What happened in Puerto Rico should serve as an example to all in government: Having that kind of contempt for fellow citizens will usually backfire somewhere along the way. A leaked private chat with confidants which shows one’s “true colours” can thus prove disastrous.
Of course, there were and still are many other underlying reasons. The recovery from September 2017 Hurricane Maria has been hard and difficult at times, despite US funding. Public confusion over the number of fatalities didn’t exactly help matters.
So, – soon former – Governor Ricardo Rosselló making light of the category 4 to 5 storm’s victims was not going to be tolerated. Readers shouldn’t forget either that the public had already seen President Donald Trump throw paper towel rolls at people when visiting the US territory soon after arguably its worst natural disaster to date.
And the end may not be in sight. Although Justice Secretary Wanda Vázquez is to succeed Rosselló as next in line because the state secretary had also resigned due to the scandal, she too has been involved in controversy in the recent past, although she was cleared of any charges. A rocky path may await the Caribbean country until the next governor’s election scheduled for 2020.
The lesson to be learned here is that disdain and lack of empathy are ultimately not beneficial attitudes. According to an American proverb, arrogance is a roadblock on the highway of wisdom.
