See this Bloomberg article: Puerto Rico’s Love of Cars is Jamming Its Recovery.

So far, among the existing deficiencies in structures and services we have the following:  lack of sturdy infrastructure, frail electric grid, housing that is not well built and insured against winds and water, lack of fuel, lack of food and water, and now lack of public transportation. And one must aid economic recession and bankruptcy – of the electric utility and the commonwealth. How much of these deficiencies can and will be corrected during the recovery process?  FEMA has a huge challenge and many years of effort ahead.

As follow blogger, Eric Holdeman, noted in his blog today (10/3):

Puerto Rico had many issues before this event and they cannot dig themselves out of their situation now without massive aid from the federal government. It is a fact of life, and lives are what is on the line, and still are in this destroyed island.

Now is not the time to try to score political points, now is the time to just plain help as much as we can.

So far, I have seen the poor response to the disaster in Puerto Rico liked to that of Katrina in 2005, and called worse than the response by the U.S. to Haiti Earthquake (2010). Here are some of the details on why things are going so slowly:

From the WashPost:  Getting relief supplies to Puerto Rico ports is only half the problem.

From the Wall St. Journal: Puerto Rico Aid Trickles In. Damaged roads and few truck drivers are among the logistical challenges facing the relief effort.

Update:  San Juan Mayor Fumes After Top Trump Official Calls Puerto Rico Response A ‘Good News Story’. “Damn it, this is not a good news story. This is a people are dying story.”