Puerto Rico News Digest For October 4, 2016

WEATHER SYSTEM COULD BECOME STORM

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From The National Hurricane Center:

"Showers and thunderstorms continue in association with a low pressure area 
located about 500 miles northeast of Puerto Rico. Satellite wind data indicate 
that the low is producing winds to gale force, and the system could become su-
fficiently well organized to result in the formation of a tropical storm later today.  
The low is expected to move generally northwestward at 10 to 15 mph over the 
next few days, and upper-level winds are forecast to become less conducive for 
development. Formation chance through 48 hours...high...80 percent. Formation 
chance through 5 days...high...80 percent..."

BOARD SETS DEADLINE FOR TURNAROUND PLAN

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"Puerto Rico’s newly created federal oversight board on Friday set an Oct.14
deadline for the island’s governor to draft a fiscal turnaround plan, as protesters
at its first public meeting compared the board to “slavery” and said it was “pilla-
ging Puerto Rico.” The board asked Gov. Alejandro García Padilla to present a
plan laying out his vision for stabilizing Puerto Rico, which is grappling with $70
billion in debt, a 45 percent poverty rate and a decade-long recession..."

DONAHUE TO TESTIFY ABOUT BLACKOUT

From Caribbean Business:

"The Senate Committee on Energy and Water Resources has summoned the ch-
ief restructuring officer of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (Prepa), Li-
sa Donahue, to appear Tuesday as part of the hearings that began last week to in-
vestigate the possible reasons that led to the collapse the electrical system on Sep-
tember 21 and the delay in the restoration of electrical service. The president of the
committee, Popular Democratic Party Sen. Ramón Luis Nieves, said that Donahue
should give details before the Senate panel about the work done by her firm, Alix
Partners, since it was hired by Prepa in September 2014 to restructure the utility’s
debt and transform the operations of the public corporation..."

CUSTOMS SEIZES $1.5M IN COUNTERFEIT GOODS

From News Is My Business:


"U.S. Customs and Border Protection San Juan Field Operations announced today
that 206 seizures where made of counterfeit products, valued at $1.5 million, wh-
ich were illegally imported into Puerto Rico via international mail. A wide range
of counterfeited products was seized during the enforcement effort, called “Oper-
ation Silver Snake 2,” to include: consumer products, apparel, footwear, textiles,
pharmaceuticals, and more, the agency said. Various international mail packages
inspected by CBP officers at the San Juan International Mail Branch revealed pro-
ducts that infringedintellectual property rights. The majority of the seized products
originated in China, the agency said..."

Puerto Rico News Digest For February 19, 2016

MAN KILLED IN ISLA VERDE HIT & RUN

A 43-year-old Nebraska man identified by police as Justin Zakrzewski was killed
last night as he attempted to cross Román Baldorioty de Castro Expressway in Isla
Verde. Zakrzewski was struck by a car in the San Juan-bound lanes of Baldorioty
de Castro shortly after 4:00 AM. The driver did not stop. The Expressway was shut
down by police at around 7:30 AM. Anyone with information which could lead to
the driver who struck Zakrzewski is encouraged to call Puerto Rico Police at 787-
343-2020.

HOUSE HEARINGS ON PR SCHEDULED FOR FEB. 25

From Caribbean Business:

"On Feb. 25, the eighth and ninth congressional hearings on Puerto Rico
will be held. The first hearing, entitled “Puerto Rico’s Debt Crisis and
Its Impact on the Bond Markets,” will be held by the House Committee on
Financial Services, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, at 10
a.m. Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi has been invited to participate
in the hearing. The witnesses for the hearing are expected to be announced
in the coming days. The second hearing, “The U.S. Department of the Trea-
sury’s Analysis of the Situation in Puerto Rico,” will be a full committee hea-
ring before the House Natural Resources Committee, and is currently also
scheduled for 10 a.m. Pierluisi will also be participating in the discussion."

PR DUE TO IMPORT ALL BLOOD DUE TO ZIKA

From Reuters:

"New guidelines barring the collection of blood in areas with outbreaks of the
 mosquito-borne Zika virus will be put to the test first in cash-strapped Puerto
Rico, where health officials have two weeks to start importing the island’s su-
pply. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said earlier this week that areas
with active domestic transmission of Zika virus should stop collecting blood
locally. Puerto Rico has reported  a small number of cases of local transmission,
and U.S. health officials expect many thousands of residents to be infected once
the mosquito season reaches its peak this summer..."

FEDS CAPTURE 14 CUBANS ON MONA ISLAND

From Breitbart:

"The Air and Marine unit of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
service along with agents of the U.S. Border Patrol apprehended 14 Cuban
refugees on Mona Island, Puerto Rico. The Cubans had recently completed
a very dangers boat trip from Cuba through the treacherous Mona Passage...
Puerto Rican park rangers notified the Border Patrol station about the landing
of the boat with a group of illegal immigrants on-board. The boat was carrying
12 males and 2 females who all claimed to be Cuban nationals..."

T-MOBILE GROWS 10% IN 2015 IN PUERTO RICO

From News Is My Business:

"T-Mobile Puerto Rico executives said Thursday the wireless carrier experien-
ced a 10 percent growth on the island in 2015, while the industry as a whole
shrank by 2 percent. During the last quarter of the year, the carrier claims to
have achieved twice the sales of its nearest competitor...Washington-based pa-
rent company announced quarterly results this week, reporting a 1.1 percent in-
crease in total revenue during the fourth quarter of 2015, and an 8.4 percent jump
year-over-year for the 12-month period. The carrier reported adjusted EBITDA
of  $2.3 billion during the last quarter of 2015, and $7.4 billion for the year..."