Category: Hurricane Maria

A Seat at the Table – Part 1 of 4

LEADING VIEQUES

“Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
The Old Testament Proverbs 29.18

Never before in Vieques have our citizens become so painfully aware of how poorly we are treated compared to others in the US.  Our Commonwealth and US governments have let us down, ignored our needs, and demonstrated their utter incompetence providing for our wellbeing.  We all now know that we must develop the capability to fend for ourselves, to become more self-sufficient, and to take an active role in the management and development of our island community.  If we are to have any hope of creating an environment conducive to the success of the youth of Isla Nena, we must take responsibility for our own future.

With the bankruptcy of Puerto Rico and the aggressive imposition of economic hardship upon us from the US congress (through the Jones Act and the passing of the latest tax laws), it is clear that, with our low priority, Vieques will suffer tremendously over the next 20 years if we don’t act to grab control of the situation.

We have to ask ourselves as residents if we, too, are not part of the problem.  For instance, if someone suggested to you that in order to salvage our electrical service and correct the mess that PREPA has made of the entire Commonwealth, the Municipio should take charge of the island distribution grid, you would probably respond with something like: “Are you crazy? We have no experience, and nobody at the Alcadia knows anything about electrical distribution, much less running a business for the benefit of the community.”

Five years ago, I said almost exactly the same thing. The last several mayors have demonstrated this same attitude toward a variety of opportunities. Central Government agencies and PREPA agree and actually laugh out loud at the mention of Vieques running anything.

WE WERE ALL WRONG!

We were thinking in terms of the existing government format.  We assumed that we would be required to organize, train, equip, and manage in the same way PREPA, the ATM, and myriad other government agencies function, and of course, we aren’t qualified. BUT, there is a much better way that is used effectively all over the world:  We hire a world class expert to help us create a performance specification that we can use to solicit bids from well established, competent, and leading firms to operate and maintain our grid to the high quality level we specify.  If they fail to perform, they are fined and/or replaced.

We need to WAKE UP! Neither the Governor of PR nor the President of the US is any more knowledgeable about operating a grid than we are.  They are not able to run a generator or repair an electrical line, but so what? We don’t need to perform these tasks either.  We must hire the best proven expert contractors who can – and then manage them!  We must to be the ones to specify our needs.

The leaders and citizens of Vieques must take over responsibility for the infrastructure of the island or suffer at the hands of poor planning, reduced funding, and low priorities forced upon us by the Central Government.  While we can acknowledge that we do not have the operational experience, we do have the expertise and initiative to specify our requirements, hire expert contractors to satisfy our needs, and manage the contracts to ensure compliance.

Lack of budget capacity to finance improvements is often the fatal flaw of many plans.  When we examine the ledgers of the municipality, we won’t find existing expense entries for water, electricity, ferry service, or any of the other categories representing our infrastructure because these services were never before provided through local government.  One could, therefore, conclude that we are in a hopeless situation, but we are not. We need to realize there are options available to us:

  • We can include the financing of the required improvements as part of the contractors’ bids with repayment from the monthly fees off of the grid services
  • We can form a community cooperative where electrical users are also owners
  • We can apply for infrastructure improvement grants for which we were never before eligible because we weren’t owners or operators. Fortunately, we have an experienced federal grant writer on staff and have access to several more.

No one is going to give us a seat at the table or control of anything:  we have to take it.  We must have a credible plan, and we must convince the Central Government that we will make it work successfully and transparently.  We have access to distinguished experts to assist us.  This is the way it is normally done in the civilized world!

We can do this.  In fact, we must do this if there is ever to be the kinds of improvements that will make a future for the island that our young people will choose to participate in.  We must make our island a showcase of sustainability and an inspiration for others to take charge of their destinies and throw off the yoke of disinterested, self-serving government agencies.

“We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there “is” such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.”
Martin Luther King Jr.

Taking a Seat at the Table – Part 3 of 4

MEETING WITH ELECTRICAL STAKEHOLDERS

Hector Olivieri, Director of OMME, Vieques has procured for us a seat at the table in the power restoration arena.  This is huge! When Director Olivieri realized that schemes for running new power lines through F&W were progressing without the input of the citizens and professionals on Vieques, he decided to invite the key figures from FEMA, US Army Corp of Engineers (USACE), Department of Energy, PREPA, and others, including local experts, to meet and discuss the situation, the goals, and the options.

Among the many professionals in attendance were:

  • Thomas Holden, Director, FEMA
  • John Lloyd, Director of Power Restoration for PR, USACE
  • Assha Tribble, PhD, FEMA
  • Carlos D. Torres, EEI
  • Jeff Miller, DOE
  • Mike Barandiaran, USFWS

As well as many more from these same organizations and representatives from AAA, PREPA, USCG, PRANG, Fluor, Tourism, VCHT, Vieques Love, and others.

The morning began with a field trip to Punta Arena with an additional stop at the substation across from the Collectoria, followed by a meeting in the multiplex.  The following highlights what was learned:

  1. According to Conde, Director of AAA for Vieques, the old solar panels at Arcadia (water pump station on the way to Punta Arenas) never were in service. Since Tesla installed their panels and battery systems (Power Walls), the old panels were integrated into the microgrid and are working.
  2. There are two 3.5MW diesel generators at Bastimento that we use for backup power. We are currently using electricity at the rate of about 1.6MW for the portion of the island with service.  Our historical peak power requirements have been about 6MW.  Backup generators, as opposed to prime generators, are designed to run for short periods of time and then rested.  They are often used on a cycle of 12 hours on and then 12 hours off.  As it turns out, our backup generators are robust and have the capability to run full time.  They require routine maintenance every 500 hours.  So, every three weeks each generator must be shut off for up to 8 hours and serviced. We have all been pleasantly surprised at the excellent performance of the crew and generator that together have provided excellent power for the last month.
  3. The status of our generators is: one is working fine, and the other is off due to ambiguous readings in the monitoring equipment.  We have two problems that affect the continued operation of these generators:
    • Getting parts for routine maintenance through the supply chain at the PREPA bureaucracy is harder than getting permits to build an airport in the Plaza; and
    • The generators come from a French company and getting authorization to fly in an appropriate engineer to help diagnose the problem is even harder than getting parts.
  4. The upper staffs of both USACE and FEMA say they are now fully aware of the problem and will work it out. Timing remains an unknown.
  5. The good news is that Fluor/Pike are making rapid progress, and it is expected that many more areas will be coming online soon. The dilemma we are facing is that we may have difficulty powering the whole island if the second generator is not brought online.
  6. The power from Naguabo arrives at Punta Arenas in two cables, one of which was installed decades ago and another larger one in the 90’s. Both are said to be at the end of their life cycles.  The transmission lines from Punta Arenas have been routed through the lagoon area well south of the Fish and Wildlife road to the beaches.  Approximately 45 poles are down along that route.  There are many options for restoration with each having its own advantages, disadvantages, and costs which must be thoroughly vetted:
    • Restore the existing system using the same route with replacement wooden poles. This would require road building within the refuge to erect and service the system. The grid would remain vulnerable to similar events.
    • Same as “a” but with concrete poles which would be more durable and handle longer cable spans.
    • Reroute the system to parallel the existing beach road. The water line for the island is already buried on the north side of the road.
    • Splice new undersea cables into the arriving cables at Punta Arenas and run these off shore to an access point very close to Mosquito Pier and connect to the grid there. The disruption to the refuge would be eliminated, maintenance would be minimized, and storm damage would no longer be an issue.  The problem with this is that it is known that the existing cables are near the end of their lives, so it doesn’t necessarily make sense to invest $3M to $5M connecting to obsolete infrastructure. Past experience with undersea cables indicates a cost of between $1M to $1.5M per mile.
    • Run new undersea cables from Ceiba to the Mosquito Pier area. This is the preferred long term solution by all, but the costs may exceed FEMA’s allocation when the analysis is completed.
  7. There are variations on the above schemes that will also be studied. The timing for each of these fixes is quite different, and that factor will also be taken into account.  The immediate goal is to get the power on everywhere as fast as possible.  The power generation we have previously received from Naguabo is not currently available due to that plant supplying 100% of its output to the main island grid.  It is not clear when it will be able to supply Vieques and Culebra.  The fastest any of the solutions for distributing main island power here appears to exceed 2 months. The longer term solution, if accepted, could be double or triple.
  8. What I would like to see, based on the information presented is:
    • New cables run from Ceiba to near mosquito Pier.
    • A 6MW generator (offered by FEMA) added to the two 3.5MW plants to give us the reliable capability to run 24/7 until power is 100% restored from the main island. After the situation becomes normal, we could return the new generator to FEMA.

The meeting was an enormous step in the right direction.  It brought the most experienced and professional people together to sit down a thoroughly present and discuss the goals and potential solutions.  Thanks to Director Olivieri and all of those who took the time and made the effort to help Vieques recover and flourish.

Hurricane Maria 7 – Energy

It’s December 3rd, and I’m sorry to report that improvements to our situation have netted out to be baby steps since my last post a month ago. Many forward, many back! “Lead, follow, or get out of the way!” is the saying, yet we can’t seem to get the government to move: they are blocking the road.

My glass is typically half full, and I always try to look at the bright side and be as positive as possible; but, we must acknowledge the reality: the PR and Municipal governments are criminally dysfunctional and don’t care about us or our future. Sure there are excuses, but they all point to the fact that we are suffering today because they were incompetent yesterday. And, this is a continuous cycle of neglect with no end in sight, so our tomorrows will be more of the same. That being said, we’ve got to get over it. No matter how logical and obvious our critiques and complaints, our elected officials (dumb as posts, sadistic, self-serving, or all of the above) are going to only do what they want, and we know that it won’t be in our best interests!

I began listing the improvements in our situation to identify where we are and what we can do to remove the road blocks that are unnecessarily inhibiting progress, but I became too depressed to continue and don’t want to rehash the obvious. So, I found one area for which the time is ripe to exert some major effort: energy independence.

While nobody is surprised to discover that our electrical infrastructure was fragile and deteriorated before Maria; and while none of us ever felt that the power company was operating in our best interests; and given that everyone knew that the corruption at the top was responsible for the insanely high cost of electricity; we should be pleased to realize that now is the time to force changes. Education and awareness of the citizens are the keys to social change, and we are now informed.

We see behind the curtain. We have experienced the personal losses and the economic disaster that accompanies the non-temporary interruption of electricity. Just as the ATM has choked economic development in Vieques for over a decade, PREPA has single handedly destroyed any hope of prosperity in Puerto Rico for the next decade. PREPA has set us back years at a critical juncture of our debt crisis. But we have learned some things and understand that there are alternatives for Vieques.

Because we are isolated and dangle from an electrical cable coming from Naguabo, we are not integrated with, but rather plugged into, the grid at a single point. It is no big deal technically to unplug. In fact, we are currently “unplugged”. We can independently power our island in a variety of ways. The max capacity of our now defunct system was about 10MW, and we typically used under 7MW. Culebra was linked to the main island through Vieques like a daisy chain via a continuing underwater cable system. An oil based backup facility was built in Vieques over a decade ago comprised of two 6MW generators designed to run 12 hours on and 12 hours off in an alternating rotation. Lack of maintenance has very possibly rendered irreparable damage to the equipment – we will see soon.

Historically, Vieques has been blessed with significant sunlight and strong winds. Research suggests that the best winds and the most sunlight are available on the east end of the island but other areas are certainly viable. Studies show that we have “good” conditions as rated by both wind and solar experts. We are not rated “excellent” due to the seasonal variations of winds and clear skies. Proposals for both wind and solar should be solicited and evaluated. The cost of both collection and storage has been dropping dramatically every year to the point that they are excellent, cost effective alternatives to our antiquated petroleum based service.

    Centralization or Decentralization

Solar and wind technology can be utilized in both centralized and decentralized installations. The advantages of decentralization include: reduction or elimination of distribution lines, equipment, and costs, as well as lessened vulnerability to storm damage. The advantages of centralization are greater efficiency and a lower original cost for the plants.

A large scale array can be placed in a single area and sized to supply the whole island. Alternatively, to reduce distribution costs, multiple (smaller) dispersed arrays could be located in or near various neighborhoods and commercial areas. Government land should be surveyed to find optimal locations for placement of the array(s) to tie into the existing infrastructure. Although much of our distribution system has been damaged by hurricanes, some may be usable, and further development worked around the existing systems. New distribution should be below ground, and existing elevated components should be buried as soon as practical.

Lithium-ion batteries have evolved dramatically, based in no small part on the efforts of Tesla and Solar City. Battery storage is already cost effective in many market areas and will be in PR when the monopoly-protecting obstacles placed by the power company and government officials are removed. Battery packs are scalable from single family home sized units to island-wide power banks.

To begin with, privately owned solar backup systems can be efficiently installed immediately on the flat roofs of most existing houses. These are light weight panels with or without batteries. They are connected to the house circuit breaker panel with a transfer switch which selects either the grid or the solar source. Power would pass through an inverter to convert the DC current to AC. A power conditioner would provide a constant, clean voltage for the devices connected within the house. Batteries could permit continuation of the supply of electricity while the sun is unavailable. The system is scalable: one could have just a couple of panels to run a refrigerator, electronics, a fan, etc., or an extensive system could be installed to cover everything in the house during sunshine and a couple of days of clouds. More complex systems integrated into our new grid for net metering are also possible.

The manufacturing costs of both panels and batteries have been decreasing by roughly 20% year after year. We cannot afford to invest in the antiquated technology and business model of the AEE power company. [“Clean Disruption” Tony Seba]

There are many possible solutions to our problem, but nothing happens overnight. We could phase a solution for energy independence. As an example, we could establish an interim fix that would consist of four steps in either of two ways:

• Implement a short term (maybe 1 to 2 year) operation of our backup generators as the primary source of power to our grid – if the generators are repairable at reasonable cost;
• Begin work on a centralized solar system to become the primary power source for Vieques quickly;
• Simultaneously encourage the installation of private decentralized solar systems on houses and other buildings; and
• Retire the generators to a backup status.
Or
• Implement a potentially longer term (maybe up to10 years) operation of LNG (liquid natural gas) generators as the primary source of power to our grid;
• Begin work on a centralized solar system to become the primary power source for Vieques at a moderate pace governed by funding;
• Simultaneously encourage the installation of private decentralized solar systems on houses and other buildings; and
• Retire the generators to a backup status.

Government land south of Mosquito Pier would allow easy grid access for the solar arrays (and/or wind generators) and minimize transportation for the 10,000 gallon tanks for a new LNG plant. The cost of electricity with LNG and/or solar will be far less than with diesel.

    Finance

Traditional financing for utility projects is through bonds which are structured to ensure repayment through customer fees for service. Because PR has broken the mold and tainted this long standing practice, it is unlikely that any entity would be interested. Another development method gaining popularity is that of a PPA, or a Purchase Power Agreement. This long term arrangement is based on a contract with the provider to build and operate a power plant (and optionally the distribution network) and bill customers directly for their power. The method of pricing the power can be a bulk figure per month for a specified minimum quantity or simply a fixed charge per KWH. Ownership of the infrastructure can be private and/or municipal. This is a flexible relationship that is molded to fit both parties.

It may be that grants and other semi-philanthropic agreements could be secured for the sustainable power components. In that case, the initial phase of diesel or LNG generator dependence can provide us the time to apply for and implement alternative energy plant(s). As the sustainable operation grows, the traditional generators would become supplemental or backups. Initial savings in our electrical rates could also be applied to help finance the solar development if we agreed to delay the price drop. Ultimately, the rates would fall significantly.

    PREPA Agreement

It is totally unclear how independence from PREPA would be accomplished, but there are several points to consider:
• PREPA is bankrupt, and cannot sell assets without court approval;
• The Junta, or Fiscal Control Board, will want to weigh in on any plan to privatize;
• The Central Government will attempt to flex its muscles as well;
• The union, UTIER, will no doubt fight this in court and through the illegal strong-armed tactics for which it is known; and
• A privatization of Vieques power will ultimately save PREPA money.

Assets purchased from PREPA should be negotiated based upon the book value of the infrastructure. While the existing distribution systems are old, new equipment has been added at a very slow pace. The majority of system extensions, however, have been paid for by the customer, and most of the emergency repairs have been provided by outside sources, NOT the utility company. A strong case can be made that the distribution systems have long since been paid for and represent zero book value. According to Caribbean Business, (Agustin Criollo Oquero & Rosario Fajardo, September 7, 2017):

Prepa Executive Director Ricardo Ramos Rodríguez recently said the powerlines carrying electricity in the public corporation’s system are in such a deteriorated state that a strong storm could leave the island without power for weeks.

“The lifespan of most of Prepa’s equipment has expired….” [Ramos]

[anonymous employee] ….said that much of Prepa’s equipment dates back to the 1950’s – and the more “modern” equipment that is still functional dates from the 1990’s….

    Summary

There has never been a better time, and there may never be again. We must act now to free ourselves from the parasitic clenches of PREPA. We need to simultaneously attract vendors to secure legitimate proposals that we can use to negotiate our energy independence, and educate our citizens on the value of small scale solar for their homes – while aiding the growth of local expertise to provide sales and service. This is how we take control of our energy infrastructure and reinforce our desired image as a sustainable island community. This is hugely important. It’s an opportunity we can’t afford to miss.

Hurricane Maria 6 – 1 Nov 17

We’ve all heard the excuses ad nauseam from government managers that:
• Maria was an extraordinary storm;
• The infrastructure was in horrible condition;
• Communications were knocked out;
• There was no money available; and
• Disaster relief was slow in reaching us.

Okay, but these same managers were responsible for preparedness and operations. Those ARE their job descriptions! They have failed miserably. They have behaved arrogantly, hoarded information, had their own power agendas and priorities, hidden their decisions in darkness, deflected meaningful offers of assistance, blamed others for their own errors and omissions, and failed on every objective measure of competence imaginable.

Under extreme circumstances and conditions, satisfying results may be difficult to come by, but we can applaud valiant efforts to accomplish worthy goals. On the other hand, macho, pigheaded refusal to act in the best interests of the community in a crisis is cause for immediate dismissal.

Business as usual is unacceptable. Incompetent management needs to be replaced – both the jerks and the well-meaning. And in some other universe, we could dismiss all of the unqualified bureaucrats who have truly ruined the Commonwealth and the Municipio. Unfortunately, regardless of the evidence of out-and-out horrible performance, it is extremely unlikely that significant changes will be implemented. The problems are systemic and require a radical, comprehensive reformation.

Some of the employees are working extremely hard to get things fixed and working right, but like the crew and passengers of the Titanic, when the captain screws up, everyone ends up in the water.

Hurricane Maria 5 – Quickie

Amidst the recovery, I am pleased to report two very uplifting observations:
1. With a steady dose of rain, the island is turning quite green again.
2. With a lack of electricity and the reduced use of generators in homes, video gaming is at an all-time low, and the neighborhoods are filled with kids riding bikes, razors, skateboards, and other mechanical devices. Young people are outside playing and having fun! I’ve never seen anything like this in the last 13 years here.

Hurricane Maria 4 – 25 Oct 17

The 2nd Wave

After the initial shock of the disaster of Maria wore off, it was replaced by a pressing urgency to change the scene and make things normal again. While continuing to survive, secure, repair, and help our community to get back on its feet, our expectations of working hard and grabbing the bull by the horns were met with the frustrations of reality:
• The communication links were down, so cash and credit were initially not available from the bank, the credit union, employers or any other source. Food, medicine, building materials, gas, etc. are still pretty much only sold to those with hard currency (or government cards).
• As manual systems at the bank kicked in, long lines formed for small, limited withdrawals for several hours per day and were typical until week four, when things normalized a bit.
• Gasoline and diesel deliveries started off slowly. Fuel for cars, construction equipment, and generators soon became “Vieques Gold”, and lines ran for as much as 9 hours. Sometimes rationed, others not. Sometimes it came, and sometimes it did not. There continues to be an absence of reliable information, and there are still no consistent operations or limitations. With the addition of generators (many running 12 or more hours per day), emergency vehicles, and heavy equipment our fuel demand has increased dramatically. In order to prevent such lines, the island needs to receive deliveries every other day, but despite being told otherwise, it doesn’t happen. Since the horrendous gas lines on the main island have totally disappeared, it is clear that the problem is local: the distributor, dealers, and/or the ferry.
• Water bottles and emergency rations are distributed at several locations, and long pedestrian lines form in the rain or the hot sun.
• Stressed businesses have closed resulting in many becoming unemployed and short on resources. Hopefully just temporarily, but which ones can survive 6 months without electricity and reliable water service?
• Those who are fortunate enough to remain employed or have small children cannot wait in long lines all day for essentials.
• Without internet, phone, and mail services, statements do not arrive, bills do not get paid, and some accounts get frozen or terminated. Parts and needed supplies cannot be ordered.
• US Mail has been deplorable – not the local office, the system in general. Regular mail has been a fraction of its former self and Priority Mail a faded memory. Getting critical items and supplies has been a bust for most people. Generators and pumps sit rusting, and businesses remain closed awaiting parts.
• Grocery store shelves remained surprisingly well stocked initially. The sad cause was the inability of many to muster cash or use Familia cards. Now that these obstacles have been removed, checkout lines have become onerous, and the popular items have flown off of the shelves.
• With a single ice plant, those needing to keep beer, insulin, and other medications chilled have spent many an hour in line or in search of solid water. The plant has broken down or otherwise not been able to supply ice for days at a time: No Hay Hielo!
• While the stores have the capability to handle refrigerated items, most of the residents can’t, so the stock of meats and dairy is kept low, but somewhat available. Produce, on the other hand, is not to be found.
• Clearing and cleanup work has been hindered due to a lack of working generators and a shortage of various tools. Anything that requires gas or diesel is delayed and constrained. Contacting workers requires knowing where they live and work. It also requires gas and luck at finding them.
• Coordination of activities is extremely difficult for everyone from the resident to the NGO or relief worker to the government due to the lack of reliable communications on the ground. One still (over a month later) cannot contact a field worker or contractor outside of a very small coverage area.
• We will soon face problems related to neighboring houses that have been destroyed and are beginning to rot and mold. Many owners have no funds to do anything and have left the island. Numerous wood structures will probably not entitle their owners to receive significant FEMA funds since the warning went out after Hugo: No more wood – concrete only. Who is going to clear these disaster sites as they become more toxic?
• Our collective efficiency on solving these problems has plummeted, and everything is costing more.

One thing we do know for certain: we will preserver! The work will get done, and we will be better and stronger for it. In the meantime, it’s dark nights, warm beer, hard work, the constant smell of sweat, and the love and support of our friends and neighbors. After all is said and done, that’s pretty damn good. Wish you were here.

Hurricane Maria 3 – 20 Oct 17

The crisis in Puerto Rico is far from over, and there will be more discoveries and disclosures as time passes, however, we know some things already. Arguably, the two most important functions of our government – security and communications – were almost nonexistent, and the PR owned and operated businesses of power and transportation collapsed. The results reflect dereliction of duty:

Communications. It is understandable that commercial cell phone, land line, and internet services were interrupted, but this is not acceptable. It is absolutely appalling and negligent that there were no working emergency communications between the Central Government and Vieques for 5 days. Command and control were nonexistent.

Security. The government failed in its most basic mission – its justification for existence – by not protecting the essential assets required for the safe operation of the Commonwealth. Even with a practice in June, with a “dry run” two weeks earlier during Irma, and with witness to the riotous events on other islands, somehow there was insufficient appropriate action and resource to guard and transport the critical supplies of fuel, water, food, and medical services required. Law and order was not maintained.

Electricity. It was fully expected the electrical grid could not withstand a significant hurricane, and excuses were being made weeks in advance. Government cannot duck responsibility by saying: “We can’t help it now if everything fails because it has been screwed up for a long time!” This is in no way acceptable. Residents have been paying the ridiculously high fee of approximately $.14/KWH for distribution and maintenance of this system, but all we have to show for it is a rundown, antiquated mess. Where did the money go? The system is financially bankrupt, but the real problem is that the organization is morally and ethically corrupt. Self-serving personnel at many levels have been fleecing the public for years. The time is right for a major change.

Water. The water and sewage services provided by the government business (AAA) are both antiquated and inappropriate for an island community. Our systems are complicated, fragile, and deliver water that has not passed EPA standards. This is not acceptable. Interruption of our sole source of water due to flooding at the pump station, theft of diesel at the generator, and then breakdown of the local generator highlights the lack of care and professionalism demanded by such an important function. Our waste treatment system is inadequate in both reach and quality for a coastal community. Is shutting off water to areas where the sewage processing is inoperative the best solution the management dynasty can come up with?

Emergency Response. The following elements of response appeared to be absent from the government for a week or more:
• Command and Control
• Coordination
• Security
• Reception (supplies, equipment, personnel….)
• Distribution
• Storage
This is not even close to acceptable. The Central Government has been reluctant, slow, and even refused to accept outside assistance for critical supplies and services. PR unions were holding the relief efforts hostage by preventing outside nonunion drivers from driving the trucks sitting in the ports. The inmates have been granted control of the institution.

The one bright light, and a saving grace, was the immediate and aggressive response of the USCG. They were here by the end of the storm asking what we needed and then delivering it. They were very effective responders, and some of their excellent people are still here helping in any way they can.

After a week or two, other responders from the US Air Force, Army, and Marines were visible and contributing to reestablish communications, security, and logistical support. FEMA assessments began, and the Red Cross had joined the command center.

The Ferry (ATM). On a normal day the ferry system is horrible, inadequate, and inappropriate in ways too numerous to mention. The system is “controlled” in Fajardo and has operated after Maria without accurate communication with Vieques. Schedules are posted but not followed. Schedules are designed for the benefit of the Fajardo staff or “crime family”. The people making important decisions can’t be trusted to pick matching socks.

The issues that come to light are not that the federal government has failed to provide resources or has functioned improperly; it’s that the macho PR Central Government has let the people of Puerto Rico down. The emergency response plan was either totally inadequate and/or negligently implemented. The money that residents paid for maintaining and upgrading the infrastructure was squandered and stolen. The people of Puerto Rico have been sailing on a sinking ship for years, and the lifeboats turned out to be full of holes.

For us in Vieques, we can be proud of the way the community has pulled together. We realize that our priority in the scheme of things will put our 9,200 population behind the 3,400,000 residents on the main island. We further understand that the scale of the catastrophe on the main island makes management incredibly challenging. What we didn’t comprehend ahead of time is that we would be totally ignored for five days and, worse yet, had no functioning official local leadership. Since we were not allocated adequate resources to design and implement a meaningful, workable disaster plan, we were led to believe that the paternal Central Government would be responsible – as they claimed to be.

We are forced to be dependent upon an undependable master who mandates our submission on almost everything. We are subservient to the omnipotent elites in San Juan who refuse to implement any of the significant changes we request, and at the same time, refuse to allow us do it on our own.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me!

It’s over. We’ve been had for the last time. The self-serving political elite have demonstrated beyond any doubt that they will never put the needs of Vieques high enough on the priority list to get anything done, and they won’t allocate the needed resources to let us do it ourselves. We are trapped in the cellar with the water rising, and they won’t give us the keys to let ourselves out. We need to act aggressively.

So, what to do? Stay tuned tomorrow. There is a solution.

Hurricane Maria 2 – 17 Oct 17

Life after a battle or a disaster is different. Often there is the anxiety of the unknown beforehand, followed by the automatic reactions during the event, and the closure when the fog lifts and the dust settles, but that last phase, closure, can be more extensive than one anticipates. The morning after is only the beginning. The ones who suffered the worst continue to fight for damage control and survival. Those who were lucky enough to sustain little or no significant destruction soon feel a combination of guilt (for having been lucky) and compassion directed to help the others.

As the realization of the extent of the damage in Vieques sunk in and the metaphorical home fires were extinguished, those more fortunate ones began congregating at locations like the plaza in Isabel Segunda to volunteer to help wherever it may have been needed. Public Works and OHME were busy performing various functions, but there was an absence of municipal leadership to coordinate activities and keep the residents advised during the first week. Volunteers like Mark Martin and Jay Gonzales stepped up and filled the gap, but it was difficult for them since they had absolutely no authority. Nonetheless, their positive involvement cannot be overstressed.

One of the most difficult components of the problem was lack of communications. The municipality was given a satellite phone for the purposes of remaining in touch with the Central Government, but nobody answered at the other end according to the mayor. Fortunately, the Coast Guard (can’t say enough good things about these people – join the Navy League) responded immediately. Recognizing the situation, Kelly Thompson, Robert Becker, and others concluded that the island needed a bunch of sat phones and Becker brought down almost a dozen donated somehow through Vieques Love. I can’t express how overwhelming the impact of that mission affected everyone. It was worth its weight in gold! That one minute of touching family was incredibly important to all.

More tomorrow.

Hurricane Maria 1 – 15 Oct 17

A fair amount has transpired since I had service over a month ago; emails and texts have disappeared into the ether, and going back through the tons of stuff on Facebook is so overwhelming it’s not going to happen – I lost a month. One thing I know is that there is so much love and caring out there that I felt it through the 200 mph (+ or -) winds and really appreciate your vibes. Those who have experienced a rocket attack or shelling barrage know the intensity of sound and the uncertainty of survival that accompanies uncontrollable magnitude of forces unleased upon us at times. To those who have not had such experiences, I hope that you never have to.

Emerging from the devastation of the Cat 5 Hurricane Maria on the morning of Wednesday, September 20th, the universal cry from the Vieques community was “Vivimos!” Homes were destroyed, property was lost, the landscape was reformed, but we all lived through it. The magnitude of the personal crisis and collective chaos was slow to sink in as many walked around almost oblivious to the calamity at hand. Dazed and confused. Where to begin?

The destruction of the landscape was almost uniform. Trees were topped at 20 feet or totally uprooted. Old wooden power poles were snapped like toothpicks while steel poles were bent and leaning over. Even some of the 65’ foot concrete super-poles were cut off at grade level trimmed by a giant lawnmower. Wires were everywhere. Telephone cables – precarious on a normal day – were coursing everywhere, but now a huge variety of wires and steel cables had joined the spaghetti bowels served throughout the debris strewn island roads.

The tremendous force of winds from the eye and gusts in the 200mph range were partially eclipsed by the supernatural, twisting, knockout punches from random tornadoes spawned from within Maria’s cloak. Concrete houses had their doors and windows blown in (and out) with many components tossed hither and yon. Some wooden structures were vacuumed up and probably deposited back in Kansas somewhere.

That’s it for now. I will post much more over the next week or two. I have many pictures of different barrios and familiar haunts, but I’m aware that many such pictures have already been posted, so I’m considering posting options for them.

Thanks to all for your love and support. You would be proud of the way the people of the community have been responding and helping one another as well as the pouring out of support from those who love the island. This did not break us: we’re coming back much stronger!