For former US President Bill Clinton, the “combination” of an accumulated debt and the crisis in trust that it generates, and “all political controversies” regarding this issue are mostly the obstacles Puerto Rico faces in accessing federal funds. necessary for recovery after hurricanes María and Irma and, more recently, after earthquakes.
“Those three things together make people who move large numbers skeptical or those who really don’t care, are giving excuses for not doing what they should do. I have not been on the ballot in 24 years. All I know is to go out and provide a totally different image (of Puerto Rico), ”Clinton said in obvious allusion to the Republican administration of Donald Trump.
Clinton, who presided over the United States for two four-year periods (1993-1997 and 1997-2001), made his expressions in a separate press conference after visiting the Sagrada Familia Cooperative, in Corozal and the nonprofit organization, Caras con Causa, in Cataño as part of the annual work of the Clinton Foundation.
Subsequently, Clinton visited the SANOS health center in Caguas and the Dr. Pedro Goyco school in San Juan.
Tomorrow Tuesday and Wednesday Clinton and the former lady and former secretary of state, Hillary Clinton will continue the work of the foundation – called Clinton Global Initiative – through meetings.
Through their foundation, the Clintons seek commitments from entities that can financially support initiatives that benefit the community. They already have a network of 114 commitments whose economic impact is estimated at $ 385 million.
Particularly with Puerto Rico, the Clintons have expressed their support to help in the recovery of the island after Hurricane Maria and, more recently, after the earthquakes that shook the southern towns.
Precisely, Clinton emphasized that he seeks to display a different image of the island and that it is understood that the solution to many of his problems lies in the efforts made at the community level.
“I am trying to give people a different image of Puerto Rico, what is really going on, how people really are and what their potential really is,” he said.
“It bothers me that we only hear about problems and there are things that are happening that are really extra-ordinary and would be considered extraordinary if they were happening in the most prosperous places in the United States,” he added.
In that line, he highlighted the community initiative of the Sagrada Familia Cooperative that grants loans to poor people.
“What I want to happen is that -independently- of what happens in court (federal with the debt of Puerto Rico), in the elections … I want to see more independent and sustainable energy production, that people can pay and that nobody can take it away, that the communities have economic capacity, ”he said.
At a time when the disbursement of funds for recovery remain detained by the federal government, Clinton said the island needs them.
However, Clinton acknowledged that the federal Department of Housing has “the responsibility for the money to be spent well, honestly and responsibly.”
Federal Housing is the agency responsible for the disbursement of more than $ 18 billion in community development program disaster relief funds (CDBG-DR).
Recently, Admiral Peter Brown was appointed as a liaison between the local and federal government in the management of funds allocated for reconstruction and Robert Couch was appointed as a monitor.
“Money must be moved. Earlier is better than later. But I understand that it must be honest, transparent and open. But also in consultation with people. Good things are happening in Puerto Rico at a local level, extraordinary things, ”he reiterated.
On one of his most recent visits to the island, along with his wife, Clinton said he would put pressure on the aid and funds needed for recovery to reach the island.
“I have literally done everything I could to highlight the needs of Puerto Rico,” he said.
“There has been a lot of trouble here and there has been a lot of trouble in Washington so one of the things I am trying to do here is to teach that while all these problems are still here, in the real life of Puerto Ricans good things are happening in areas that need be expanded I hope this tour points. This is not political. Is human”. He pointed out.
Among the community impact projects that Clinton could observe, there was one called Oasis, which is carried out by the Sagrada Familia Cooperative. It is a resilience center that the cooperative builds in Naranjito and will serve 128,000 inhabitants of Corozal, Naranjito, Barranquitas and Comerío in case of an emergency or a natural disaster.
“Puerto Rico should be treated like any other part of the States” Clinton said after questioned about the availability of Federal funds for the island after the Earthquakes.
