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| Navy Announces Puerto Rico Base Cutbacks |
| 2003-04-11 |
| E.F.L. The U.S. Navy announced drastic cutbacks at its sprawling base in Puerto Rico on Thursday, saying half the employees will not be needed when it ends bombing exercises on nearby Vieques island. More than 2,300 employees at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, including military and civilians, will be transferred elsewhere or lose their jobs, said Lt. Scott McIlnay, a spokesman for the Atlantic Fleet in Norfolk, Va. The base, which has about 4,800 employees, is one of the largest employers in Puerto Rico and injects an estimated $300 million into the economy each year. Military officials say they have less use for Roosevelt Roads, which administered the bombing range from the main island. "The base's primary function was the training at Vieques," McIlnay said. "We need to put our resources where our training is, and our training is moving." Say goodbye to your job base. The Navy plans to withdraw from Vieques by May 1, turning over the island's eastern third to the U.S. Department of the Interior and moving training to spots in Florida and elsewhere on the U.S. mainland. Turn the range into a wildlife preserve, that'll fix those greedy developers who wanted the military out so they could build hotels and condos. Greenpeace will be happy. Puerto Rico's government has applauded the end of the bombing exercises but urged the Navy not to close the base, saying it is vital economically to the island, where unemployment stands at 12 percent. Tough Puerto Rican Sen. Kenneth McClintock said Thursday's announcement "means the virtual closure" of the base. An opposition legislator, he blamed Gov. Sila Calderon's pursuit of an end to the bombing exercises. Time to pay the piper, Sila. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #12 G.W,McCintock: "Somebody outta punch you in the nose!But I won't,I won't.The hell I won't!" (Smack)Ow,you broke my nose. |
| Posted by: raptor 2003-04-12 08:17:49 |
| #11 Love it. Serves the damned morons right. Can't you hear the crying you can't cut those jobs. Then give the damn island independence. |
| Posted by: TJ Jackson 2003-04-12 01:01:17 |
| #10 I just had this weird thought. We stay the course, clean up the middle east, everyone loves each other, Kimmie craters economically and N Korea comes back into the world, everybody takes personal responsibility, we buy the world a Coke, and then this big asteroid is discovered barrelling down toward earth....and the world, together, says a giant collective Oh S--t!...........I need a break. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-04-11 18:36:41 |
| #9 Germans going to get a taste of this soon. |
| Posted by: someone 2003-04-11 18:23:03 |
| #8 Like Jesse and Al care? It was always about them, not the little people |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-04-11 18:19:47 |
| #7 hehehehehehehe. And moving out of Seoul. Rummy's been a busy boy. Wonder how Jesse and Al feel now? All those people out of work. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-04-11 17:15:31 |
| #6 Maybe Puerto Rico will finally fish or cut bait, that is become a state or go their own way. I love the turning the land over the US Department of the interior. Let them fight the sierra club and greenpeace in order to develop. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-04-11 12:47:00 |
| #5 We're leaving a military base after a local government asked us to go? In the distance.....I think I hear sphincters tightening in Germany, South Korea, Turkey...... |
| Posted by: Former Russian Major 2003-04-11 12:29:57 |
| #4 Puerto Rican Sen. Kenneth McClintock? Interesting. Wonder if he's related to GW McClintock? |
| Posted by: Steve 2003-04-11 12:16:22 |
| #3 What! You mean we got what we asked for with our anti-military posturing? How dare the Navy do what we demanded! Yet more proof of the danger of militarism in the American Empire. The only reasonable compromise is to close the base as scheduled, but keep sending us the money. We can use it for anti-American education programs. See -- we are open to compromise. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-04-11 11:58:08 |
| #2 Another case of action and consequences. People in this country have that lesson to learn, too. Like the Russians say, "Tough Schitskies" Sila. Explain that to your electorate. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-04-11 10:52:19 |
| #1 less filling and leaves a good aftertaste. I like it |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-04-11 10:46:58 |