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Puerto Rico increases Hurricane Maria death toll to 2,975
Officials in Puerto Rico now say 2,975 people died following Hurricane Maria - a devastating storm that struck the US island territory in September 2017. The revised death toll is nearly 50 times the previous estimate of 64.
Governor Ricardo Rossello "accepted" the findings in a long-awaited independent investigation. The mayor of the capital, San Juan, accused the US government of deliberately downplaying the impact of the storm.
Puerto Rico has struggled to repair its infrastructure and power grid since the storm, and is asking US Congress for $139bn (£108bn) in recovery funds.
[...] The government's initial number was for those killed directly by the hurricane, crushed by collapsing buildings, drowned or hit by flying debris.
But the new report also counted those who died in the six months following the storm as a result of poor healthcare provision and a lack of electricity and clean water. Repeated power cuts also led to an increased number of deaths from diabetes and sepsis.
George Washington University (GWU) report: Ascertainment of the Estimated Excess Mortality from Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico
Previously: Puerto Rican Death Toll From Hurricane Maria May be Many Times Higher Than Official Estimate
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 29 2018, @07:59PM (3 children)
It may seem unfair to US citizens who pay IRS income tax that federal disaster aid goes to places that don't pay the tax.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by NewNic on Wednesday August 29 2018, @08:12PM (1 child)
So the USA should not provide any aid abroad? Perhaps the US government should cut off farm aid to states that receive more money from the Federal government than they send?
How about the fact that the Jones act needlessly increases the costs of living on PR?
Financial arguments are not valid. These people are US citizens and they deserve the best assistance the USA can provide. They didn't get it.
lib·er·tar·i·an·ism ˌlibərˈterēənizəm/ noun: Magical thinking that useful idiots mistake for serious political theory
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Wednesday August 29 2018, @11:38PM
"United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization
Since 1953, the UN has been considering the Political status of Puerto Rico and how to assist it in achieving "independence" or "decolonization". In 1978, the Special Committee determined that a "colonial relationship" existed between the US and Puerto Rico.[195]
Note that the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization has often referred to Puerto Rico as a nation in its reports, because, internationally, the people of Puerto Rico are often considered to be a Caribbean nation with their own national identity.[196][197][198] Most recently, in a June 2016 report, the Special Committee called for the United States to expedite the process to allow self-determination in Puerto Rico. More specifically, the group called on the United States to expedite a process that would allow the people of Puerto Rico to exercise fully their right to self-determination and independence. ... [and] allow the Puerto Rican people to take decisions in a sovereign manner and to address their urgent economic and social needs, including unemployment, marginalization, insolvency and poverty".[199] " https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereigntism_(Puerto_Rico) [wikipedia.org]
They don't necessarily want to be a State. In which case, they get to deal with the added complexity / issue of emergency aid. Emergency aid is built-in for States. I do support aid for others, but that doesn't mean it will be as seamless as providing emergency aid to a State. As it stands, they certainly aren't paying for it.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 3, Informative) by termigator on Wednesday August 29 2018, @08:15PM
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_Puerto_Rico [wikipedia.org]