Puerto Rico News Digest For July 15, 2016

STILL NO DECISION ON MOSQUITO SPRAYING

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"Local health officials are in discussions with federal officials over the advisa-
bility of spraying the insecticide Naled on the island to combat the mosquito-
borne Zika virus, La Fortaleza Chief of Staff Grace Santana said Wednesday.
“After the fumigation with Naled was recommended by the Centers for Dise-
ase Control and Prevention … as the most effective measure to control the A-
edes aegypti mosquito, we have kept up conversations with state and federal
experts on the matter,” Santana said. “It being a public health emergency, we
are responsibly studying the concerns of all the sectors of the country, aiming
to consider all the interests in conflict...”

PIERLUISI APPOINTED TO ECONOMY TASK FORCE

From Caribbean Business:

"Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi announced today that he has been
appointed by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi to the “Congressional
Task Force on Economic Growth in Puerto Rico,” which was established by
Section 409 of Public Law 114-187, the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management,
and Economic Stability Act (Promesa). The Task Force consists of eight mem-
bers of Congress—two Senate Republicans appointed by Senate Majority Lea-
der Mitch McConnell, two Senate Democrats appointed by Senate Democratic
Leader Harry Reid, two House Republicans appointed by House Speaker Paul
Ryan, and two House Democrats appointed by Leader Pelosi. Speaker Ryan will
designate one of the eight members to serve as the chair of the Task Force..."

PR RETAIL SALES DOWN 2%

From News Is My Business:

"Puerto Rico’s retail sales reflected a reduction of $71.5 million, equivalent to
a 2.25 drop when compared to March 2015, Puerto Rico Trade and Export reve-
aled Thursday. Total retail sales in March 2016 totaled $3.10 billion, while in
2015 this figure was $3.17 billion, agency Executive Director Francisco Chév-
ere confirmed..."

PR GIVES AWAY $519M TO SEED CORPORATIONS

From Investigative Reporting Workshop:

"Millionaire enterprises, including Monsanto, Pioneer Hi Bred and nine other
multinational producers of transgenic and hybrid seeds, benefited from over
$519.7 million in Puerto Rican public funds throughout the last 10 fiscal years.
They took advantage of corporate welfare while the country headed toward a
$69 billion debt that cannot be paid to its bondholders, which prompted the en-
forcement of the Fiscal Oversight Board by the U.S. Congress..."