FAQ’s About Autonomy – VIEQUES-LIBRE CORP

FAQ 1 of 4: PROBLEMS, RIGHT HERE IN VIEQUES

Question 1: Are we treated as participating, free citizens or as inmates by the PR government?

Short Answer: We are constantly told what to do, but never asked for real input. When we complain, we are either told that it must be done this way or promises are made to fix it which are never implemented.

Question 2: Do we have any real say in governing ourselves?

Short Answer: We technically have a vote, but practically it is so small that the majorities on the main island render our wishes moot.

Question 3: Are we the tip of the tail of the dog?

Short Answer: We are a colony of a colony. We are far from the seats of legislation. We have no power or clout. We have no money. We have no priority.

Question 4: Does the US government try to buy their way out of complex obligations to the island while not improving the condition of life or the future of our people?

Short Answer: The US has given millions upon millions of dollars to PR in part for the use of Roosevelt Roads and the Vieques bombing range. We see only a small fraction of that money. It is controlled by San Juan.

Question 5: Do we come under Federal rules and laws (from the Jones Act, to the war on drugs, to taxation….) with absolutely no input or control or vote?

Short Answer: Totally! And this brings with it a great deal of collateral damage.

Question 6: Are the services provided to us poor, inadequate, and unreliable? Are we allowed to improve or correct the problems ourselves?

Short Answer: Looking at some of the many services that are mandated and out of our control, we see that our community life and the futures of our children are locked into a cycle of poverty and depression:

Education – PR is the worst in the US, and Vieques is the worst in PR
Healthcare – Totally inadequate and difficult to access in PR
Police Protection – Poorly trained, systemically corrupt, wholly ineffective
Criminal Justice – Financially and morally bankrupt with victim access onerous
Transportation (ATM) – Oppression of citizens to benefit employees and managers
Access to government services – Rationing of services through limiting access
Permits and Business Licenses – Extremely well designed to limit business formation, kill construction projects, and feed an army of self-serving bureaucrats
Electrical and water services – Corrupt and designed to benefit employees and managers at the expense of the citizens

Question 7: As little power to govern our island has we have, will the cost cutting proposals to reduce the number of municipalities give us more autonomy?

Short Answer: Absolutely not. Under such a plan, we wouldn’t even be able to schedule garbage pickups ourselves. All our current resources would be managed in Fajardo under a regional government. Look at the way the dock area and surrounding streets are managed by Fajardo to welcome us at the ferry and envision how well we will be treated.

Question 8: Under PROMESA will the situation finally improve?

Short Answer: Quite to the contrary, the Fiscal Control Board is charged with restructuring debt, and this will mean reducing government services. The colony of the colony is out of sight and out of mind. We have no power and thus no defense. Cuts have begun, and we will see them first. We are expendable. Over a quarter of Vieques is owned by PR and can be sold by the Board.

Question 9: Will we benefit from economic development efforts by the Board?

Short Answer: There is NO specific effort demanded of the Board for economic development for PR at all. San Juan has undermined our efforts for growing tourism in Vieques, and it will only get worse.

Question 10: Will the Congressional Task Force on Economic Growth in Puerto Rico help our situation?

Short Answer: Maybe. There have been so many studies of our failed efforts at economic development that most of the possible solutions have been presented over and over, and it is doubtful they will come up with anything new. Congress (and the special interests holding the influence) never favored past recommendations so it is questionable whether repackaging these will make a difference. Vieques could become a key in a controversial plan to assist PR and grant us much needed autonomy.

FAQ 2 of 4: PROTECT VIEQUES & THE FUTURE OF OUR RESIDENTS

Question 21: What has been done to force our governments to solve the many issues we have?

Short Answer: Protests, demands, requests, meetings, etc. have been orchestrated, but the results have been the same:

“We hear you, and we promise to fix it.” Blah, blah, blah!

“Be patient, it takes time, but we promise to fix it.” Blah, blah, blah!

“We know there is a problem, but we promise to fix it.” Blah, blah, blah!

This has been going on this way for decades.

Question 22: Residents organized and were successful at causing the Navy to leave. Why can’t this be done to achieve the improvements we need so much?

Short Answer: It is much easier to perform a negative than a positive. Stopping the bombing in the then current political environment with the aid of powerful people required that the Navy merely stop and pack up, which was not difficult. Starting programs or improving conditions for Vieques requires sponsorship, creativity, funding, and initiative – not things government is particularly good at.

Expanded Answer: Power brokering, special interests, and politics rule.

Question 23: How can Vieques force the San Juan government to treat us with respect, give us more autonomy, and fix the many broken services which we are forced to rely on?

Short Answer: Vieques is poor and politically weak. PR is in deep trouble with a dysfunctional, corrupt, incompetent political class that is up to its eyeballs in fear, debt, and horse manure of its own making. Even if it wanted to, the government is not going to be able to help us in the next ten years. And, after that, it is unlikely that we will have priority of any sort anyway. If we don’t figure out what to do on our own, we will continue our economic slide, and young people will continue leaving the island.

Question 24: Can Vieques force a change in the relationship we have with San Juan?

Short Answer: Yes, but only with the consent of the US Congress. With their approval Vieques could be: a separate territory (colony), annexed to one of the 50 States, annexed by a foreign country, or a new independent country.

Expanded Answer: Under the “Territorial Clause” Congress is in complete control.

Question 25: Why would Congress be willing to create another separate colony?

Short Answer: They probably wouldn’t because there is no foreseeable benefit to them or the US. They may recognize it could make some improvements possible for our island, but they would be very hesitant to act because we are not a priority for them – just a pain in the neck.

Question 26: Would Congress ever consider allowing us to be annexed to one of the upper 50?

Short Answer: Maybe, but only if it was clear that we had a majority that really wanted it and the State that sponsored us was politically powerful enough to close the deal. The problem for us is that our status as a remote island from the seats of power would still make us the tail of the dog.

Question 27: Would Congress ever consider allowing us to be annexed to another country?

Short Answer: No! Not Cuba, but not Canada, either. Just plain no! Now, they might trade us to Greece for one of their islands.

Question 28: Would Congress ever consider decolonizing Vieques and letting us become an independent country?

Short Answer: It’s not in their playbook at the moment, and their initial response would certainly be disbelief, but a strong case can be made for not just allowing it but for providing full assistance with the process.

Expanded Answer: If Vieques mustered the clear support for independence, there are very compelling reasons why this would become quite acceptable to both PR and the US Congress.

Question 29: Would PR ever consider allowing Vieques to secede?

Short Answer: It’s not their decision – even without the Fiscal Control Board. Congress wouldn’t typically make such a decision without studying the whole situation and getting input from PR. But, just like with the US, a strong case can be made for not just allowing it but for providing full assistance with the process.

Expanded Answer: If Vieques mustered the clear support for independence, there are very compelling reasons why this would become quite acceptable to both PR and the US Congress.

Question 30: Can a small country the size of Vieques become an internationally recognized country?

Short Answer: There are 193 countries in the United Nations. Of those, two are about 10,000 people and one considerably smaller. The land areas of the three are all smaller.

Expanded Answer: UN membership is not automatic. There are some sovereign nations unable to secure the requisite votes to join the club. With US backing, it would not be difficult.

FAQ 3 of 4: VIEQUES TRANSITION INTO AN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY

Question 40: How does a dependent municipality become an independent country over night?

Short Answer: It doesn’t. It takes five to ten (or more) years of investigation, negotiation, consensus making, planning, designing systems, building organizations, training, etc., to transition into an independent, sustainable entity that can run and mange itself.

Question 41: Without money, businesses, experience, training, and all of the community infrastructure and systems in place, how can Vieques possibly begin a transition much less run as an independent country?

Short Answer: It can’t. The following questions break down the problem into smaller parts for which solutions are offered.

Question 42: Our local political leaders barely manage our municipality, how are they possibly going to run a country?

Short Answer: Before we can talk about who will run the country, we need to decide what the government organization should look like so that the people we have can govern Vieques. Our municipal government is structured and funded by PR – it is part of a totally unmanageable, broken system that must be redesigned from the ground up to meet our needs.

Expanded Answer: Communities of our size should have governments that are horizontal with three levels: elected council or board, hired professional management, and contracted services.

Question 42A: What about a Constitution and Bill of Rights?

Expanded Answer: Read More

Question 43: Who in Vieques is qualified to govern a small country?

Short Answer: We are. Among us are many with experience in government, public works, utility services, education, healthcare, transportation, etc. Our lights have been hidden by the bushel of broken systems implemented by PR so that it has not been obvious that our own citizens have the appropriate capabilities.

Expanded Answer: Vieques has talent, and with the proper structure and systems, the community can pull together and govern itself quite handily.

Question 44: How can we do this on our own?

Short Answer: We don’t – we hire expert consultants to assist and guide us through the entire process from the design of our government and the required systems (including education, healthcare, social services, legal, and the many other others required), through recruitment of management staff, selection of contractors, and implementation. We also have a number of full and part time residents who are experts, or well connected to experts, that can provide many services pro bono or for little cost to help our efforts.

Question 45: What is planned for the new systems for education, healthcare, social services, legal system, justice system, and land use?

Short Answer: These plans must be developed by representatives selected by Viequenses and ultimately approved by referendum.

Expanded Answer: As starting points for discussion, the following are offered:

Education. Read More

Healthcare. Read More

Social Services. Read More

Legal System. Read More

Justice System. Read More

Land Use. Read More

Question 46: Vieques is poor. How can we possibly provide viable opportunities for new businesses to locate here?

Short Answer: We change the rules. Neither Puerto Rico nor the US are particularly business friendly any more. With our excellent geographic location, attractive climate, and through the creation of an appropriate tax and regulation environment, Vieques can become a desirable business destination.

Expanded Answer: Most of the developed countries in the world have grown their regulatory and taxing bureaucracies beyond reasonable limits. They’ve become gigantic, inefficient, and undemocratic. We can provide an efficient, level playing field that attracts sufficient business to generate the jobs and taxes required to fund our operations and social programs.

Question 47: How can we support new businesses in Vieques with the existing transportation system – the ATM?

Short Answer: We add a private contracted service. Without logistical support Vieques dies a slow death: that’s what we are seeing now. The ATM will get even worse.

Expanded Answer: We need an efficient system running the short route for cargo, residents, and tourists.

Question 48: How do we guaranty access to the main island and a stable, efficient terminal facility under our control?

Short Answer: We buy Roosevelt Roads.

Question 49: Why would PR sell Roosevelt Roads to Vieques?

Short Answer: PR has been unsuccessfully trying to develop the former Navy base for a decade and can’t. They bought the facility for $16 million because they couldn’t sell it to developers.

Expanded Answer: Roosevelt Roads and Vieques have been codependent for 70 years. As a new country without debt and with a favorable business climate, we can develop some of our new business utilizing the remaining infrastructure built by the Navy. Any business we develop will benefit PR, especially the surrounding areas.

Question 50: The problems with the electric and water companies are legion. How do we provide high quality systems under our control at predictable, affordable prices?

Short Answer: We build our own, environmentally clean, sustainable, electrical generation and desalinization plant.

Expanded Answer: Through the use of ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) systems, we can become totally independent, continue to supply Culebra, and actually send both water and electricity back to Roosevelt Roads and other main island destinations.

Question 51: What types of business development would be viable for Vieques?

Short Answer: We know for certain that eco-tourism is a winner for us, but we have strong reasons to believe that medical tourism, spaceport operations, and shipping could be very viable. We have a population of under 10,000 so we don’t need (nor can we handle) much.

Expanded Answer: In addition, there are so many potential opportunities that we have only a little knowledge of that could provide exceptional success.

Question 52: How does Vieques raise sufficient funds from taxes to be sustainable?

Short Answer: The tax system is created to be fair, simple in structure and in filing, easy to enforce, and attractive to both businesses and individuals.

Expanded Answer: Nobody likes taxes, period. But, the governments of the world have made bad systems even worse. Not Vieques!

Question 53: How do we fund a transition from our current disenfranchised state to an independent country?

Short Answer: With a little help from our friends: government assistance and grants.

Expanded Answer: We will attempt to negotiate financial and service support at the current levels from the US and PR while funding the design and implementation of the new systems via grants.

FAQ 4 of 4: OTHER ISSUES

Question 60: What becomes of our US citizenship?

Short Answer: It is ours to keep. Dual citizenship has been recognized by the Supreme Court, and properly obtained, it can’t be revoked without the individual requesting such.

Question 61: Who is eligible for Vieques citizenship?

Short Answer: Primarily, all those who were domiciled here at birth or are currently domiciled as of a specific date.

Expanded Answer: Provisions could be made for former residents, property owners, business owners, etc.

Question 62: Do we need to coin our own money and manage a monetary system?

Short Answer: No, we can use the US dollar as our currency of choice. If at some point we wished to change to something else, that could be done.

Question 63: What about the Olympics and other international competitions?

Short Answer: We are totally eligible to compete.

Expanded Answer: The range of events and pageantry is substantial.

Question 64: Will people have the right to work in the field or career of their choosing?

Short Answer: Yes, there will be no over-protective licensing requirements. Skill certification may be required for certain specialties. Reciprocity will be granted for most skills.

Question 65: As systems are redesigned and more contractors are used, will current employees be terminated?

Short Answer: While the employer may shift from a government entity to a private contractor, the intent is to utilize existing staff to the greatest extent possible. The range of jobs will broaden, and the gross number will increase. Existing employees have important and useful data about all of our current systems and their histories.