San Juan, Feb 28 (RHC)-- Puerto Rico´s Governor, Ricardo Rosello, has sent a letter to leaders of the United States Congress urging them to intervene in face of the delayed delivery of a loan for disaster relief.
According to Reuters, in the letter, Rosello says that the U.S. Treasury has delayed a $4.7 billion post-hurricane loan to the island and reduced the amount by more than half, and that the resulting financial strain threatens to disrupt essential services.
Last October, Congress approved a community disaster loan as part of a larger relief package after hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria devastated the island, which was already suffering from an unprecedented economic crisis resulting from its debt with the US Federal government.
But four months later, the island, under the colonial rule of the United States for 119 years, still has not received the loan. Last week, the Treasury said it wanted to shrink the amount to $2.065 billion and impose special terms and conditions, according to Governor´s letter, dated Feb. 26.
According to Rosello, the lack of liquidity will severely impact the island’s electric, water, sewer and other utilities.
Hurricane Maria swept the eastern Caribbean in September last year and is regarded as the worst natural disaster on record in Puerto Rico and Dominica.
