Guánica pier upgrade seen as key to regional economic development
- The San Juan Daily Star
- Aug 29
- 2 min read
By The Star Staff
House Government Committee Chairman Víctor Parés Otero and Rep. Omayra Martínez Vázquez were slated to visit Guánica on Friday to evaluate the improvements needed to the municipality’s pier in order to establish it as a hub for the economic development of the island’s southern region.
The visit to the port facility was to begin at 10 a.m. and include Guánica Mayor Ismael Rodríguez and Ports Authority Executive Director Norberto Negrón, as well as personnel from the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, community leaders, and the facility’s concessionaire, among others.
“Our goal is to improve all of Puerto Rico’s dock infrastructure,” Parés Otero said. “That’s why when our colleague and chairwoman of the Housing Committee, Omayra Martínez, brought her concerns about the Guánica pier to our attention, we immediately envisioned a thorough review of these facilities. We’re going to bring everyone involved together to create an action plan to put this dock in the best possible condition so it can become a linchpin of the local economy.”
The hearing is being held under House Resolution 261, authored by Martínez Vázquez, which seeks to conduct a comprehensive investigation into everything related to the Guánica pier, including its reconstruction and possible expansion.
The port served for decades as the starting point for the transportation of sugar from the Guánica Central.
“What we want is for the port of Guánica to be rehabilitated so it can bring in supplies and products,” said Martínez Vázquez, who represents District 21 (Lajas, Guánica, Yauco, Sabana Grande, Maricao and Las Marías). “Right now, we have a pollution issue in Guánica Bay that’s even preventing the reconstruction of the seawall, and that’s also affecting the work on rebuilding this historic pier.”.
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