There is a story on our website today under the title “Dominican Republic: Gastronomic capital of the Caribbean”.

Wow. Congratulations Dominican Republic.

How did they win this illustrious title?

“The Dominican Republic was on Monday proclaimed the Caribbean’s capital of the gastronomic culture, by the Dominican Academy of Gastronomy.

“The Presidency’s Website said the announcement was made during a National Palace press conference, after resident Danilo Medina met with members of the Ibero-American Academy of Gastronomy and the Royal Spanish Academy of Gastronomy.

“A letter addressed to Medina designates the country as the “ideal platform to market its brand-country during events staged to promote the local gastronomy and national products.”‘

Hmm. Doesn’t sound quite as prestigious now does it? A Dominican resident who meets with members of the Ibero-American Academy of Gastronomy and the Royal Spanish Academy of Gastronomy and announced by the Dominican Academy of Gastronomy. Plus a letter addressed to Medina designates the country as the “ideal platform to market its brand-country during events staged to promote the local gastronomy and national products.

It would have been fine if it had been left at that but to proclaim the Dominican Republic as the Caribbean’s capital of the gastronomic culture is stretching more than a bit.

My concerns were echoed by two comments made on the issuing website Dominica Today that said:

1.”Gastronomic capital of the Caribbean” ha ! It is nothing more than fluff to to fill media space and time to divert the public’s attention away from serious issues confronting the country.
2.So they say!!! Just ask its own population and see their response………

It is like us announcing iNews Cayman: Top Media company in the Caribbean. Then offering a story of a resident who met with two websites we take stories from – Royal Caribbean (we promote their ships) and Newsmax (we promote their news sites) and getting them to issue us with a letter saying we are the ideal media house to promote their news.

We are doing nothing less than praising ourselves.

And that is worth …..

I let you place the value on that.