Vieques Goes from Bombs to Beets

A group of visitors tours Jorge Cora's farm on Jan. 25, 2014. Credit: Elisa SanchezBy Carmelo Ruiz-MarreroVIEQUES, Puerto Rico, Feb 10 2014 (IPS) A decade after the United States Navy’s departure, the Puerto Rican island town of Vieques faces new challenges, and the rebirth of its agriculture sector is hampered by a legacy of toxic military trash that has uncertain consequences. From 1999 to 2003, Vieques, which is just over twice the size of New York City’s Manhattan Island, was the site of a massive civil disobedience campaign to put an end to the presence of the Navy, which had used the island for bombing practice since World War Two. Puerto Rico is officially a commonwealth and territory of the United States.“The soils in Vieques could be safe for farming, or maybe not. There is uncertainty." -- Biologist Arturo Massol In 2003, the bombing range was closed. But Vieques faces other challenges, like unemployment, crime, and basic infrastructure issues like health and transportation. The principal means of transportation between Vieques and the main island of Puerto Rico is the ferry that travels the 30 kms between the town of Fajardo and the pier at Vieques’ Isabel Segunda village. The service is plagued by frequent breakdowns and delays, a situation which discourages tourism and makes life difficult for Vieques residents that need to travel to the main island. “Transportation here is a disaster,” said Robert Rabin, a U.S. expatriate who moved to Vieques in 1980...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Tags: Active Citizens Civil Society Development & Aid Economy & Trade Environment Food & Agriculture Green Economy Headlines Health Latin America & the Caribbean TerraViva Europe TerraViva United Nations Casa Pueblo Organic farming P Source Type: news