Can This happen in Puerto Rico?

[RPR]

Puerto Rico suffers from the same dilemma that many Midwest towns do which is the lost of manufacturing jobs.The government hasn't been able to attract new business because there's no real incentive to set up shop on the island when you got much lower costs to operate in the Dominican Republic or in Central America. I'm in the Midwest now and some of these places look like a ghost town where if you venture out after dark you play at your own risk.The only way whether state or republic that Puerto Rico can grow economically is through trade.

[clip314]

Originally Posted by RPR

Puerto Rico suffers from the same dilemma that many Midwest towns do which is the lost of manufacturing jobs.The government hasn't been able to attract new business because there's no real incentive to set up shop on the island when you got much lower costs to operate in the Dominican Republic or in Central America. I'm in the Midwest now and some of these places look like a ghost town where if you venture out after dark you play at your own risk.The only way whether state or republic that Puerto Rico can grow economically is through trade.

Puerto Rico, as many places in the U.S., has lost its manufacturing advantage to lower wage countries. I doubt that we'll ever return to the edge we had in the 1950's-60.

Edward L Glaeser in his new book, Triumph of the City says "places have to re-invent themselves in the XXI century". New York hit the skids in the 1970's when it lost its manufacturing edge but it quickly came back because it had a huge reservoir of intellectual capital to work with. Although New York might be a weak example for his arguments he also looks at Detroit.

Detroit concentrated on one industry, cars, and its intellectual capital never kept up with changing times, it fled. It left Detroit with the least educated inhabitants which quickly fell into despair and dependence on hand outs when their livelihood disappeared.

Puerto Rico has yet enough intellectual capital to build upon but its quickly fading. There is a brain drain to Florida and an influx of questionable intellectual capital from other areas. To top this off we have a massive dependency problem which has created a psyche of dependence which is after more dependency in the guise of Statehood.

[Soultraveler]

Originally Posted by clip314

Nuyoricans in particular are notorious for this dual perception. I guess they are reminded of their stateside ghettos and just say, "hey bro, a musical Puerto Rico is the only one I know, the louder the better.

There are some stateside Puerto Ricans who are perceptive and oblivious of things at the same time. It depends on the circumstances. If they go to Plaza Las Americas you sometimes hear some say, "whats wrong with some of these people, they act white! They can't figure out that it's not the color its because they're middle class!

Nonetheless, If they go to Paseo De Diego in Rio Piedras and hear the blasting ear popping music, and the 99 ¢ stores they might say, "this is the real Puerto Rico! However they don't seem to percieve that 95% of the folks they are seeing are poor Dominicans!

Let me give you an update on stateside Puerto Ricans. Most are moving to the suburbs, or surrounding states like Mass, Penn..etc.., and mostly to Florida. Believe me when I say that because we are leaving the inner cities, our people are doing much better. Inner city life destroys, and finally many are making it and getting themselves and their children away from that. New York City for example is being evacuated by PR's, leaving the city to Dominican's and Mexican's.

Its also a well known fact that stateside born Puerto Ricans do much better than island born PR's, and its mostly I feel because we speak better English than our island born brothers and sisters. I for one will not go to PR and say that there is garbage and beer cans all over the beach, but if I go to Orchid beach I know its dirty, we are not as oblivious as you make us out to be. To me saying something negative about PR is a huge NO NO, and I know that others feel the same as I do. I am a first generation born to PR parents here in NYC in 1957, and I have a great deal of respect for their homeland and my culture.

I also know that the term "Nuyorican" was devised to put down those PR's born and raised in NYC. That term is being used for anyone that is born stateside now, even though it doesn't make any sense to do so. But it backfired, because we Nuyorican's took the term, embraced it, and made it into something positive.

Blessings, Freddie

[MikeRavens]

Originally Posted by Soultraveler

Its also a well known fact that stateside born Puerto Ricans do much better than island born PR's, and its mostly I feel because we speak better English than our island born brothers and sisters. I for one will not go to PR and say that there is garbage and beer cans all over the beach, but if I go to Orchid beach I know its dirty, we are not as oblivious as you make us out to be. To me saying something negative about PR is a huge NO NO, and I know that others feel the same as I do. I am a first generation born to PR parents here in NYC in 1957, and I have a great deal of respect for their homeland and my culture.



Blessings, Freddie

that's a fact. If you dominate the English language you will have better opportunities for jobs and schools in this GLOBAL economy.


The problem with the public schools in Puerto Rico is in the 50's they took out ENGLISH as the main language because they wanted to protect the Spanish language and culture (it was a dumb decision and political). What they should have done is what they do in the PRIVATE SCHOOLS in Puerto Rico where they have ENGLISH and Spanish on the same level and all students be FULLY BILINGUAL and have an advantage in this global economy.....instead they have this mediocre ENGLISH which doesn't prepare anybody for anything.....most kids out of public schools can't read or write english or have a simple job interview in english.

The best schools in Puerto Rico are private schools....and most of the private schools teach ENGLISH as the main language or in most of the classes......those are the kids who go to the best universities and have the best jobs in Puerto Rico and when they move to the states. The same private schools the rich politicians send their kids.

it has nothing to do with politcal status....even if you are an INDEPENDENTISTA, it be wise if you dominate the ENGLISH language because its a must in this global economy.

[Soultraveler]

Originally Posted by MikeRavens

[b]ACT WHITE? I never heard that conversation in Plaza Las Americas or anywhere in the island.............what is acting "white" means? .....what are you expecting dark color or black Puerto Ricans to be running around half naked chasing zebras and monkeys in Plaza Las Americas with spears and drums?

In 1996 I went to PR with two non PR friends of mine. Both of them are females, one a White American, and the other a German now living in the states.

When we got to Puerto Rico they were amazed on how the island is. I don't know about now because I haven't gone since then. They were surprised on how organized and state like PR is, but unique of course. I asked them "how did you think PR was going to be like?" They said that they thought it was going to be outdated, extremely dirty and the natives weren't going to be so fashionable and polite. They loved the food, and the culture. During that time there was a hurricane, so we couldn't do everything we had planned on doing, but even with that, we still managed to have a good stay.

I am very proud of the island, and we here in the states are suffering due too how this economy is, and its effecting the whole world, the domino effect. PR is suffering this economy, but other countries have it much much worse. Of course there are problems on the island, but I read about other countries today and there are many that have been in existence hundreds of years before PR was a thought, and still haven't managed to get themselves together.

Many say that PR's have what they have because of the US, and that is true, but its also true that its our reality, I for one won't apologize for that. But many want to live the life and have what PR's do.

Blessings, Freddie