Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Friday 29 September 2017
Facing criticism, Trump clears way for more Puerto Rico aid

By DANICA COTO uniforms,” Melendez said. speaking of the difficulty of dren, 9 and 7, each toted open a distribution point
LAURIE KELLMAN “People are suffering out- getting aid all the way to a large bucket. They stood over the weekend to hand
Associated Press side.” those in need. in line in a parking lot in the out food and water, nearly
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Trump and his advisers “The electric power grid in town of Bayamon on the two weeks after the hurri-
— President Donald Trump cane hit.
cleared the way Thursday “We need food,” said
for more supplies to head Maritza Gonzalez, a
to Puerto Rico and tweet- 49-year-old government
ed that relief was getting worker.
through, but on the island Acting Homeland Security
food and water remained Secretary Elaine Duke said
scarce in devastated she signed the waiver of
towns where a growing a federal law to clear the
number of people decried way for foreign-flagged
the federal response as an ships to deliver supplies
uncoordinated disaster. between U.S. ports. The
Nine days after Hurricane nearly century-old mea-
Maria hit Puerto Rico, Trump sure, known as the Jones
issued a 10-day waiver of Act, has bolstered the U.S.
federal restrictions on for- shipping industry but made
eign shipments of cargo consumer goods much
to the island. And House pricier and scarcer in this
Speaker Paul Ryan said the U.S. territory than on the
Federal Emergency Man- mainland.
agement Agency’s disas- “You are seeing devasta-
ter relief account would tion in Puerto Rico. That is
get a $6.7 billion boost by White House Homeland Security adviser Tom Bossert speaks during the daily press briefing, Thurs- the fault of the hurricane,”
the end of the week. day, Sept. 28, 2017, in Washington. Duke told reporters in the
The developments came (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) White House driveway.
after Trump came under defended the administra- Puerto Rico is totally shot. hard-hit northern coast, “The relief effort is under
sharp criticism for what crit- tion’s response to the hur- Large numbers of gen- where police used hoses to control.”
ics said was a too-slow re- ricane, which destroyed erators are now on Island. fill up containers from a city Meanwhile, the U.S. military
sponse to a humanitarian much of the island’s infra- Food and water on site,” water truck. was sending a three-star
crisis among Puerto Rico’s structure and left many res- Trump tweeted early in the “I have not seen any fed- general to Puerto Rico to
3.4 million residents. idents desperate for fresh day. eral help around here,” help direct the hurricane
“The federal response has water, power, food and But in many cases “on site” said Javier San Miguel, a response. Lt. Gen. Jeff Bu-
been a disaster,” said law- other supplies. meant stored on pallets 51-year-old accountant. chanan, commander of
maker Jose Enrique Me- Tom Bossert, Trump’s and in containers in sea- Bayamon Mayor Ramon U.S. Army North, was to
lendez, a member of Gov. homeland security adviser, and airports far from the Luis Rivera told The As- arrive later Thursday to as-
Ricardo Rossello’s New Pro- said the impression of a towns where Puerto Ricans sociated Press that FEMA sess the situation so that
gressive Party. “It’s been slow response isn’t so much desperately lined up for officials sent a truck with the military can provide
really slow.” wrong as it is outdated. He fresh water and pre-made a limited amount of food the highest level of sup-
He said the Trump admin- said more than 40 of the meals being distributed by on Monday. Rivera said port for the disaster, North-
istration had focused more island’s 69 hospitals were federal officials. he began distributing it to ern Command spokesman
on making a good impres- now accepting patients. “I have not received any hard-hit rural areas. John Cornelio said.He said
sion on members of the And FEMA Administrator help, and we ran out of “I don’t wait,” he said there were still problems
media gathered at San Brock Long said the efforts food yesterday,” said Mari when asked whether fed- getting supplies and aid
Juan’s convention center have been hampered by Olivo, a 27-year-old home- eral officials helped with to residents on the island,
than bringing aid to rural damaged airports and maker whose husband distribution. where 12 of the 29 bridges
Puerto Rico. ports on the island. was pushing a shopping Meanwhile, in the nearby that have been assessed
“There are people liter- “The question is that last cart with empty plastic gal- fishing town of Cataño au- were closed, and another
ally just modeling their mile,” Long told CNN, lon jugs while their two chil- thorities said they would 65 were damaged.q
Red Cross will soon see American IS fighter held in Iraq

By LOLITA C. BALDOR been detained since then ganize a visit,” said Marc believed to have commit- his detention, in a legiti-
Associated Press as an unlawful enemy Kilstein, ICRC spokesman in ted war crimes in Iraq while mate facility that is not at
WASHINGTON (AP) — combatant. Washington. working with IS in the re- Guantanamo. And any
The International Com- He is being held at a deten- He said the group expects gion. prosecution should be fair
mittee of the Red Cross tion facility in Iraq, accord- “timely access” and the The man’s fate has raised and open, in a legitimate
will soon visit an American ing to senior U.S. officials, ability to speak with him in questions among constitu- court.”
citizen who was picked up who weren’t authorized to private. tional lawyers and human The senior officials have
on Syria’s battlefield two discuss the detainee’s lo- U.S. officials haven’t said rights monitors in the United suggested it is unlikely he
weeks ago and is being cation publicly and spoke what they’ll do with the States. would be sent to the U.S.
held by U.S. forces in Iraq, on condition of anonymity. man. “The U.S. government can- detention center at Guan-
U.S. officials said Thursday. Ben Sakrisson, a Pentagon The senior officials said not continue to operate in tanamo Bay, Cuba. But no
The Pentagon has accused spokesman, said the Red it was not clear yet if he the shadows on this case,” one has publicly ruled out
the man of fighting for the Cross was notified of the would be turned over to said Daphne Eviatar of Am- that option. And President
Islamic State group. man’s detention this week. the U.S. Justice Depart- nesty International. Donald Trump has cham-
The unidentified American The humanitarian agency ment. “It should be treating this pioned the facility that his
surrendered to U.S.-backed confirmed that account. Another possibility could detainee humanely, pro- predecessors sought to
Syrian Democratic Forces “We are following up with involve handing him over viding him a meaningful close, saying he wants to fill
around Sept. 12, and has the U.S. authorities to or- to Iraqi authorities if he is opportunity to challenge it up with “bad dudes.”q