How will the Dominican population react?
They are already reacting. And that was quite surprising for me to see, that they were doing the same panic buying than other countries do at the moment as well.
I never saw in the Dominican Republic so many people in the supermarkets…
…with empty product shelves….
No more Pasta 
No more Pasta 2 
No more Pasta 3 
Water canisters of 5 gallons get scarce 
Big bags of rice are limited to three units per buyer. The lowest shelf with the biggest bags was already sold out. 
One of the things I definitely don’t understand. Vegetables are easily perishable goods, but Dominican people are panic buying it as well.
…and completely overfilled shopping carts.
Basically, I am always well prepared with disgusting canned food, because I am quite a hungry guy. But I also added more food for the next days and weeks. And some booze of course. You’ll never know about supply shortages and what could happen!
The biggest problem I see here is the population themself. Dominicans are quite chaotic people in unstructured systems. And by chaotic I mean really chaotic, unorganized and dispersed. Earlier I wrote that…
It’s of course difficult to have a Plan B, if you don’t even have a Plan A.
This becomes especially clear with regards to literally every type of system or process in the Dominican Republic. On every level. In every city. With every organization. Dominicans tend to have definitely no Plan B, but their Plan A is running quite chaotic. If people in unstructured systems get used to it, it becomes normality and a routine. But if this normal chaos routine is interfering, a real mayhem can break out.
I can’t really imagine what will all happen with the tourists who can’t now exit the Dominican Republic to their home countries and have to stay inside of the country. A little bit more chaos added to the usual chaos.
All other reactions will be interesting to observe. I mean, I have no idea how life must be right now for example in my home country in Europe. Of course, I know stories, I read reports and I talk to family and friends.
But I simply don’t really know how it is, if I don’t experience it myself. Thus, I am just able to report how it is in a complete different society and culture. How it is right now. I am very curious how the Dominican people will react.
I am just curious, how the Dominican government wants to enforce their measures. Of course, students will be happy not having to go to the school or university anymore. And all the other things?
But what if a real curfew order will take place in the Dominican Republic?
For me an impossible scenario. The Dominican Republic is a very free and liberate country. Remember what I wrote earlier?
“What should I care about other people’s problems? I am doing just fine, I enjoy my life and I have no worries as long as I am sufficiently supplied and have enough to eat and to drink. Gracias a Dios!”
Dominican understanding of life
Dominican people like to do what they do. Dominican people like to be free. Dominican people don’t really obey their laws or their enforcers.
Somehow, I can’t really imagine, how it will be. I expect, that people will still reunite in the streets, touch each other and share a drink in the Colmado. I wouldn’t call this a stubborn behavior, I would call it careless. As I wrote it earlier.
Even if life of others will be in danger, I expect the Dominican people not to change their behavior. They will still give hello kisses and share a bottle of rum with each other.
What will happen to the Dominican economy?
The same that’ll happen to all other economies in other countries: It will shrink drastically.
2019 was a terrible year for the Dominican Republic with the deaths of many US-citizens in Punta Cana and the hysteria of the US media. Tourism was anyhow fucked for the last year and hit record breaking cancelations up to 70%.
2020 was supposed to be the year of recovery and consolidation. But with the Coronavirus AND the general elections in May, I forecast some pretty ugly times coming for the Dominican Republic.
Although the country is the strongest with economic growth in Latin America…
…every forecast needs to be corrected soon.
“We have a weakness, this is a disease that has not been generated in the country that until now has not spread, but we have an enormous risk, because this country, its main economic activity is tourism.”
Administrative Minister of the Presidency, José Ramón Peralta
Life of many people on the island will change negatively and a recession of the Dominican economic will be a realistic scenario.
Dominicans will still dance Merengue with each other.