RUM Psychology Dept. opposes proposed mega project in Cabo Rojo.

By THE STAR STAFF

The Department of Psychology at the University of Puerto Rico’s Mayagüez Campus (RUM by its acronym in Spanish) issued a statement Tuesday opposing the construction of the proposed Proyecto Esencia luxury tourism and residential megaproject in Cabo Rojo, citing concerns about poverty, inequality and access to essential services across the island’s southwest.

In the statement, the department said its opposition is rooted in what it described as the project’s likely effects on the availability and affordability of basic resources, as well as the potential for the development to deepen existing economic hardship in Cabo Rojo and nearby municipalities including San Germán, Lajas, Sabana Grande and Yauco.

The department pointed to U.S. Census statistics indicating that 43.7% of children ages 0 to 17 in Cabo Rojo live in poverty. It also cited data showing that about 35.8% of Cabo Rojo’s population lived below the poverty line in 2023, with some areas exceeding 60%, arguing that the region’s economic precarity could worsen if the large-scale development project moves forward.

“Our goal is to be part of improving the living conditions of the families we serve,” said Lizzie García Pabón, director of the Department of Psychology. “That is why we must warn about the potential harm this project represents. Health and opportunities for social and economic mobility would be compromised, with predictable effects on mental health.”

The statement said researchers and experts from multiple disciplines have warned that Proyecto Esencia could strain access to essential services for residents of the southwest, including drinking water and electricity. The department said disruptions or shortages would affect thousands of families already struggling to secure reliable access to those resources, adding that the stress associated with unstable services can harm mental health.

Eduardo A. Lugo Hernández, a professor in the department and a former executive director of Puerto Rico’s Commission to Combat Child Poverty and Social Inequality, said the region already faces elevated poverty, an aging population with significant needs, and inconsistent access to water and energy. “The convergence of these structural problems generates serious disparities that affect people’s health and even put their survival at risk,” he said, adding that economic development in the southwest should be guided by an equity-centered approach that expands access to essential resources and creates dignified, living-wage jobs that enable social mobility.