Over the last 10 years, I have been to Puerto Rico at least 40 times on business and have taken my family there for vacation. The Islands(s) are beautiful, the people are warm and friendly. If you go to someones’s house, the local custom has it that they are not good hosts if they do not serve you a meal or something. Often they are willing to share what little they have with total strangers so as not to disrespect the honor of your visit.
Puerto Rico has several of the top ten beaches in the world. In Ponce and on the Island of Vieques you can see three of the world’s bioluminescent bays (these are truly little wonders of the world). Half of the Island of Puerto Rico is a Rain Forest and the other half of the island is a desert. The island is divided by mountains. There are 16th Century Forts and Prisons. There is something there for everyone. You can enjoy great beaches, ocean water, great weather, maybe a little Ron del Barrilito Rum and some fantastic seafood dinners.
In Puerto Rico there is a very high emphasis on education, most of the people I worked with in healthcare had advanced degrees and often multiple advanced degrees. At least 50% of the local residents speak English, even though Spanish is the language spoken at home. You can go to Puerto Rico and have the perks of leaving America, WITHOUT LEAVING AMERICA.
THE PEOPLE OF PUERTO RICO DESERVE BETTER.
I have a friend that lives in Puerto Rico, he that is a healthcare IT specialist focused on IT programming and networking. We originally worked together in Puerto Rico and now I work with him on the mainland. He was finally able to call today, he said that his family was hit three times by the Hurricane. They can’t get out, they have no food or water. He was crying over his inability to take care of his family. THIS IS NOT THE STORY THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP IS TELLING AMERICA.
Nestor said that the airlines are charging $1500 to $2000 to fly people to the mainland (this may not be true, due to the fact that he does not have internet or telephone services). However these are the prices that he is being quoted to him when he attempts to buy flight tickets for himself, his wife and two daughters to get out of a very bad situation.
THE PEOPLE OF PUERTO RICO DESERVE BETTER.
Yesterday DJT referenced the financial problems in PR, most of the problems were caused by corrupt governors and their administrations. They also ran huge deficits with their nationalized healthcare system first called Mi Salud and then called Reforma. This is typical, the gentry steals the money and the middle and poor are made to pay back the debt.
The residents of Puerto Rico will pay back their debt when DJT pays back everyone that he has stolen money from, including the US government.
THE PEOPLE OF PUERTO RICO DESERVE BETTER.
When I travel to Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, I see the US/American flag flying the same as I would in Houston Texas and Florida. Why is it that the urgency of providing care and services was so much greater in Texas and Florida? Actually why is there no urgency to help the citizens of the United States that live in the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico?
- Is it because many people are not White? White Enough?
- Is it because Puerto Rico voted for Hillary Clinton?
- Is it because Puerto Rico is in Debt? If that is the case with the amount of debt that US has, how could be help our Florida and Texas?
- Is it because neither Puerto Rico and the Virgin islands have a vote in the US House or have an electoral vote in US Presidential Elections?
THE PEOPLE OF PUERTO RICO DESERVE BETTER.
After Hurricanes Harvey and Irma there was a national outcry to help the victims of the storms in Texas and Florida. I believe that Mr. NO to Hurricane Sandy/Sen. Ted Cruz was asking for money for Texas before the Hurricane Harvey made landfall.
Has anyone heard one word of talk about helping the victims of Hurricane Maria? How much has the US House, Senate or President proposed in aid for Puerto Rico and the VI?
To the best of my knowledge there has been no discussion in Washington DC for either short-term emergency relief or for long-term aid for reconstruction for the US Territories or other areas impacted by Hurricane Maria.
Is the Navy on the way? There is always a fleet of ships parked in Norfolk VA. Puerto Rico has a harbor that often has US Navy ships in dock. The Navy can head out tomorrow and be to Puerto Rico in 48 hours with food, water and medicine.
How callous are the people in Washington DC.
Today I read that newborn babies and the babies in the neonatal units of the hospitals are at risk due to power and water shortages. Starting to sound like infanticide to me.
What the residents of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islanders need to do is talk with a southern accent and tell the media that comes to cover the devastation that if we give them help they will vote for DJT. I think this is their only hope.
Thursday, Sep 28, 2017 · 6:24:38 PM +00:00
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SWalkerwillgotojail
Just spoke with Nestor. He lives on the “wrong” side of the island. He lives near Ponce on the South central coast. He was hit very badly. He has to drive two hours to San Juan to be able to get cell phone service.
It is estimated that the last band of Hurricane Maria went offshore late Wednesday evening (September 20). That means that over seven days ago the Hurricane Maria was over.
Currently — other than in San Juan the Capital, there are no services or deliveries. No Fedex, no Mail. Banks are closed. We have been trying to wire Nestor money and there is no way to do it. All the food and supplies that were shipped to Puerto Rico are rotting in containers in San Juan. Apparently, the Jones Act also has an impact on port unloading of vessels. Thank god someone was looking out for the interest of the commercial shipping industry.
For those on the “wrong” side of the island. This is the side where Ponce is, you can look it up on a map. No federal support, no food, no water. NOTHING
With apologies to New Orleans, due to the size of Maria, the intensity of the storm (made landfall as a Level 4 hurricane), and the number of people affected (3,500,000), Maria makes Karina look much more survivable. Maria has basically leveled the country of Puerto Rico.
I wish the Puerto Rican people were US citizens like the folks in Texas and Florida. I read yesterday that the federal response in Florida and Texas was an average of 35,000 federal employees.
Last night on the news, I read that despite the devastation and the lack of services or supplies, one week after the storm subsided, only 7,000 federal employees were on hand to help. 3,500,000 Puerto Ricans/7,000 federal responders.
We are only a day or two away from a terrible human disaster. Water borne disease, children suffering from hunger and malnutrition, hospitals failing.
I remember in New Orleans the republicans prosecuted a physician and two nurses for staying and providing care round the clock to very ill persons in the intensive care unit without power. The very small staff that was hand-breathing patients with Ambu-Bags round-the-clock (five days). These patients that could not breath on their own. They kept up the work until they could not physically do any more. Some patients died, the physician and nurses who stayed and helped were tried for euthanasia.
They did administer morphine to a small number of patients that may have stopped patient breathing. However, it is not euthanasia if you are trying to keep the patient comfortable or out of pain. Then the death is a side effect not a cause. However if you could not any longer, sometimes you might be doing the humane thing, not playing god. Where were the people that prosecuted when the staff and patients at Memorial needed to be rescued?
When interviewed these courageous healthcare providers, said everyday, “they will come today” (meaning FEMA, the FEDs, someone) it took five days.
All I can think of right now is how, while people were dying in the New Orleans Super-dome and at Memorial Hospital President GW Bush was a few miles and in front of national tv he said “"Brownie, you're doing a heckuva job".
Trump has been trying to tell us that everything is fine in Puerto Rico. His staff is doing a heckuva job.