One of our guides told us that when the military knows that a fallen bomb has not exploded, it conducts some tests. It is in Vieques that the Pentagon first tests its weapons, with no respect for the life of the 9,000-plus inhabitants. The rate of cancer is higher in Vieques than in the rest of Puerto Rico. This may indicate that severe contamination has existed for years, and that the effects of the DU are yet to come. The impact of the U.S. military in Vieques is felt at every level.
Unemployment is very high.
Prices of foodstuffs are extremely high also. There are no possibilities of creating an economic base. With constant explosions, tourism can not be developed. Agriculture and fishing are very limited by the U.S. naval control of the surrounding waters. The delivery of health care is minimal.