The Puerto Rican Syndrome (PRS)

[kency]

The Puerto Rican Syndrome (PRS), one more time has made us vulnerable and victims of our own foul play. While, we praised ourselves to be among one of the civilized and first world society, we have thousands of people who lack the foremost necessities of life, WATER! It is hard to believe that entire cities are without an adequate supply of water. Depleted and contaminated bodies of water, old and rusted pipelines are the call of the day. More than often, politicians pride themselves for improving water supplies; nevertheless, they are only improving the politician’s own pocket. Corruption in the Island is like bread on the table for Senators, congressional representatives’, mayors, and cabinet secretaries. Some major issues has united all sides of the aisles, unfortunately, politics as usual ends our commonalties and begins our disagreements. The old issues of Independence vs. Statehood or Commonwealth shows its ugly face! Let us GET BACK TO THE POEPLE BUSINESS; PROVIDE THE BASIC NECCESITIES FOR OUR PEOPLE: AND GET BACK TO THE BUSINEES OF ONE GOVERNMENT FOR ALL AND NOT ALL FOR THE GOVERNMENT! Costly? here is my solution:

1. Collect those overdue bills or sell them to a collection agency (that's including Government Agencies owning millions of dollars).

2. Establish a system to evaluate "la Compania de Aguas" based on customer's service satisfaction surveys. Penalties will be assessed until the company fix these problems.

3. Establish a citizens commission to oversee, take action and implement reforms on the way the "Water and Sewer Authority" is run.

4. This commission could not only be establish for water services, but for electricity and telephone services. They will be elected during general elections; It will be a 4 year appointment without any renumaration other than expenses related to their offical funtions.


[This message has been edited by kency (edited 09 October 1999).]

[This message has been edited by kency (edited 09 October 1999).]

[This message has been edited by kency (edited 10 October 1999).]

[El_Jibaro]

How much do you think it will cost to fix all the problems in the Island, and who is going to pay the bill?

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Manuel Alonso

[joseuno]

Hey Jíbaro! Do you have any suggestions? Kency, quite accurate commentary! Any suggestions for Jíbaro? This collection agencies could get paid on a percentage basis on moneys recovered, that would be an incentive to a young enterprenur to start their own business! And this citizens commission could at least expose all this crooks in the press! That would be a start.

[SaudadePR]

¡Bien Kency!
Tus sugerencias son excelentes.
El hecho de la susodicha "Compañía de Aguas" sea ahora una agencia privada no significa que no pueda ser fiscalizada. Se trata de un servicio esencial, mi gente. Y con eso no se se juega.

Yo añadiría más. Que esas personas que compongan la comisión propuesta por Kency tengan la misma libertad de criterio que, por ejemplo, el Contralor de Puerto Rico, para que ningún estúpido político los corrompa.

Y más. No debieron vender nada. La competencia se debió permitir, sí, pero no la venta. Que se readquiera la Telefónica, los hospitales y otras agencias privatizadas y se permita la competencia entre éstas y el sector privado. Ni el gobierno puede tenerlo todo, ni la empresa privada tampoco.

SaudadePR

[Consultant]

Muy bien dicho, el gobierno debe de una vez y por todas arreglar el problema del agua. Parecemos un pais del tercer mundo. Nos creemos, superiores a otras Islas en Latinoamerica, pero estamos bajos las mismas condicones; sin agua en un 40% de la poblacion; calles sucias; un aereopuerto que cuando sales del area y miras a tu alrededor y lo que ves es basura. En un articulo de CNN, en el "Travel Section" se ven unas fotas de PR, que dan pena. Se le llamo en ese articulo el pais de la basura. Increible! Vamos haber si el gobierno y los ciudadanos abren el ojo.

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