Higüey is doing Christmas big and, many would argue, irresponsibly. This year, there’s a rumored $110,000 ($5 million pesos) tree sitting in the Dominican city, which has upset many citizens. Some are saying that the tree is more expensive than the tree featured at NYC’s annual Rockefeller Center spectacle. We haven’t been able to corroborate the exact cost of the Rockefeller Center tree, but in 2012, Bloomberg estimated that it would cost $73,500 for an 80-foot tree and decorations.
Regardless, the real number doesn’t matter because the tree at 30 Rock is always donated, and the one in Higuey wasn’t.
Though a flashy tree that’s not getting quite as many visitors as the NYC tree might signal a mismanagement of funds, there’s a more damning pic circulating on social media. As the tree sits in the backdrop, there are images of flooded streets because there is no working storm drainage system.