Commentary: Finance Committee Hearing on Puerto Rico

by Richard Lawless


Yesterday I listened in to the Senate's Finance Committee Meeting on Puerto
Rico.  I heard some very good reasons why the legislative branches of the Uni-
ted States should consider various forms of relief for Puerto Rico. The guest
speakers spoke about how all Puerto Ricans are Americans and should be trea-
ted no differently than other Americans.

The problem is that Puerto Rico is more like other Latin American Countries
and less like other American States. There is a fundamental cultural difference
between Puerto Rico and say, Florida or New York.  The difference is ground
is a long established his tory of political corruption through-out Puerto Rico.

Let’s face the facts: if Puerto Rico were a state, the Governor of Puerto Rico
and half of the legislative branch in Puerto Rico would be in jail. Yes, Puerto
Rico uses the U.S. Dollar, Puerto Rico is protected by the U.S. Army, the FBI
and the U.S. Attorney, but it does little to make Puerto Ricans true Americans.

Until the theft of public assets, the corruption of the Puerto Rican legal autho-
rities, the political graft and basically dishonest and unethical business dealings
come to an end in Puerto Rico, they cannot and will not be considered American.

Any help the mainland gives to Puerto Rico will end up in the hands of a few
corrupt officials while the majority of Puerto Ricans continue to suffer.

Puerto Rico needs to clean house, and that will not happen in this generation.


Richard Lawless is CEO of Commercial Solar Power, Inc. in Temecula, CA. The opinions 
expressed in the preceding article are exclusively his own.