DUMPS HELP PROPAGATE ZIKA MOSQUITOS
From The San Juan Daily Star:
"The Zika epidemic has rapidly expanded in Puerto Rico but the U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency (EPA) still refuses to close out-of-compliance land-
fills that are cauldrons of cultivation for mosquitoes that could transmit the dis-
ease. This makes the federal agency partly responsible for the rapid propagati-
on of the epidemic, said the community group Puerto Rico Limpio. The Puer-
to Rico Health Department announced last Friday that the number of Zika ca-
ses had taken off to nearly 7,300 with more than 1,700 reported in one day in
July. Despite a citizens’ campaign for several months demanding that the EPA
close municipal landfills that have not complied with federal laws for more
than a decade, the agency has refused to take measures..."
CIDRE PROPOSES FISCAL RESTRUCTURING PLAN
From Caribbean Business:
"Entrepreneur Manuel Cidre presented Tuesday a restructuring plan for Puer-
to Rico that includes consolidating the island’s 78 municipalities into eight re-
gions to achieve depoliticization and increase efficiency by eliminating dupli-
cate efforts and services. The independent gubernatorial candidate said his pl-
an can achieve a $340 million savings, or about $100 million more than the go-
vernment’s annual contribution to municipalities for their operation. His propo-
sal, he added, is based on scientific evidence obtained through local talent who
have studied the matter of restructuring of the government..."
BACO CONFIRMED AS INTERIM GDP PREZ
From News Is My Business:
"Economic Development and Commerce Secretary Alberto Bacó will take on
an additional role in Gov. Alejandro García-Padilla’s cabinet effective Monday,
when he started as acting President of the Government Development Bank. The
Board of Directors of the GDB approved the appointment unanimously on Sun-
day afternoon. Bacó’s incursion into the GDB is not new, given that part of his
role at Economic Development has called for sitting on the GDB’s board since
2013..."
PR CERTIFIES FIRST CANNABIS DOCTOR
From Culture Magazine:
"Dr. Michael Soler is the first medical doctor on the island of Puerto Rico to get
licensed to prescribe patients medical cannabis. In order to legally obtain medical
cannabis, patients must have at least one of 14 qualifying conditions, which inclu-
de Alzheimer’s, cancer, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, HIV, migraines, persistent mus-
cle spasms, severe nausea, etc. It was by coincidence Dr. Soler became the first doc-
tor permitted to prescribe cannabis to patients. He stated in an interview that his in-
volvement as a trailblazing cannabis doctor, “was a coincidence...I completed all my
requirements and submitted all my documents in a timely manner and I became the
first one..."
