Débat anglais
Présentateur : Hello, today we are going to talk about the topic
of PUERTO RICO, should this territory become the 51st states of
US ?
First of all, puerto rico is an island that belonged to spain before
the Spanish-American war in 1898. The US invaded puerto rico,
and it became an US territory.
Today, we are with politician Réhan, who support statehood for
puerto rico, and politician Nathan, who support the
independence for puerto rico.
What do you think about puerto rico becoming the 51st state ?
Réhan : Honestly, I think Puerto Rico should become the 51st
state of the United States. Thanks to them, we have strong
protection. They have a powerful military and a lot of federal
agencies, so if anything bad happens, they can react super fast.
This makes life way safer for us — we don’t have to live in fear
of war, terrorism, or major conflicts. Plus, it also makes tourists
and investors feel safe, which is good for our economy. If we
became independent, we would have to build our own security
system from scratch, and that would be super expensive and
probably not as effective. So honestly, staying with the U.S. is
the smart choice for our safety and our future.
Nathan : Personally, i don’t agree with you. I think puerto rico
should be Independent. Réhan said that we needed the US
military, but puerto ricans fought with them during the war. It
means Puerto ricans can fight for themselves. Moreover, during
the hurricane MARIA in 2017, there were a lot of house and
businesses destroyed, 150 000 people without electricity, a lot
of insurance claims have been denied because they couldn’t
prove they own their house , and more than 2 000 deaths.
Puerto Rico is still recovering from this hurricane. The US didn’t
help puerto ricans when they were in critical situation.
Présentateur : réhan, do you have other raisons why puerto rico
should be a state ?
Réhan : Another big reason why Puerto Rico should stay part of
the United States is the Dollar. The Dollar is one of the strongest
and most stable currencies in the world. Because we use it, our
businesses can trade easily with companies from the U.S. and
from other countries too. We don’t have to worry about
complicated currency exchanges or crazy changes in rates. This
makes our exports cheaper and more attractive, and it brings in
more partners who trust our financial system. In today’s global
economy, having a strong currency like the Dollar is a huge
advantage — and honestly, it’s something we shouldn’t give up.
Nathan : I think Independence doesn’t mean losing the ability to
trade with the US. There exist a lot of Independents countries
that have a deal with the US. Puerto rico can negotiate a similar
deal with the US after it Independence.
Réhan : The Dollar gives a lot of confidence to both local
businesses and international investors. It protects us from the
crazy inflation problems that some other Caribbean countries
have to deal with. Thanks to the Dollar, Puerto Rico’s economy
has stayed pretty stable over the years and keeps growing
today. The Dollar helps bring more investment, create more
jobs, and boost economic development — and all of that is
super important for the future of young people like us.
Nathan : puerto rico can still use the dollar after independence.
Just like contries such as Ecuador, and it could even help puerto
rico to trade with other countries. It could give more
opportunities for local businesses who look for other countries.
Today, Puerto Rico has trade agreements with Colombia and
Panama.
Présentateur : and economically, how is puerto rico ?
Réhan : Every year, the U.S. government sends important funds
to help our territory. They invest in public education by
supporting schools, they help municipalities to build and repair
infrastructures, and they finance healthcare and social
programs. Thanks to this federal aid, many Puerto Rican
families have access to better services and better living
conditions. Without this support, our schools, hospitals, and
cities would suffer greatly, and inequality would increase across
the island.
Nathan : even with the aid of US governement, the cost to live
in puerto rico is high, especially after the Jones Shafroth Act.
There are migration of thousands of Puerto Rican residents to
the U.S. mainland.
