The Jones Act And The Debt Crisis
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- Опубликовано: 26 сен 2016
- Nelson Denis talks about the Jones Act.
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Please keep doing videos like this about Puerto Rico's crisis. It's the first time I've been able to understand anything about it.
Rich 🖕🏼🖕🏼☄️💥
This video gives you an incorrect understanding of the issue because it is anti Jones Act propaganda. The 15 - 20% additional cost has nothing to do with the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 (Jones Act). It is the additional transportation cost to ship products, goods and materials to an island. Other Caribbean islands that have no sovereignty association with the United States such as the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, British Virgin Islands, ect. aren't covered under the Jones Act and also pay 15 - 20% or more in additional costs products, goods and materials. The transshipment of goods via mainland U.S. ports like Jacksonville also has nothing to do with the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 (Jones Act). This is the standard operating procedure for most major shipping companies for business/cost reasons. If you wanted to fly to Puerto Rico from Europe, you would first fly into that airlines hub like New York, Miami, Atlanta, ect... then change planes and board a feeder plane to San Juan. Products, goods and materials shipped on a vessel from Europe arrive in Puerto Rico in the same exact manner. If the Jones Act was eliminated tomorrow, there would still be 15 - 20% additional costs. All of the marine terminals and port infrastructure was built by and is owned by Jones Act compliant carriers like Crowley and TOTE who currently ship to the island. Given the large amount of time and money they have invested in these facilities/equipment, they either aren't going to let their competitors use them or will charge them hefty tariffs/fees which would result products, goods and materials still retaining the 15 - 20% additional costs. So don't blame the Jones Act, blame the Puerto Rican government for not investing in municipal port and marine terminal facilities and equipment like you would find at many mainland U.S. ports. The video's biggest lie comes at 0:21... Any vessel can enter Puerto Rico. In fact, many foreign vessels enter Puerto Rico regularly, importing goods from countries around the world. However, transportation of goods between two U.S. ports must be carried out by a vessel that was built in the U.S. and operated primarily by Americans.
I'm Puerto Rican and I never knew this! thank you
Desiree Vazquez same
the crisis here is very real :(
Ivelisse Alvarado tell me more bout it if you wish please! I have family there :/
FUCKING PREACH!!!!! #boricua. Im glad someone talked about it
+ Wtf??!! This just pissed me off. And Im not even Puertorican!
este video se merece mas visitas, en especial de gente puertorriqueña🇵🇷
Thank you Buzzfeed for speaking about this issue, people blame our debt crisis on the Puerto Rican government when it really isn't.
Heyo Angelicat wellllllll it kinda is aswell
Ernesto Casillas of course it is as well, but this helps people understand the Puerto Rican government isn't the only problem
Heyo Angelicat this isn't BuzzFeed.
***** Pero Like belongs to BuzzFeed, it's the same company
Heyo Angelicat as a Puerto Rican who was born and lived there until the age of 13 I will guarantee you that the Puerto Rican gov. Is curropt and has stolen billions from the people. Yes the Jones act is a problem because it gives Puerto Rico no free trade. But Puerto Rico has been fighting to become a state for years and has rejected it for years, while wanting to benefit as a state. This whole mess could have been avoided if the people would have A. Became a state or B. Fought for independence. Had they become a state free trade would have been implemented, there would have been job growth and plenty of business with other countries. But we fought to remain a commonwealth.
Heres the thing, I feel that a lot of the time Buzzfeed makes videos like this that seem very important and impactful, but they place it here rather than one of their other channels with far more subscribers, therefore diluting the influence that the video could have.
there other channels are about other things and topics loke science, food, cultures and other things
Pero Like is about latin america so thats why this video is here
btw i dont work fore buzzfeed
Share it
This is very true. I'm puertorican, I've been living here in Puerto Rico all my life and the economy here keeps getting worse. People keep leaving the island, they keep incrementing taxes, which is currently at 11.5%, they just incremented AGAIN the cost of electricity. It's literally becoming shit living here. Progress is made impossible for everyone. It's sad cause this island is so beautiful, I really wish I could stay. Reality is, I won't be able to.
Although I was born in a U.S. state, both my parents and family are from PR and I visit at least once a year and I definitely grew up in the culture but I still feel sooo strongly about this. So strong that I even wrote a paper for school on the Jones Act and Puerto Rico's relations to the U.S. Great video :)
Stay strong brothers and sisters and spread awareness of the situation in puerto rico ✊🏽✊🏽🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷
Liberate Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico Libre 2016.
Thank you for taking the time out of your day for reading my completely unnecessarily long username obvio
Thank you for taking the time out of your day for reading my completely unnecessarily long username Yw
I would agree, but too many soldiers fought my freedom and yours.
Rich 🖕🏼🖕🏼
thank you for allowing my island issue on this platform, thank you. 😳
Thank you Pero Like and Buzzfeed for spreading the word. Puerto Rico is in bad shame and everyone wants to put the blame on just us. I had spread this same information and more to my speech class informing them of the injustices towards PR. Keep spreading the word!
We get treated like this was our fault but it really wasnt and people need to open their eyes
I knew Puerto Rico was going through a crisis, but never the specifics. Liberate Puerto Rico!!
This Jones Act should be heard by all Puerto Rican and taught to all students of what happening with the
Economy in P.R. Thank you Mr Denis I also have your book War against all Puerto Rican’s
Its the first time. Ive. heard some one else talk about this out loud. I learned about this in school and I wondered why thi was never discussed so thank you for this video!!
Thank you for speaking out!!
muy bien explicado
Puerto Ricans gotta know when to let go :( me being Puerto Rican who grew up in PR, didn't even know this and i feel like they are blinding us to the truth
Thank you for this video. We're very grateful!🇵🇷
I am a proud puertorican and since I have lived here my whole life and taken various history lessons, I can safely say that although I am no expert, the Jones act was what started the unnecessary dependence we have towards the U.S. Puerto Rico is a land where you could grow anything with little effort (I have fkn strawberries in my yard), anything you throw in the ground will grow. Our economy should be 70% agriculture like it was in the 1900, but the dependence we have in the U.S, the government that has screwed us over and enabled people not to work by giving them everything for nothing just to win their vote in the elections, is what has really killed this island. I am very young, but I know that if Puerto Rico doesn't adjust itself, get a good governor (not one that cheats to win by buying prisoner votes or getting mentally ill people to vote for them) and the people that live here start to care a bulls ass for it, nothing will change. I believe that this is not the right time, but next elections I hope we finally pick a leader with a brain (or at least half of one, which is much more than what we have now) so then we can start healing from the years of abuse. I want freedom for my home land and I wish that the low life scum bags would get out of their ass and do something for their home. I'm sorry if this rant doesn't make much sense and I'm sorry for the grammatical errors (english is not my first language as you could conclude from this paragraph); I would like to say much more but frankly...I don't know how to express it very well, except for:
el que no quiere a su patria no quiere a su madre.
Soy América latina,
un pueblo sin piernas pero que camina. ( latinoamerica by calle 13 this expresses all that I am trying to say)
Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for this!!
Wow, I never knew this. Thank you so much for informing us
i think it's very important to raise awareness about how the usa treats puerto rico. it's not talked about nearly enough.
I like this guy. Straight forward, to the point, good explanation...one-two hitter.
Thank you
Awesome explanation on the Jones Act. it is concise and to the point.
Except it is a completely inaccurate description of the Jones Act... Any vessel can enter Puerto Rico. In fact, many foreign vessels enter Puerto Rico regularly, importing goods from countries around the world. However, transportation of goods between two U.S. ports must be carried out by a vessel that was built in the U.S. and operated primarily by Americans.
Domestic shipments from US points to US points are covered by the Jones Act just like every other state. It is similar to domestic trucking and airlines. Foreign commerce is the same like any other US port. Plus the Jones Act gets waived all of the time during emergencies. Offloading in Jacksonville or Philadelphia is a convenience in the larger economic scheme...otherwise foreign vessels would go straight to PR from a foreign source.
I love that you're making videos about serous issues.
Err... I hate to burst people's bubbles that are Nelson Denis fans, but foreign vessels can and do come to ports in Puerto Rico. The Jones Act is still very much a protectionist law and it makes it more cost effective for foreign shippers to go to the mainland to offload. I believe there are currently 4 US companies (used to be just 3) that lobby Congress heavily that are Jones Act compliant and then ship the cargo to the Caribbean.
That said, I don't see how one cost increase has anything to do with the debt. It's not like the government of Puerto Rico borrowed $72B from these shipping companies, or from the US government. Good news, though, Puerto Rico agriculture and economic diversification have actually started to increase. This has been more from the efforts of local entrepreneurs rather than the government. A lot more needs to happen, though.
Bro, the US maintains this iron handed, colonial control over Puerto Rico. This is just one aspect of it. I don't see how anyone can blame an island that can't really self-govern itself for a debt crisis but not blame the parent nation that's imposing all the regulations and controls. :-/ It's pretty fucked up... Almost as fucked up as the fact that Puerto Ricans were granted citizenship so they could be drafted as WWI canon fodder.
Oh, I'm not saying the US and the ongoing "unincorporated territorial" (colonial) status is blameless for the debt, but to pretend that our own government is blameless for this is also false. The Jones Act should've been repealed ages ago and it definitely hurts the local economy, but to blame the current debt crisis or somehow justify it because of the Jones Act is a few bridges too far.
And many Puerto Ricans are proud US citizens and veterans. Do you consider all soldiers "cannon fodder" or just those that are drafted? Many Puerto Ricans actually volunteered for WWI, including Pedro Albizu Campos who served as an officer in the US Army.
Arnaldo Colón No. Most didn't that's why about 2 months after they gave them citizenship and noticed Puerto Ricans weren't rushing to the military they had the draft.
They used the hell out of them for cannon fodder during the Vietnam war hence the Chicano movement. I think it's a lot better now although most of the officers I had to work with were still a bunch of old, white dudes.
What do you mean "No"? I didn't say "most", I said "many". If you're going to make the claim that "most" were drafted then you're going to have to show me where you got those numbers, and there was no special draft for Puerto Ricans. The draft in Puerto Rico coincided with the Selective Service Act of 1917 that applied to all US citizens. What's jacked up is that the Puerto Rico House of Delegates (the only government body elected by residents of Puerto Rico at the time) rejected US citizenship and the US Congress superseded that. So much for democracy.
Yo no sabia eso y yo vivo en P.R. This sucks.
Same! I just recently moved to the US, but either way, this video was really interesting.
End Jones Act
I like these videos!
“No More JonesAct” !!!
Please do a video about Ayotzinapa or Tlatelolco's massacre!!! #NosFaltan43 #2deOctubreNoSeOlvida
*not an attorney but here is the cite for the law dude is quoting:46. U.S.C. §55102 et seq.look that up and it has further info for ppl who didn't know, including myself.
www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/documents/merchandise_3.pdf
An actual link to a source document. I'm impressed. Well done, chica!
Wow...interesting.
Let my people go 🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷
Good lookin' out. I had no idea about this.
U learn something New Everyday...
My family was born in PR
Removal of the Jones act will be a contributing factor in both my Merchant Brothers and Sisters as well as my own unemployment. They won't pay me (an American Engineering Officer) when they can pay African and Pacific Islanders $5k a year. That's also why cruise ships catch on fire and have major issues. All the times. They are not US flagged and between the lack of training and the language barrier their engineering departments are a mess. Not to mention they are not regulated by the US Coast Guard and don't have to meet the high regulatory standards we do.
mechanicx610 then just work for less money. You sound like one of those whiney fight for $15 fuckers.
Puerto Rico needs to become a state
No, did you not watch the video? How exactly would statehood help?
NO
Why should we become a state? So that the corrupt government can turn us into Venezuela or another troubled country? Hell no! There are better ways for us to reinvent ourselves.
No.
DewDrops Im Puerto Rican and i say HELL NO 🙅🏽♂️🙅🏽♂️🙅🏽♂️
My math teacher looks like the younger version of him
Dam that's why a six pack of Heineken cost 24 dollars.
That's not true. Apart from the 11%+ IVU tax, a six pack of "Green Brides", as they call then in PR when taken out of a freezer, cost the same as in NYC.
That is fucked up.
The jones act is not only about tariffs on Goods its much more then what this guy explains and Actually products you buy in pr cost the same as the main land
more vids like this pls
So with Panama opening up for wider vessels and Jamaica investing in Port Infrastructure to prepare for an increase in shipping, does that mean the Jones act might stifle Puerto Rico’s ability to cash in on the increased traffic within the Caribbean?
Kingston and Caucedo are already well established transhipment ports in the Caribbean.). The transshipment of goods via certain ports has nothing to do with the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 (Jones Act). This is the standard operating procedure for most major shipping companies for business/cost reasons. If you wanted to fly to Puerto Rico from Europe, you would first fly into that airlines hub like New York, Miami, Atlanta, ect... then change planes and board a feeder plane to San Juan. Products, goods and materials shipped on a vessel from Europe arrive in Puerto Rico in the same exact manner. All of the marine terminals and port infrastructure was built by and is owned by Jones Act compliant carriers like Crowley and TOTE who currently ship to the island. These companies could in theory legally use Puerto Rico as a transhipment hub but they likely would not as they already use nearby Port Everglades and Jacksonville for these purposes. The Puerto Rican government never invested in municipal port and marine terminal facilities and equipment like you would find at many mainland U.S. ports.
You can't have your cake and eat it too. Either you want to be a state or not. Puerto Rico needs to either deal with their dealt cards or apply for statehood. Also if Puerto Rico hadn't made such horrendous loan agreements where they promised to pay the loan over things like water utilities or hospitals thru wouldn't be in this mess. It takes two to tango and the Puerto Rican government is not blameless in this situation.
this video isn't stating the Puerto Rican government isn't blameless. its stating that this is another reason Puerto Rico is in debt
i really like this video but i would like to see videos were they show our things like you do with mexico and dominican republic
Crazy shit right.
INDEPENDENCIA PARA PUERTO RICO 🇵🇷 🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷
Amen
Why is he saying that corporations benefit from the Logan act? Do the unions benefit too, it puts a monopoly on shipping to Puerto Rico.
With a government that we have right now in Puerto Rico is even more worse 2021
INDEPENDENT FOR PUERTO RICO NOW !🇵🇷
The only solution Puerto Rico has left is either independence or statehood. This said, the most viable one is statehood (compared to independence)...
that is not true, independence would be more viable. Puerto Rico will never become a state, and Donald trump is currently president, so that confirms it even more even, though Puerto Rico is a common wealth to the USA its still its own country and has its own culture becoming a state would take all that away. You should look up "reasons Puerto Rico should become independent" and you'll learn how independence is a way better option for the island.
Isabella Vazquez There are a million reasons why Statehood is not a viable option for Puerto Rico but I’ll name a few. 1. The US DOES NOT WANT IT. Statehood would mean more funds and programs pumped into the island and thats money they cannot afford because the US is in debt...2. Puerto Rico would be in EVEN MORE restrictions than they are now under the US constitution which means literally everything has to be passed through the US Government were as now it only partially applies. 3. Puerto Rico independence would mean ALOT more money pumped into the island where they can open up trades with multiple countries in the world without any restrictions
CAN YOU PLEASE TALK ABOUT THE NICA ACT AND HOW MUCH IT WOULD AFFECT NICARAGUA PLEASE 🙏
A damn shame.
More Puerto Rican videos pleez
Why does this have subs I can understand this perfectly
some people are deaf
We need this in Spanish
Please excuse my language, but this is why I think Puerto Rico is so fucked up. We (Puerto Ricans of Puerto Rico) are not allow, or it's not smart business to sell our own products in the island regardless of all of the resources, especially land that we have. Also, I'm not saying that the US government is responsible for the debt crisis because that's not true. There is documented proof that the government of Puerto Rico keeps around one half of the economic support that comes in to the island from the United States and this is one of the many reasons for the "Junta de Control Fiscal" that is now governing Puerto Rico. It is sad and disappointing to watch this knowing that in my island, there are so many people struggling with hunger, homelessness, no medical care, etc (which are topics no one wants to talk about), and seeing that there clearly is a solution to this crisis is overwhelming because our people are dying while others are putting more money into their pockets.
In other words, this is highway robbery and is legal
But, question: the Jones Act affects all US territories including Hawaii and Guam. Are they not mad about this as well?
I think Hawaii gets more rights because it's a state so they can claim bankruptcy or something like that. I don't know about Guam though
For Hawaii and Guam it does apply, but they are so remote it doesn't have as much economic impact as in Puerto Rico. Foreign vessels can ship directly there, they just can't go from one US port to the other.
If anything, the Jones Act should just apply to Hawaii since it's a full state. Unincorporated territories are "foreign in a domestic sense", whatever that means. Basically the US Congress decides which laws apply and which don't.
+Arnaldo Colón your right. I think is more impacted on PR then Hawaii and Guam.
I saw a video about Hawai and the cowsbut Hawai is a state why can't Puerto Rico use ships from other countries is not a state
1917.... only thing to correct... the rest Is EXCELLENT!!!!!
Can u guys do something more positive about puerto rico
damnn
He looks like Lanny Poffo.
You forgot to mention union workers
It is colonial dictatorship.
Can America just give us back to Spain like ASAP pls
um no thanks, what is wrong with you? Spain wasn't that great either they killed the indigenous people of Puerto Rico which were the Taino and they also enslaved them along with africans.
Hell to the NO!!!! We Puerto Rican's were treated like shit by the Spaniards too. So, no please. We don't need that mess again!
Nattie Nah we just need Independence
This is interesting but the math is funny math and I don't appreciate the deception. The $72 billion in debt reflects interest and inflation over time. The $6 billion in price inflation of imports to Puerto Rico is not the same as $6 billion in 1920 when the Jones Act was introduced. That means that the math is not even close to what Nelso Davis claims. But yes, I get the point and I appreciate a little more integrity from someone reporting on the economic condition of Puerto Rico.
Either go for your independence or stop complaining. As a fellow Caribbean and latino lets be real. America is never going to give you everything you want, become a state go ya own way
Where are you from?
Jamaican and Spanish... And yourself?
How do you expect them to do it exactly? The government party that is “for-statehood”
is one of the two parties elected on a continuous back and forth. Just because
the Island voted and won for the statehood doesn’t mean it will be granted to
them. The States has nothing to gain from PR becoming a state; they’d have to
give them funds, establish health and education departments, AND actually allow them to
declare bankruptcy (which they need by the way). And independence? With what
militia? Or do you think a communism independent party like Fidel Castros’s in
Cuba would be a good idea for us?
Well Puerto Rico needs to stop complaining then because they voted to keep things the same. (America doesmt care) Not every country has or needs a military and the ones that dont have strong allegiances to ones that do. It all comes down to money. Fyi Cuba is the last western communist state. All the other independent islands are democratic
We don't complain, we also work and protest. Don't judge if you don't know exactly how complicated it is for us. It's not as simplistic as you see it.
THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM IS INDEPENDENCE PUERTO RICO HAS A ONE WAY TICKET TO EL TERCER MUNDIAL
I am Puertorriqueño bitch!!!!!!
OLA AZUL PERZ DANIELA
The first statement is totally misleading. What is the truth? The Jones Act prohibits foreing vessels transporting goods between two US ports. Thus, all goods shipped into PR coming from a US port -- not a foreing port!! -- must be shipped in a US vessel. The same holds true for Alaska and Hawaii. Am not saying this is fair or an ideal situation, all am saying is this is factually true. John McCain was the strongest opponent of the Jones Act.
#staywoke
Actually he is a little deceptive (and we should note that he is a strong proponent of Puerto Rican independence). A foreign ship can go direct to Puerto Rico and make a delivery. However, goods from the USA have to be transported on American ships with American crews. Now if a shipment of cars is going to Miami by a foreign registered vessel, it cannot unload in 95% in Miami and then go to Puerto Rico and unload the other 5%. As Puerto Rico is so insignificant when it comes to big ticket trade items, most goods go to the USA first and then are shipped to PR and the Jones Act would apply. The best route for PR would be to get goods from lower cost countries direct. Anyhow, the fear the US government has is that if you did not subsidize the US merchant marine, then US shipping would be replaced by foreign shipping.
He is more than deceptive. He makes a blatant false statement. Which, if not challenged, becomes the new "truth"
Agreed. Just think if we required that all goods from Asia go to Guam first and then we put them on US crewed, US made, and US owned vessels. That would be the way to get a merchant marine fleet built.
Hawaii, the USA Virgin Islands, and Guam comply with the Jones act... they aren't in crisis!
Puerto Rico's behavior was irresponsible
The Jones Act does so much more than this video explains. Here's an interesting quote from Sen. Duncan Hunter, “I’d like to ask the American people if they agree that we should have Yemenis, Pakistanis, Egyptians…Iranians…operating barges and carriers in our inland waters carrying chemicals…fuels…coal…gases…carrying things that are explosive. If you want a foreign company with a foreign-crewed ship - that you have no idea where they come from - operating on your waterways and bringing highly explosive deadly things to your ports every single day on the inland waterways - getting rid of the Jones Act would allow that.”
i mean can you make videos were puerto rico doesnt seem like a bad place cause we have a beautiful culture that you can show you know, we are not only a little island from the united states thats bullshit cause we dont follow anything that the gringos say ok thanks
this is showing why us being a colony to the USA is a problem and this is showing the economic crisis thats currently going on. THIS IS VERY GOOD, this topic does not ever get attention
What a huge pile of bullshit just came out of his mouth. Any flag ship can go into Puerto Rico. Just look at all the cruise ships, any American flags on them? The Jones Act protects trade between the US and it's own states and territories. Imports and exports to and from anywhere else is free to be carried on any flag bottom.
If you are going to make an argument, get you facts right.
Under that law PR can ship from foreign countries. The only time that law applies is if the ship originates from a US port. Read the law dude. A foreign vessel can't ship from Miami to PR but can ship direct to Miami.
2/3 of shipments into and out of PR are on foreign vessels. US port to US port requires US ship. Not Asian port to PR.
lol 10th
First
first
And I've been told that the Puerto Ricans live like kings (Compared to other Latin Americans).
who told you that THATS BULLSHIT
Right wing Latinos
Well compared to other Latin American countries, probably. I was fortunate enough to go to private school most of my life. Nice houses are not as expensive as they are in the US. Also people love buying stuff, the malls are always packed lmao.
Every country has its issues. It's not a contest. Sure, things are worse in other countries, but those countries are independent. Puerto Rico, along with all of the other US territories, are being ignored while the US reaps the benefits.
Thats total BS.. They dont.. Most live in poverty and are on welfare to just survive.. They sometimes lose power randomly for no reason, not to mention the black out that just happened when the entire island was out of power, some for 2-3 days! Taxes are insane there and a lot of businesses are shutting down!
Video is absolute nonsense and part of the anti Jones Act propaganda. The 15 - 20% additional cost has nothing to do with the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 (Jones Act). It is the additional transportation cost to ship products, goods and materials to an island. Other Caribbean islands that have no sovereignty association with the United States such as the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, British Virgin Islands, ect. aren't covered under the Jones Act and also pay 15 - 20% or more in additional costs products, goods and materials. The transshipment of goods via mainland U.S. ports like Jacksonville also has nothing to do with the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 (Jones Act). This is the standard operating procedure for most major shipping companies for business/cost reasons. If you wanted to fly to Puerto Rico from Europe, you would first fly into that airlines hub like New York, Miami, Atlanta, ect... then change planes and board a feeder plane to San Juan. Products, goods and materials shipped on a vessel from Europe arrive in Puerto Rico in the same exact manner. If the Jones Act was eliminated tomorrow, there would still be 15 - 20% additional costs. All of the marine terminals and port infrastructure was built by and is owned by Jones Act compliant carriers like Crowley and TOTE who currently ship to the island. Given the large amount of time and money they have invested in these facilities/equipment, they either aren't going to let their competitors use them or will charge them hefty tariffs/fees which would result products, goods and materials still retaining the 15 - 20% additional costs. So don't blame the Jones Act, blame the Puerto Rican government for not investing in municipal port and marine terminal facilities and equipment like you would find at many mainland U.S. ports. The video's biggest lie comes at 0:21... Any vessel can enter Puerto Rico. In fact, many foreign vessels enter Puerto Rico regularly, importing goods from countries around the world. However, transportation of goods between two U.S. ports must be carried out by a vessel that was built in the U.S. and operated primarily by Americans.
Why should I continue watching this video when the very first thing he said is not true!
1. Everyone knows PR operated its own merchant fleet from the 70’s to the 90’s, it was called ‘Navieras de Puerto Rico’ and it was a dismal failure that went bankrupt.
2. Foreign ships dock in PR ports every day (go to Marinetraffic.com if you don’t believe me) so he lies when he says that every boat that comes into PR has to be a US flag vessel.
You are right, the first statement is totally misleading. What is the truth? The Jones Act prohibits foreing vessels transporting goods between two US ports. Thus, all goods shipped into PR coming from a US port -- not a foreing port!! -- must be shipped in a US vessel. The same holds true for Alaska and Hawaii. Am not saying this is fair or an ideal situation, all am saying is this is factually true. John McCain was the strongest opponent of the Jones Act.
Puerto Rico, and the other US territories need to push to get a permanent waiver for "US built ships."