FEMA allocated more than $4.1 million to repair the Antonio Rivera Rodríguez Airport in Vieques. (Credit: FEMA/Eliezer Hernández).
The projects will benefit the economic development of the Puerto Rican island-municipalities and support social work efforts.
Four projects in the island-municipalities of Vieques and Culebra, Puerto Rico, are in design or construction thanks to an allocation of more than $6.4 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In Vieques, the funds will be used to repair the Antonio Rivera Rodríguez Airport and the Luis González Camareno Municipal Coliseum, while in Culebra they will be used for the Government Center and the Multi-Use Center.
“These projects will favor the over 10,000 residents of Vieques and Culebra and will have a positive impact not only on their daily lives, but also on their sports, cultural and social activities,” said federal disaster recovery coordinator José G. Baquero. “Furthermore, the repairs to the Vieques airport will support tourism, which is vital to its economy. These and other federal allocations are proof that FEMA remains firm in its commitment to helping Puerto Rico’s comprehensive recovery and, undoubtedly, this includes the entire archipelago.”
The Rivera Rodríguez Airport in Vieques, built in 1995 and managed by the Puerto Rico Ports Authority, serves about 40,000 people each year and offers flights to the San Juan, Isla Grande and Ceiba airports. The facility consists of a main terminal, an air rescue building, a lounge, a hangar and two storage buildings.
“The airport is one of the main routes for the movement of passengers and cargo, such as mail and different means of delivery like USPS, UPS, DHL and others. Its optimal operation ensures residents the continuity of these services,” said Vieques Vice Mayor Adolfo Rosa-Miranda.
The project, which is in the design phase, has received more than $4.1 million for various repairs, including floors, elevator system, generator, fire prevention system, and structural beams and columns. The replacement of roofs, transformers, light poles and runway lamp sensor has already been completed.
Construction work at the González Camareno Coliseum is also underway. With an allocation of more than $628,000, the project includes painting the basketball court, repairing cracks, and replacing doors, emergency lights, fire hose, metal roof, folding wooden bleachers, electrical outlets, and lighting poles.
The vice mayor said the facility is vital for the development of multiple sports, as it is the only indoor coliseum available in Vieques, also known as Isla Nena.
“Basketball, boxing, volleyball, and other important recreational activities are organized here,” added Rosa-Miranda.
Repairs to the Culebra Government Center are underway, with an allocation of nearly $830,000. The three-story building houses 13 offices — including the Family Department, the Municipal Legislature, the Office of Land Management, and an interactive court — serving some 500 to 700 people each month.
The repairs include reinstalling the structure’s retaining wall, cleaning the contaminated air conditioning duct system, and replacing the air conditioner’s condenser and compressor.
The asphalt pavement and concrete sidewalk will also be repaired, while the roof will be resurfaced and light fixtures, walls and fire- and water-resistant gypsum ceilings will be replaced.
These repairs will result in improved quality and accessibility of services with more comfortable facilities for visitors, said José A. Rodríguez-Feria, of Culebra’s Federal Programs Office. “It also helps administrative operations run more efficiently” and ensures “the structure complies with all regulations and safety requirements,”
Additionally, the Multi-Use Center in the Flamenco neighborhood received nearly $810,000 for repairs. This structure houses a library, community foodbank and a shelter. The repairs include the replacement of detached concrete roof slabs, light fixtures, windows, air conditioners, and the application of a waterproof membrane for the roof.
The nonprofit organization El Junte Comunitario Culebrense, located at the center, channels aid to the community and offers opportunities in environmental impact, technology-focused education, art, culture and sports, said Rodríguez-Feria, adding that repairing the structure has already had a positive impact on the community.
The four projects have funds assigned for hazard mitigation, preparing the facilities to face future disasters. For Vieques, the allocation consists of nearly $197,000, while for Culebra, the allocation is nearly $13,300.
“The reconstruction of the island municipalities is led by multiple government agencies, which together, with the work performed by the municipalities of Vieques and Culebra, rehabilitate and give resilience to the infrastructure affected by previous disasters,” said Manuel A. Laboy-Rivera, the executive director of the Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency (COR3).
An example of this is “the advanced process of the construction of the Susana Centeno Health Center in Vieques and the Culebra Government Center, among other works that have benefited from the advance of funds through the Working Capital Advance pilot program,” Laboy-Rivera added. “The COR3 team is committed to continuing to work as a team with the municipalities and state agencies, as well as federal agencies, for the benefit of the people of Culebra and Vieques.”