How does Puerto Rico rebuild?
The US territory is picking up the pieces following the massive destruction of Hurricane Maria and in the midst of a debt crisis.
How do you rebuild an entire island, one that’s already under an enormous amount of debt, after it’s been decimated by a hurricane? That’s the challenge facing Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria devastated the US territory.
The storm destroyed the island’s infrastructure, snapping powerlines like toothpicks and toppling homes like they were made of playing cards. The official death toll is currently 34 and expected to rise.
But government officials on the Island have vowed Puerto Rico will rise again.
So what does that look like?
On this episode of The Stream, we speak with:
Héctor Figueroa @figue32bj
President, 32BJ Service Employees International Union
seiu32bj.org
Isabel Rullan @ConPRmetidos
Managing Director of ConPRmetidos
conprmetidos.org
Rene Vargas @Rene_A_Vargas
Lawyer, Puerto Rico resident
Kate Aronoff @KateAronoff
Reporter, The Intercept and In These Times
inthesetimes.com
Read more:
When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, ‘everything collapsed simultaneously’ – The Washington Post
Puerto Rico: Hurricane Maria survivors struggle to find relatives – Al Jazeera
After first tour of Puerto Rico, top general calls damage ‘the worst he’s ever seen’ – PBS Newshour
What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.