Aqui esta un informe nuevo sobre el crisis de la salud en Vieques con un mensaje de su autor.

Kathy

Hacia un Vieques más saludable

Creating a Healthier Vieques – English

Saludos:

I am a public policy student at Harvard and am writing my master’s thesis on the health crisis in Vieques.  To that end, I have written the attached report, which not only identifies some of the problems Vieques is facing, but points the way to potential solutions to lift up the community.  We have been making strides on this issue in recent months, but to be successful, we need the help of the activist community.  That is why I wanted to forward this report to you.  We are looking for resources and assistance in creating a healthier Vieques, and I would love your feedback to help make that happen.  Please feel free to contact me at jesselava@gmail.com.

Jesse

P.S. Tambien puedes contactar la coordinadora en Vieques, Zaida Torres: zaida_312@yahoo.com

(English summary below)

18 de noviembre 2010

No te olvidaremos Cristóbal

14 de agosto de 1977 – 15 de noviembre de 2010

Mañana, 19 de noviembre de 2010, se llevará a cabo el sepelio del pescador Cristóbal Medina Gavino.  La comitiva fúnebre partirá a las 11:00 a.m. desde la Funeraria Esquilín y será enterrado en el Cementerio Nuevo Municipal.

HOY sus restos se encuentran en la Funeraria Esquilín, 18 de noviembre, hasta las 11:00 p.m.

Cristóbal Medina Gavino, hijo de Cristóbal Medina y Carmen Gavino, tenía solamente 33 años y residía en el  Barrio Monte Santo.    Al deudo le sobreviven su abuelo Cristóbal Medina, su esposa María y sus hermanos.  El lunes, 15 de noviembre, Cristóbal fue asesinado por disparos en su barrio Monte Santo.

Apoyemos a esta familia en este momento tan difícil y doloroso.

Condenamos la violencia.

Paz es posible.

Unámonos para proteger nuestra juventud.

Recordamos a estos ocho compueblanos viequenses, víctimas de homicidio en 2010.  Compartimos el dolor de sus madres y todos sus familares.

1.      Josue “Jochy” Feliciano Mojica, 27 de agosto de1987 – 7 de enero 7 de 2010.  (Madre: Elba Feliciano)

2. Vivian Marie “Taty” Rivera Acevedo, 16 de septiembre de 1984 -  18 de febrero de 2010. El homicidio ocurrió fuera de Vieques. (Madre: Sonia Acevedo Torres)

3.      Jesús Manuel Quiñónes Cruz, 21 de enero de 1962 – 11 de marzo de 2010.  (Madre: Faustina Cruz)

4.      Francisco Javier Quiles Avillan, 11 de enero de 1987 – 20 de abril de 2010.  (Madre: Carmen Avillan)

5.      John Doe, hombre joven encontrado muerto en un solar en Lujan en junio de 2010

6.      Jesús Miguel Rivera Carmona, 26 de abril de 1986  - 15 junio de 2010

7.          Félix Omar “Virin” Hernández  Hernández, 14 febrero de1990 – 29 septiembre de 2010, (Madre: Idiana Hernández)

8.          Cristóbal Medina Gavino, 14 de agosto de 1977 – 15 de noviembre de 2010.  (Madre: Carmen Gavino)

English Summary: Tomorrow the eigth Vieques murder victim of 2010 will be buried in the New Cementary.  Cristobal Medina Gavino was only 33 years old when he was shot to death on Monday, November 15, in barrio Monte Santo in Vieques.  Here you will find a list of all the 2010 victims of homicide so that we can keep their memories alive and increase our commitment to stop the violence in Vieques.  I am constantly being asked if a certain death was “drug-related”.  Please don’t ask me this question. Drug-related or not, the pain of losing a grandson or a brother is the same.   The need to remove guns from our streets continues.  The need for drug rehab programs and better schools continues.  Speak out.  Don’t be silent.

Aquí hay varios comentarios sobre el simulacro sobre el punte y sobre la idea de construir un puente a Vieques:

• Mensaje de Kathy Gannett (English only)
• Mensaje de Ismael Guadalupe (español only)
• Mensaje de Rogelio Figuero (español / English translation by Google)
• Mensaje de Roberto Rabin (español / English translation by Google)

By Kathy Gannett

The Pro-Bridge group in Vieques held a mock referendum Saturday August 21, in support of a bridge from Ceiba to Vieques.  Rogelio Figueroa, of Enercoop, has a proposal for an “eco-bridge” to Vieques (see the photo of the bridge below).  He has allied himself with the pro-bridge group in Vieques who put on the mock referendum.   Now this group and Rogelio are claiming that this one-sided vote, basically taken at a rally held by the Pro-Bridge folks, shows that 95% of the people of Vieques support the bridge.  The majority of the community in Vieques appears to be opposed to the bridge.  In a public hearing held in 2009, of the 21 people who testified, only one person, Ernesto Pena, spoke in favor of the bridge.  In recent days several community leaders, including Ismael Guadalupe , Robert Rabin and Victor Emeric have spoken out against the building any bridge (regular or “eco-bridge”).  See their comments below.

Scroll down for a translation of the press release sent out by Rogelio yesterday claiming a triumph for pro-bridge forces.  I don’t have the wording of the mock referendum, but it appears to have been worded for the bridge idea in general.

To read the entire plan for the Ecopuente: www.viequesenlucha.org.   Scroll down to see a photo of the proposed eco-bridge. (more…)

CONTACTOS DENTRO DEL GOBIERNO Y LOS MEDIOS DE COMUNICACIÓN

(este documento fue distribuido en la Asamblea de Pueblo en Vieques el 11 de agosto de 2010)

1. Ecopuente de Ceiba a Vieques -propuesto por Enercoop
2. Informacion sobre Enercoop

English:   Eco-bridge between Ceiba and Vieques  – English

Vieques: Hallazgos ambientales, sus retos e impactos a la salud

Vieques: Environmental findings, their challenges and impacts to health.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=111839938840871#!/event.php?eid=111839938840871

Conferenciantes: Jefes de Agencias – EPA; JCA; DRNA; Departamento de Salud; Alianza de Mujeres Viequenses; Escuela de Salud Pública-UPR; Asociación Nacional de Derecho Ambiental; UPR-Mayagüez; Colegio de Médicos y Cirujanos; Colegio de Químicos de PR.

Aprobado por la Junta Examinadora de Químicos
UEC: Viernes 0.50 MP/ UEC: Sábado 0.20 MP
Precios: $50.00 (2) días / $35.00 (1) día / Estudiantes Gratis
No Incluyen merienda, almuerzo, certificado, transportación, viaje, ect.

Para Información: 787-763-6070/787-763-6076
E-mail: cqpr@cqpr1941.org Web page: www.cqpr1941.org

Los participantes conocerán de forma general la situación actual de Vieques a través de los siguientes aspectos:
Las recientes declaraciones de la Agencia Federal de Sustancias Tóxicas y Registro de Enfermedades (ATSDR por sus siglas en inglés)
Aspectos de la contaminación de suelo, aire y agua, salud pública,
Efectos ambientales a corto y a largo plazo
Programa de Superfondo
Aspectos de Acción Comunitaria
Estrategias de remediación ambiental y el futuro
y uso de esas tierras

http://www.prdailysun.com/news/Vieques-residents-give-EQB-ultimatum-on-cleanup

Sun March 11, 2010

PR Daily Sun

A group of Vieques residents delivered an ultimatum Wednesday to Environmental Quality Board [EQB] President Pedro J. Nieves, demanding that the agency take charge and stop the controlled burning of vegetation and the surface detonation of bombs and munitions left on the island after decades of military maneuvers by the Navy. “Since they [the EQB] have not paid any attention to our claims . and since there is abundant information demonstrating that contamination continues on Vieques, it is our duty to put pressure on the government,” Vieques activist Ismael Guadalupe said at EQB headquarters. “I think the possibility of us being heard is vanishing, so we will have to do whatever is necessary for us to protect our children.”

(more…)

CNN report on the lawsuit against the US Navy for contaminating Vieques and sickening the people (Feb 1 & 2, 2010)

http://americanvaluesnetwork.org/viequescnn/

Documentos con la evidencia de la contaminación – español abajo.

Here are some important documents  with the evidence of the contamination and high rate of illness in Vieques.

English:

Vieques Forum provokes anger and sadness English by Irmgard Iglesias

Carmen.. Vieques- The perfect crime feb 6 2010

Affidavit of Dr. John Wargo

Affidavit of Dr. James Porter

Affidavit of Dr. Carmen Ortiz Roque

Affidavit of Dr. Arturo Massol-Deya

Espanol:

Foro sobre Vieques provoca rabia y tristeza por Irmgard Iglesias

CARMEN COLÓN DE JORGE – Vieques el crimen perfecto

Wreckage of the ex-USS Killen DD-593: Concerns 2010

View entire report:  Wreckage of the ex-USS Killen DD-593 Concerns 2010 by Dave Evans

By David J. Evans, Marine Biologist/Photographer

davidjevans1818@yahoo.com / www.djem18.gather.com

972-226-9847

This is a summary of my concerns regarding the wreckage and materials associated with the former US Navy destroyer, ex-USS Killen DD593.

~~~~~~~~~

Too many assumptions have been made in drawing conclusions about too important of an issue that has real implications to human health. This is not presented to say that the Killen is the source of health problems at Vieques, but that it must be considered to have been (and could still be) a possible additional source over time to those other real hazards brought to light regarding spent ammunition and ordnance. My focus is not strictly the present and future, but the period that covers the history of the ship in Puerto Rico.

View entire report:  Wreckage of the ex-USS Killen DD-593 Concerns 2010 by Dave Evans