Scanning Puerto Rican newspapers recently one would think that the most pressing of the island’s issues, namely the unresolved question of Puerto Rico’s political status, was in fact resolved. I say this because while there may be an article or two that touches on the matter, the traditional parties on the island, those that have been auto-bestowed champions of self-determination seem to have determined to forget about the topic completely. Yet, the same headlines continue to show the necessity of resolving the fundamental problem affecting the Puerto Rican psyche – self-definition.

Traveling on the Staten Island ferry, (for those whom are not familiar with NYC, the ferry connects the islands of Staten Island and Manhattan in NYC. As a free ride, it has become very popular with tourists.) I had a very interesting conversation with a man visiting NYC from France. “Pierre,” has had the opportunity to visit Puerto Rico and therefore understood that the island was part of the United States. However, sometime later he was confused when as a spectator during an international sporting competition he saw athletes from Puerto Rico and the U.S. in separate delegations. It left him confused.

One does not have to go far from Puerto Rico itself to also be able to witness this perplexing state of mind that this undecided political status has created. Even today there are those on the island that seem to feel a need to tell people that they are Puerto Ricans and not something else. While on the other side of the debate there are then those who want to be more American than Uncle Sam himself.

While all of this occurs, the three main political parties have been in a never-ending electoral campaign that has continued since before the 2004 elections. With the island government having its first experience with a divided government, the parties have not felt the need to cease electioneering and begin governing. Consequently, Puerto Rico’s social and fiscal problems continue their downward spiral. Puerto Rico continues to lose it most important resource, its own people. With more Puerto Ricans now living in the mainland United States than on the island, it is perplexing how the parties haven’t seemed to notice that while they continue to argue about who gets to administer the colony, more residents decide to leave.

Perhaps Puerto Rico’s salvation lies in the dissolution of all the political parties presently struggling to maintain power. Perhaps only then could Puerto Ricans finally unite and demand from Congress the necessary legislation that would put this centuries-old colonial dilemma on a “fast track” to an as-of-yet elusive solution.