Puerto Rico News Digest For January 28, 2016

MORE ZIKA CASES CONFIRMED IN PR

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"[Health Secretary Ana Rius] said cases of the mosquito-borne illness Zika
are also on the rise. Since the first case of the disease with its origins in
Africa was reported in Puerto Rico in December, an additional 17 cases have
been confirmed mostly in southeast part of the island. None of the cases in-
volve pregnant women, Ríus said, according to an AP report, adding that the
Health Department was taking preventive measures against the mosquito-
borne virus, which has been linked to serious birth defects, and was prepa-
red to conduct future testing as more suspected cases are expected in the
future..."

PREPA REVITALIZATION ACT DEADLINE EXTENDED

From Caribbean Business:

"The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (Prepa) announced late Wednesday
that it has entered into an amended restructuring support agreement (RSA)
with the Ad Hoc Group of Prepa bondholders, comprising municipal bond in-
vestors and hedge funds, its fuel line lenders, the monoline insurers and the Go-
vernment Development Bank. Prepa also entered into an amended bond purcha-
se agreement with the Ad Hoc Group and the monoline insurers. The amended
agreement, which includes agreements with holders of approximately 70% of
Prepa’s financial debt, extended the deadline to enact the Prepa Revitalization
Act to Feb. 16..."

DEM LAWMAKERS PRESS FOR PR ACTION

From News Is My Business:

"U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), ranking member of the Senate Ener-

gy and Natural Resources Committee, along with Minority Leader Harry Reid 

and 44 other Democrats and Independents in the Senate, wrote to Leader Mitch 

McConnell urging bipartisan, legislative action to give Puerto Rico access to 

the appropriate financial restructuring tools. “Puerto Rico is facing severe eco-

nomic, fiscal and liquidity challenges that are placing immediate and growing 

hardships on the island’s 3.5 million U.S.-citizen residents,” the group of law-

makers said in the letter..."

RICKY MARTIN TO GET  STAR ON WALK OF FAME

From Latin Post:

"Puerto Rican music superstar Ricky Martin will be receiving a star on the 

Walk of Fame in Puerto Rico on Feb. 3. According to People en Español, the 

44-year-old singer is the latest Puerto Rican entertainer to be given the honor.

"We continue paying homage to those figures that have given name to our land," 

said Santiago Villar, chairman of the board of the Walk of Fame of Puerto Rico, 

Inc. "We are really pleased that Ricky Martin can give continuity to this project 

which, I believe, can continue until we fulfill our objective of the first phase, 

which consists of the unveiling of 40 stars..."

TWO INDICTED FOR MAIL FRAUD

From US Attorney's Office:

"A Federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a twenty-three 

count indictment against Oscar Ferrer (“Ferrer”) and Jonathan A. Rivera-Pa-

dilla (“Rivera-Padilla”) charging them with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, 

mail fraud, and monetary transactions in property derived from specified un-

lawful activity announced Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, United States Attor-

ney for the District of Puerto Rico. The United States Postal Inspection Service 

(“USPIS”) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) are in charge of the in-

vestigation. The indictment was unsealed today following the arrest of Ferrer 

in Florida and Rivera-Padilla in Puerto Rico.

These charges resulted from a Ponzi scheme originating in the Cabo Rojo area 

of Puerto Rico and involving the payment of approximately $5.7 million to cor-

porations operated by Ferrer in Puerto Rico and Florida. The corporations, inclu-

ding Reco Financial, Inc., National Western HIA, Inc., and CGB Financial, Inc., 

were utilized to receive victim’s purported investment deposits and to disburse 

the funds to Ferrer and Rivera-Padilla for their own personal use..."