Reason First: From "Big Papi" Ortiz to the Deaths of Americans in the Dominican Republic, How Dangerous Can Paradise Be?

So it appears that the Dominican Republic’s public relations team has quite a bit on their hands. In a matter of a few months, shady stories have rocked the tiny country. The true tales have given pause to anyone living there or who looks forward to visiting the area. The latest story to come out of that Caribbean nation was the shooting and attempted robbery of Major League Baseball (MLB) legend and American David “Big Papi” Ortiz. He received a slug to his back while relaxing at a local bar on the island. Though he sustained this wound, it was not life-threatening and he is expected to fully recover. But where was the security before the whole altercation took place? Fortunately, Ortiz can talk about the whole incident.

The same cannot be said for the three Americans that perished at the same resort just days apart. It appears that a woman from Pennsylvania on vacation with her husband and a couple from Maryland all died at the Bahia Principe resort in La Romana. The Pennsylvania woman, Miranda Shaup-Werner, simply imbibed on a potent potable from the minibar and experienced “acute physical distress.” She would not regain consciousness and was lost. Another couple saw the face of death when they missed their scheduled check out time. The Prince George’s County, Maryland pair, Nathaniel Edward Holmes and Cynthia Ann Day sought shelter and comfort at the same resort where Shaup-Werner died. Holmes apparently died of pulmonary edema and respiratory failure. Day fell because of a heart attack. And to shine even more bad light on one half of the island of Hispaniola, a Delaware woman said that she was attacked viciously by an assailant allegedly wearing the uniform of the Majestic Elegance Punta Cana resort at where the victim, Tammy Lawrence-Daley, had been staying.

What all of this speaks of is a place where crime and suspicious activities have taken place in succession. Though they all appear to be mostly unrelated, the P.R. department of the D.R. may be struggling to lure Americans and other nationalities to the island. If a baseball phenomenon can’t even sit down to have some laughs and enjoy the music without being shot in the back, there’s a problem. If three vacationers can’t sit back with a drink and just take in their time in paradise, there’s a problem. If a woman is harshly assaulted and the resort fails to properly assess the situation, then something unsavory may be going on in the Caribbean.

To have those stories released for the world to know is appalling for the country. In a place where murder rates have actually fallen in the years from 2012 to 2017, the island nation still has to deal with the unfortunate events that have transpired over the last few weeks. Everything from the cuisine to the excursions to the folks who call the place home, they will be reconsidered by foreigners who visit the island. All of the poor press displays is a much needed change for how the Dominican Republic should be run and maintained. With private resorts and clubs, the onus should be on keeping patrons safe from all sorts of threats and hazards. The staff ought to implement better security features and investigate the reason why the respiratory failure and heart attack might be linked to the facilities.

For the safety of all involved, it is imperative that the government officials investigate whether any foul play took place in the deaths of the three Americans. They should also be able to nab the attacker of Lawrence-Daley. The fate of a nation depends on it.