Governmental Services in Puerto Rico: A Concrete Reality Check
Take a walk or run along Puerto Rico 413, renowned in Rincon as being the main access road to must-see beach and surfing spots such as Dome Beach, the Lighthouse (El Faro), and a plethora of oceanside bars and restaurants.
Some refer to PR 413 as “The Road to Happiness” — and indeed it can be.
But local services are in such tatters that on some portions of PR 413 where there are sidewalks, they seem about merely six inches wide because the greenery, growing wild and unfettered without any governmental intervention to get in the way, is overtaking the concrete.
And this is on a road that is prime real estate, an entry point into some of the landmarks and natural wonders that Rincon is rightfully known for.
You can pick almost any patch of Puerto Rico, however, and find similar governmental neglect, and there are undoubtably examples that are extremely more dire.
The situation is so pathetic that locals frequently take things into their own hands, often organizing their own beach clean-ups or going out to machete overgrowth on their own because no governmental authorities seem prepared or motivated to help.
Meanwhile, just a couple of miles away from this sidewalk on PR 413, the government funds a heavy police presence daily on Playa Almendros in Rincon to protect the interests of wealthy and politically connected condo residents who want to construct a swimming pool on a narrow patch of sand that’s a nesting spot for endangered sea turtles.
Priorities here seem screwy, but hardly surprising.