Ambassador Brewster to Retire

United States ambassador James (Wally) Brewster has announced that he will submit his resignation on 20 January 2017 and leave the country with his husband Bob Satawake in search of "new adventures.” That is the day that President-elect Donald Trump will take the oath of office as the 45th president of the United States.

Speaking at a Thanksgiving luncheon at the American Chamber of Commerce in the Dominican Republic on Wednesday, 23 November 2016, the ambassador said "this is probably been the greatest experience that I have had in my life.”

In his closing remarks ambassador Brewster said that he would always fight for the welfare of the two countries and expressed his appreciation for the attention he and his husband had received in the past three years.

In his Thanksgivings Day luncheon, he advocated for the passing of a bill to guarantee equal rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. He estimated that 10% of Dominicans are gay.

He said the US Embassy organized 32 Dominican commercial missions to the United States with 1,700 Dominican business people. He said that trade with the Dominican Republic has increased and is now at around US$12 billion. He said the USAID has helped 600 farmers to get their organic certifications.

He said the creating of a LGBT Chamber of Commerce gives the DR access to a billionaire global market.http://www.cdn.com.do/noticias/nacio...nara-el-cargo/
http://eldia.com.do/james-brewster-p...-gays-por-ley/
http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/11/2...-20-enero-2017

Domiciliating In The Dominican

HuffPost: Buying property in DR is good value
Writing in the Huffington Post, Kathleen Peddicord of Live and Invest Overseas includes the Dominican Republic as one of the world's top five places for buying a second home in the sun. She says you can get great deals on second homes that also qualify as top retirement options for 2015. In addition to the DR, she also recommends buying in Argentina, Turkey, Spain and Colombia. 
She says that there are still finds for US$100,000 that are within walking distance from the beach and can be rented out for rental yield. 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathleen-peddicord/best-property-markets_b_6424808.html

Retire On Social Security?

US News & World Report:

One of the most compelling reasons to consider retiring to another country is the opportunity to reduce your cost of living, maybe dramatically.

The average Social Security check is about $1200US. You can receive that payment while living anywhere in the world. In some countries you can even have your check direct-deposited into your local bank account there. Here are a few of the Top Five places.

Boquete, Panama because Panama offers user-friendly options for foreign residency. Resident retirees receive a long list of benefits including discounts on everything from prescription medicines and in-country air travel to closing costs on the purchase of real estate.

Granada, Nicaragua is a charming Spanish-colonial city built around a beautiful and lively central square. It's also home to a welcoming community of expat retirees enjoying new lives in this land of lakes and volcanoes. You could live well in Granada for about $900 per month.

In Cuenca, Ecuador the average Social Security check ($1200) could also buy you a pleasant new life. The city has an established community of expats who will welcome you and help you with your transition. The other big plus for Cuenca is its climate. Ecuador is a land of eternal springtime, never too hot and never too cold.

RETIRE IN PARADISE

dr1 reports on the new laws which encourage overseas and foreign retirees to do so in the Dominican Republic:

With the approval and publication of Law 171-07 on Foreign Retirees, the Dominican Republic has become a paradise for people planning to retire to an idyllic setting. Fast-tracked residency paperwork (45 days), duty-free household goods, reductions on motor vehicle taxes, exemption on transfer taxes for the first purchase of real estate, 50% reduction on taxes on mortgages, 50% reduction on the annual property tax, exemption on taxes on dividends and interest, 50% reduction on capital gains are just some of the attractions. Developers are very happy with the new law. Just ask Jose Luis Asilis, the president of the Metro Group, who pointed out the need to publicize the news overseas. Asilis told a meeting organized by Listin Diario that Europeans can "live like kings on a fraction of what they receive in pensions." The minimum monthly income required is US$1,500 for retirees with a government or private pension and US$2,000 in verified income from all others. There is great information here.