You'r right, But those "private cities" in DR like Punta Cana and Casa de Campo are full of foreigner, especially from europe and northamerica. BTW: you don't have electric problems on those places in the island. There's a lot of money to be made in Dominican Republic, the profit margins in that island is amazing if you trade physicals commodities. You need a import permit from de government, the way you do that is like a legal ponzi scheme, for example: You buy 5000 quintals (100 pund bags) of garlic and onion in the north part of the country at $10 dollar quintal and sell that at $8, you lose $2 bucks, But then you get the Trading permit, Then you buy 10,000 quintals in china at $13 per quintal and sell that at $81 per bag, a $68 profit margin for each quintals. Those physicals traders in DR lives like drugs lords (they move in ferraris, sunseekers and helicopters), they makes tons of money trading commodities. Of course, contraband and bribes is a normal way to do business in that country.
Well, you are wrong about that. I was in Punta Cana and the power went out almost everyday we were there. Usually it wasn't too long but it was a constant occurrence. I had read up on DR's problems before going on the trip and it didn't disappoint.
Punta Cana, Cap Cana and Casa de Campo used to generate they're own electric power. I heard that Punta Cana or Cap Cana (can't remeber) had a very serious financial problems a few months back.
The biggest challenge in this project is the low level of qualified people in the financial sector in DR. The Bureaucracy there is overwhelming and the political corruption level is world class. But those are the countries that offer some of the biggest incentive for a true International Trader.