By The Star Staff
Vieques Mayor José “Junito” Corcino Acevedo met on Wednesday with Bureau of Emergency Management and Disaster Administration (NMEAD by its Spanish acronym) Commissioner Nino Correa Filomena to draw up and implement the security plan for the offshore island municipality during the Holy Week holidays, with more than 20,000 new visitors expected.
“The safety of the residents of Vieques, as well as those who visit us this Holy Week, is a priority for us. That is why we held a meeting with our friend Nino Correa, to outline the action plans to attend to a floating population that we expect to exceed 20,000 in the coming days,” the mayor said. “These plans we discussed include attending to emergency situations, both at sea and on land, preventive surveillance of areas of high tourist interest and redoubling resources at the Sun Bay resort, among others.”
“As of today [Wednesday], thousands of visitors have begun to arrive on the island,” Corcino Acevedo added. “Our population of around 8,000 will triple in the coming days and we have to be very attentive to any issues. We are concerned about the conditions of the sea, which as you know, there is an announcement of high currents for the north coast, from Rincón to Vieques, due to an unusual sea surge. We urge bathers to take into consideration this warning that, although it ends tomorrow, Thursday, it is no less true that it can be extended until Saturday,”
The mayor noted that the Vieques Municipal Police force is prepared and has already implemented a preventive patrol program in areas of high tourist interest. Likewise, the municipal emergency management team has carried out drills to be prepared for any eventuality.
Corcino Acevedo thanked NMEAD “for preparing our team here in Vieques.”
“Our employees are ready, ambulances are ready and rescue systems are activated and prepared to respond to any emergency in a short time,” the mayor said. “What we want is for everyone to enjoy our natural beauty in a safe environment and without any major incidents.”