My dad lives in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It is completely destroyed.

a reply to: Cauliflower

Fun fact: It was lifted for both Florida and Texas.

The reports I was reading today suggest that most of the aid and relief workers are in/around San Juan, with little trickling out to the rest of the countryside. That suggests that getting supplies onto the island is not the problem. The problem is what happens after that.

don't worry Trump and Melania will be on scene next week to promote a product or the other... maybe a new line of shoe wear, or golf course management?

the response to PR has been incredible, per the president.

a reply to: odzeandennz

You've got love how in his Tweet about it (how many did the NFL get?) he makes sure to mention Puerto Rico's debt. Of course he failed to mention that $30 million of that debt comes from him and his golf course that went bankrupt.

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

The video's I've seen seem to show that much of the debris in the roadways has been cleared (at least enough for rural residents that needed supplies to get to town).
People thinking about living off the grid for the winter are probably being pragmatic and looking for repair materials and generators. Hughes net salesman will be able to bring dish links in at some point.

The Defense department is apparently concerned about countries like Venezuela and China bringing in cheap fuel and supplies so they are upholding the Jones act. That means stuff will be more expensive and will have to be privately financed. Makes sense in some sick sort of way..

Edit to add:

Reports say most of the Federal relief efforts have been focused in San Juan since its a large urban hub and houses facilities such as the Federal prison camp facility in Guayanabo. Those facilities need *immediate* aid or evacuation, otherwise gangs could literally rule the streets as other posters have suggested.
FEMA should have the best short term MRE and water distribution facilities and hopefully longer term relief efforts won't be hindered by those stupid political guidelines in the coming months.

a reply to: Cauliflower


Speaking of Winter, Thank goodness they don't have freezing temps there.

originally posted by: odzeandennz
don't worry Trump and Melania will be on scene next week to promote a product or the other... maybe a new line of shoe wear, or golf course management?

the response to PR has been incredible, per the president.

Why don't you start a thread about how Puerto Ricans are darker than White and Virgin Islanders are darker than Puerto Ricans, which is why the racist US is so callous towards those two islands. You'd get a lot of the attention you like!

Update: President Trump has waived the Jones Act. Shipments don't have to come in on US ships any more.

The article points out something interesting. Waivers for the Jones Act are only supposed to be given for reasons of national security. The waivers given to Texas and Florida after Hurricanes Harvey and Irma were justified by claiming that fuel shortages were a national security issue.

since 1917 the US has given billions of Dollars to be spent on infrastructures. and to see that their major power lines were on mere wooden polls and not steel like here int he states shows there was a great deal of corruption and after the clean up get done and Puerto Rico gets back on their feet their should be a in investigation on where all the money went if not for infrastructure.

There's so much news on PR and Florida from the hurricane before. Wonder why not so much news on Cuba and other islands also devastated?