Three weeks after Hurricane Maria slammed through Puerto Rico, the island remains in a critical state as relief efforts continue to slowly drag along.
It is expected that recovery will take well over a year, especially in areas in the center of the island where residents have been hit hard by landslides, damaged or washed away roads, downed electrical grid and communication towers, in addition to the lack of safe clean drinking water.
It is in these areas where aid is harder to get to and where rebuilding from storm will take the longest. As of today only 9% of the electricity grid has been restored. As for water services, 64% has been restored; for areas of the north that number is more like 29% and 39% for the western part of the island. Of the 1,619 cell towers, only 586 are working or roughly 36%. Of the 2,680 cell phone antennas on the island, only 18.9% function.
Rebuilding Puerto Rico is going to take time, but at this point there should no reason why not to adapt to clean and renewable energy and build a new Puerto Rico. For too long the island has depended on fossil fuels to feed the electrical grid. Prior to the storm 70% of the country's electricity came from burning oil, 15% from coal, 14% natural gas, and only 1% from renewable energy sources. The numbers are disappointing to say the least considering that the island has year round sun and lots of wind.
While looking at the numbers in terms of cost, electrical cost onto residents prior to Hurricane Maria were in some cases 3 times as much as you would pay stateside US. Such hikes in cost attributed not only to dirty fuel and degrading infrastructure, but also to the recently imposed upon financial control board, whom has also pushed for additional school closers in addition to other austerity measures across the island. Food and retail goods cost more thanks to the Jones Act, an act that was recently suspended for 10 days, time which up to now has already expired.
When we look at rebuilding the island we must face the reality that there are those who would like to do just that, rebuild the island how it was before the storm. We must also acknowledge the reality that many people can't afford to return to the Puerto Rico before the storm, that there is also a new and awoken mass on the island, that witness a broken electrical grid and contaminated water. They understand that the same politicians that contributed to the deteriorating conditions are not going to be the ones to look out for their well being next time around. These masses understand that it's better to build a new Borikén.
There are bright examples of this sprouting across the island as relief aid in the form of solar powered LED lights and solar panel kits.
One of these such efforts is being organized by Casa Pueblo, a community organization from Adjuntas in the central mountain region. They have begun a campaign together with LuminAID to bring 20,000 solar lights to Puerto Rico. One of many needed projects right now aimed at helping to build and provide residents with an alternative solution to their lighting needs beginning in some of the most hardest hit and hardest to get to areas.
Another sector that has to change is that of agriculture and that begins by being conscious of the importance of national food sovereignty. Prior to Hurricane Maria the island only produced 15% of its food supply. One can only imagine how different things may have looked had the national production been 85%.
With this realization it is very clear that if Puerto Rico is ever going to recover it will have to build itself a new.
Information and links to donate to Casa Pueblo can be found in the link below.
https://luminaid.com/pages/casa-pueblo