on the matter of salvage leases. As dealings with UNESCO have not progressed forward as hoped for
If leasing is once again an option in the future it will not be so for the next few years until the current system is evaluated and the deficiencies are corrected. The criteria to work within the waters of the Dominican Republic (business history, financial and ethical) will be very high,
and no one of questionable character will be permitted to work in this industry at ANY level.
Companies will need to prove their financial ability to work the entire lease term without the need to fabricate erroneous reports to gain investment.
Cultura will utilize college graduate MdG officers to take over care of control and inventory of artifacts as soon as they reach the surface.
Indipendant MdG divers will inspect and photograph the sites on a regular basis and a government appointed Marine Archeologist at the contracting companies expense will be on the vessel at all times to oversee salvage operations.
If you still think I don't know what I am talking about- time will tell
but I think I am done posting here. What started as a plea to stop the name calling of our public officials has degraded to an unpleasant task.
One more thing to Captain Billy. The Preciosa Beach site is not a proven wreck site and therefor it is impossible at this time to give it a ships name. It is indicative of a spill pattern of a ship with a ruptured hull that in most likelihood beached itself and was salvaged, This is according to accredited Marine Archeologist working with Cultura who has performed many dives on the site. Also the site was first recorded in 1997 and artifacts from this site have been in place at the laboratory since January 1998 submitted by Senior Poppa.
So naming it after yourself is an error on your part.
Will you state here for the record that you had an accredited marine archeologist
on the vessel when the work was performed in accordance with your lease requirements?
If so please provide his or her name.
Yes this requirement was new at the time of your lease, and the fact that it was adhered to with shades of grey is not something that has escaped the attention of the Dominican Government.
Your defense is invalid
The Preciosa site belongs to the Dominican people.
There is currently a moratorium on salvage lease contracts here in the RD
If this moratorium is ever lifted and salvage work is again permitted
The vetting process of a new company and its employees and representatives
will be very stringent. Requiring much in the way of proof of character
and financial wherewithal. The due diligence on such a company and it's people will necessitate
the approval of a team of lawyers and administrators in the way of an oversight
committee.
The standards of ethics will be much greater than they were in the past.
For years this government issued a few leases and the system ran smooth.
With the expansion of leases issued in 2010 and 2011 the quality of the work and the
results diminished with no accountability.
It has shown this government that it can no longer leave an industry such as this one self policed.
My post are not intended to be a personal affront
We just do not happen to like the name calling.
I have been involved in this process since they came down with Mr Bowden
After that a deal was approved to work under the Capcana lease.
This was our first sign of trouble with a complaint of non-performance by the license holder.
The Deep was then issued a license of their own. Dominican divers showed them where there were at least four known shipwrecks.
The claims that they were found by Deep is false, these wrecks have been known for many years and previously salvaged by Mr. Webber, Mr. Bowden Mr Poppas.
These shipwrecks yielded very nice artifacts, but were worked in a very haphazard fashion.
The company did not make good use of the time allotted them. They spent much time in the dock,
the speculation was that the company was foundering for money.
Then allegations started to rise about unethical dealing and memorandums were filed with Sub-Aquatico. The issues with Mr. Blum and stock dealings were also very obvious and caused great concern here.
With these issues outstanding. The Deep would not have their lease extended in any event.
The decision to explore the possibility of a trade partnership with UNESCO was just a coincidence of timing.
earlier this year we had a joint Dominican/French film expedition to the Scipion.
The litter and destruction were terrible. Mr. Bowden is currently paying to have the Scipion site cleaned up. But after witnessing the condition of one of our cultural heritage landmarks.
There is no longer any faith in the Deep to do this work
Your contract is not in breach
It has expired.
Any division being withheld is due to monies owed and or issues outstanding that need to be resolved between this company and Sub-Aquatico.
We are not any closer to a deal with UNESCO than we were two years ago.
On the 16th some political positions will change
but that really does not matter. The fate of treasure hunting in the Republic Dominicana
may or may not ever be decided.
What is clear from where I sit in my small office in a five hundred year old building surrounded by artifacts, is that we liked having companies here locating what was lost.
What we do not like is people who take, lie, cheat and steal- then call us names.
I really do not believe that anyone involved in these past dealings will ever be allowed to work here again.
This is not an official position- just the collective thoughts of most of us who matter.
So keep calling us names and wait by the phone- that silence you hear is me
Thank you on behalf of the 10.5 million of my fellow countryman that Deep Blue Marine supports through its charitable benevolence.
It is not ONPCS job to determine what happens after division, the only concern that the Government has is the ethics of its business associates.
This has always been a strong criteria for renewals in the past.
Please understand that the name calling and accusations against our elected an appointed officials does not go un noticed. Please do not mistake our cultural differences for ignorance.
Do you actually believe name calling and accusations by company touts will get Deep Blue marine the opportunity to work in the Dominican Republic waters once again?
Your next reply should be-thank you for past opportunity and hope for the best.
Everything else to the negative posted upon the internet for all of posterity
will only add to the already challenged image of Deep Blue Marine, its management and employees.
I have a few questions and some observations maybe someone can help.
I remember in the past everyone being upset because Blum took the previous divisions and did not disclose their dispensation to the shareholders.
Complaints were made to the office of ONPCS in the form of allegations on this matter.
A complaint was also filed by the boat captain to ONPCS a
s to these allegations.
According to the ONPCS, Deep Blue is the only company who is under investigation for improprieties.
Yes there is usually changes in the Dominican Government made in August, but historically in an election year those changes are minor and not major Director positions. As a major change undermines a candidates credibility so it is very uncommon.
Senior Rodriguez has suspended salvage operations pending a decision about UNESCO.
ONPCS will not accept an application from Deep Blue Marine, nor an applicant from anyone previously involved with this company pending answers and resolutions on lingering issues of conduct.
The company Deep Blue Marine also knows that the chance of another permit with the corporation
very near bankrupt is not going to happen.
Inferring that the Director of this prestigious institution is a criminal because he will not let a company suspected of questionable activity renew their lease in unconscionable.
It is the right of the Dominican people to allow a company to explore and salvage in our waters.
It is so American to expect or demand that privilege.
Positions may change, but we as a people, as a country know and understand what Deep Blue Marine represents. In mine and my coworkers opinion it will be a very snowy day in Samaná before
Deep Blue Marine ever works in the Republic Dominicana again
The is not an official statement of the government of the RD.
what is it you say
JMHO