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-Signs, Portents, and the Weather-
Puerto Rican Cop Says Local Gov't Is Preventing Supplies From Getting to People
2017-10-02
[PJ] A Puerto Rican police officer says that the United States military needs to take over disaster relief on the hurricane-ravaged island because the local government is not doing what needs to be done.

The distraught female officer, who was able to get a call in to a Hispanic radio station in New York (La Mega) last week, described the gross incompetence and inaction she has been witnessing in the wake of the hurricane. She said she couldn't give her name because she works for Puerto Rico's police department.

FEMA reported in a news release on September 21 that commodities such as meals, water, cots, and blankets were already pre-positioned and ready for distribution at its Distribution Center and Warehouse in San Juan. More supplies have been shipped in since then.

As of September 30, at least 10,000 shipping containers of food, water, medicine and other critical supplies were sitting on the docks at the port in San Juan, but were not moving because of a lack of truck drivers, some of whom appear to be on strike.

The frustrated officer said red tape was preventing people from getting the supplies they need.

Fighting tears, she said Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz was not allowing anyone to distribute the aid and begged that the U.S. armed forces take over and distribute the aid and stop Governor Rossello and Mayor Cruz from "doing what they are doing."

"It's an abuse," she sobbed. "It looks like communism in our own island!"

She said "people are helping us but they are not accepting it. They are not accepting any more help because supposedly they have to wait for the [licenses] ..."
Posted by:Besoeker

#15  ....problem with that is if they are effective, people may ask why bother with the incompetent and corrupt pols and bureaucrats. Can't allow that to surface.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2017-10-02 20:27  

#14  US Military should take over, use Military drivers to drive shipping containers to places accessible to trucks and helicopters to move shipping containers to further or less accessible areas.

Don't wait for the corrupt, go around them and make them look the fool.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2017-10-02 14:34  

#13  The drivers could be at home trying to protect their immediate family in all of the chaos -- simplest explanation... Many armies had massive desertion rates in similar situations.
Posted by: magpie   2017-10-02 13:57  

#12  Two theories from the commenters on Insty:

1. The Teamsters are under orders to slow walk the aid deliveries, while the Dems and media try to Katrina Trump.

2. 100% of the truckers are actually at work. The 80% that aren't are placeholder jobs.
Posted by: KBK   2017-10-02 12:18  

#11  Publish a list of truck drivers' names, addresses and whether or not they showed up to help.
Posted by: gorb   2017-10-02 12:07  

#10  Ever notice how network news reporter never ask why there is a shortage of truck drivers?
Posted by: Abu Uluque   2017-10-02 10:56  

#9  lack of truck drivers, some of whom appear to be on strike....Teamsters never waste a crisis and opportunity to blame Trump.
Posted by: Whavish Thusoling5684   2017-10-02 10:01  

#8  No profit in running a 'company store' if you just hand out merchandise at no charge.
Posted by: Besoeker   2017-10-02 09:23  

#7  "Never let a crisis go to waste"
Posted by: Frank G   2017-10-02 09:21  

#6  We have an 'instant gratification' world, but from my perspective it looks like rescue and recovery are going at least as well as can reasonably be expected under the circumstances.
Posted by: Glenmore   2017-10-02 09:08  

#5  If they hand out supplies, they won't have any. You wouldn't want them to be without supplies, would you?
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2017-10-02 06:59  

#4  Just when you thought Trump Derangement Syndrome had finally leveled off, they now go full scorched earth on the entire island in order to blame him.

[Got the remember this is the party of slavery and segregation who've been blaming all America for decades for their deeds. Shouldn't be surprising that after decades of malfeasance of office in PR they want to dump their handiwork on him.]
Posted by: Procopius2k   2017-10-02 06:36  

#3  Ah, it's all about control to them. The situation can be going to hell, but what's more important is the feeling of control over the situation. It is very satisfying to issue commands and have them obeyed.
Posted by: Herb McCoy7309   2017-10-02 05:46  

#2  She said she couldn't give her name

Perhaps I'm overly suspicious.

lack of truck drivers, some of whom appear to be on strike

Like the locals wouldn't lynch them.

red tape was preventing people from getting the supplies they need

And they just sit like good, law abiding citizens and take it?

begged that the U.S. armed forces take over ... "It looks like communism in our own island!"

Bingo.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2017-10-02 05:40  

#1  Sounds like a job for the Clinton Foundation Haiti team. They'll be turning up soon, you'll see.
Posted by: Besoeker   2017-10-02 05:08  

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