Puerto Rico News Digest For August 16, 2016

PUERTO RICO ZIKA CASES SEE BIG JUMP

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"Health Secretary Ana Ríus announced Friday that for the epidemiological week
number 30 some 1,914 new cases of Zika were confirmed in the island, for a total
of 10,690 accumulated cases since the virus first arrived in Puerto Rico. The new
data includes 134 pregnant women for a total of 1,035. In addition, two more peo-
ple have been hospitalized for a total of 90 and there are three new cases of Guilla-
in-Barré syndrome for a total of 30 confirmed cases in laboratories. “We have in
our hands the necessary tools to avoid being infected with the Zika virus,” Ríus
said in a written statement. “Even if we don’t feel sick, we need to protect our-
selves..."

MURDERS IN AGUAS BUENAS & LAS PIEDRAS

As reported by El Nuevo Dia, a man between 20 and 25 years of age was murde-
red on road PR-173 in Aguas Buenas. The killing was reported at around 2:50 AM
this morning, and police found the body 15 minutes later. The man, of approxima-
tely 140 pounds, with black hair and beard, has yet to be identified. A second mur-
der was reported at approximately 5:50 AM on road PR-916 in Las Piedras. A 911
call alerted police to a bleeding person in the area. Police found the body minutes
later.

DONAHUE GETS $6.7M CONTRACT EXTENSION

From Caribbean Business:

"On the heels of what was described as a rather drawn-out meeting punctuated
by several sticking points, the Puerto Rico Electric Authority’s (Prepa) board vo-
ted to extend the contract of AlixPartners, headed by Lisa Donahue, to the tune
of $6.713 million. The contract, which was due to expire Aug. 15, will be exten-
ded through Dec. 15. “The deal is broken down with half the money for restruc-
turing-related work and the other half for operational related improvements,” said
one source with knowledge of negotiations. The restructuring work involves ma-
naging and reporting cash, working out all of the structure for the Special Purch-
ase Vehicle (SPV) and Prepa rate cases, continued implementation of creditor
deals and potential negotiations..."

MEDICAL POT INDUSTRY GROWS IN PR

From News Is My Business:

"...Already, more than two-dozen companies have applied for operational licen-
ses and others are expected to follow suit. One potential job creation opportunity
on the horizon is a high-tech system for “safe and consistent” cannabis cultivat-
ion that a U.S. firm is developing with the idea of possibly carrying out the pro-
duct assembly on the island, according to César Cordero Krüger, CEO of Grow-
blox Sciences Puerto Rico, LLC, a subsidiary of Las Vegas-based Growblox Sci-
ences, Inc., which is spearheading the technology..."

Puerto Rico News Digest For August 3, 2016

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..."

Puerto Rico News Digest For March 21, 2016

BERNIER CALLS FOR DEBT MORATORIUM

From Yahoo! News:

"The gubernatorial candidate for Puerto Rico's ruling Popular Democratic
Party is calling for a five-year debt payment moratorium, saying it's needed
to stabilize government operations and guarantee the delivery of essential
services. Former Secretary of State David Bernier made the call Friday weeks
after urging the administration to hasten the pace of debt restructuring talks
with creditors, which have been dragging on since Gov. Alejandro Garcia Pa-
dilla announced last June the U.S. Commonwealth's nearly $70 billion debt
is not payable..."

PR GOP CAUTIOUS ON PRESIDENTIAL RACE

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"Puerto Rico Republican Party Chairwoman Jenniffer González -- who
supported Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s run for the GOP presidential
nomination -- said she will continue promoting the participation of
Republican voters in the remaining primary elections. Although she
didn’t say who she supports now that Rubio has withdrawn from the
race after losing the primary in his home state of Florida on Tuesday,
she said “...Since Marco Rubio has withdrawn from the presidential
campaign, we have to be attentive to all the developments of the primary
race,” González said in a written a statement. “On our part, we will
continue supporting participation in the process up to the Republican
Convention...”

SOVEREIGN UNION REJECTS FISCAL BOARD

From Caribbean Business:

"Sovereign Union Movement (MUS by its Spanish acronym) President 

María de Lourdes Guzmán urged Puerto Rico’s political sectors to 

unite to “defend our dignity as a people” and adamantly reject the 

imposition of a fiscal control board by the U.S. Congress. She also 

asked the island’s political leadership to carry out concerted actions

to request that the U.S. government “put forth a serious process of 

decolonization, to seek a solution to the centenarian issue that is 

Puerto Rico’s status, which keeps our people divided and hinders the 

design of a national plan that would lead to social justice, to our 

economic development and the well-being of all Puerto Ricans..."

GOV'T TO BE SOLE MEDICAL POT PROVIDER

From News Is My Business:

"Now that medical marijuana is legal in Puerto Rico, don’t count on local
farmers joining the green rush. At least not yet. Instead, growing high-
grade medical cannabis will initially be in hands of the government and
“maybe in the future, we can enter the market,” the man in charge of the
Puerto Rico Farm Bureau told News is my Business. “Right now, there are no
opportunities for farmers,” said Héctor Iván Cordero, who leads the group
founded in 1924..."

Medcan Foundation to Hold Medical Cannabis Seminars in Puerto Rico

Press Release

San Juan, PR, Sept. 21, 2015 – Medcan Foundation today announced it will
hold their first Medical cannabis seminars in San Juan, Puerto Rico at the
Condado Plaza Hilton on Oct. 17th & 18th and provide participants with an
introduction into the lucrative career opportunities in the rapidly growing le-
galized cannabis industry.

Medcan Foundation is an innovative group of entrepreneurial professionals
with over one hundred years of combined experience in the fields of medici-
ne, science, marketing, federal law and business management. “Medcan Fo-
undation’s primary objective is to provide our students with the most com-
prehensive information available on the subject of the medicinal cannabis in-
dustry; to apprise them of all of the legal ramifications and introduce them to
the rapidly emerging medical cannabis commerce,” commented Dante Pica-
zo, Medcan Foundation’s president and CEO. “Our seminars offer an outstan-
ding curriculum designed for people working in the industry or potential pa-
tients wanting to be well informed on the subject. Medcan’s seminars are the
quintessential precursor to those either wanting to start their own business or
work within the industry or patients in need of information about medical ca-
nnabis.

“Medcan Foundation is preparing a structure and a pathway to those interested
in a profession within this newly emerging business. We have prepared and
organized a group of educational seminars that can help interested people be-
come a part of  this exciting new industry, should they choose to do so.

“The opportunities brought about by this newly emerging phenomenon are limit-
less. Everything from owning or running your own clinic to becoming a caregi-
ver or a grower, based on the history and track record of other states where ca-
nnabis has been decriminalized for medical purposes, the cannabis industry pre-
sents new opportunities where abundant success is inevitable. The proof is highly
visible by just witnessing the economic explosion that has happened in the states
that have taken the step to legalize this much needed medical miracle.

“The time has come to stop denying wellness to those who need it because of
outmoded thinking. If you are interested in any of the opportunities presented by
this emerging new industry you will find our seminars informative and helpful;
however, seating is limited and we tend to fill up fast, ” Picazo concluded.

For more information, please visit us at medcanfoundation.com or call (787)
919-0355.

Puerto Rico News Digest For July 24, 2015

'SUPERACUEDUCTO' PIPE BURSTS IN ARECIBO

A breach in a pipe of the 'Superacueducto' water transport system, which brings
water from the center of the island to the San Juan metro area, is causing prob-
lems this morning on kilometer 69.7 of  the José de Diego Freeway. The rupture
was reported in the Domingo Ruiz district, and brigades from the Autoridad de
Acueductos y Alcantarillados were on their way to the site, according to AAA's
spokesperson Norma Muñoz. It is unknown how or if the broken pipe would aff-
ect water service. Puerto Rico and the Caribbean are going through their worst
drought in two decades.

UPDATE: AAA has stated that the malfunction has to do not with a pipe, but
with an air escape valve that is part of the Superacueducto. Water service to
the San Juan metro area will supposedly not be affected. Repairs are expected
to be done within six hours.

SALINAS AND GUAYAMA UNDER 'EXTREME DROUGHT'

From Caribbean Business:

The U.S. Drought Monitor has increased its classification of Puerto Rico as under
extreme drought when it introduced a new area Thursday, the municipalities of
Salinas and Guayama. Caguas, Juncos, Gurabo and San Lorenzo are also classi-
fied as experiencing extreme drought. The federal Drought Monitor indicates
that 2.66% of the island is under extreme drought (D-3), 17.95% in severe drou-
ght (D2), 24.26% in moderate drought (D-1), 32.46% unusually dry (D-0), and
22.68% is not affected.

PAULSON BUYS SAN JUAN BEACH HOTEL FOR $20M

From News Is My Business:

Hedge fund investor Paulson & Co. has bought the San Juan Beach Hotel in
Condado for $20 million, and plans to renovate the beachfront property that
shuttered earlier this year after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
The most recent investment by Paulson & Co. is added to other hotel and real
estate properties the company has picked up in recent years, representing a to-
tal investment of some $2 billion that include the Vanderbilt Hotel, the St. Re-
gis Bahía Beach Resort, La Concha Resort and several office buildings in the
Hato Rey sector of San Juan.

DRAFT OF MEDICAL POT REGULATION AVAILABLE

From The San Juan Daily Star:

Medical marijuana will most likely be legally prescribed in Puerto Rico by
doctors to patients with certain conditions within the next few months, after
Health Secretary Ana Ríus announced Wednesday that a draft of the new
regulation on the use, possession, cultivation, manufacturing, production,
fabrication, dispensation and investigation of medical marijuana is officia-
lly available for citizens to review and offer comment and suggestions before
public hearings begin in late August. Ríus said those interested in presenting
comments have 30 days to do so (starting Wednesday) and must submit their
suggestions at the Health Department’s Legal Office at the former Psychiatric
Hospital at the Río Piedras Medical Center in San Juan, Monday through Friday
from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Meanwhile, public hearings will be held in the same
building in the Guillermo Arbona Room at 9 a.m. on Aug. 27-28. Comments
and suggestions can also be emailed to mayramaldondado2@salud.pr.gov.

Puerto Rico News Digest For May 13, 2015

LA PLATA RESERVOIR NEXT FOR RATIONING

Besides the recent imposition of rationing for water customers served by
the Carraízo reservoir, customers served by Lake La Plata may also be
seeing rationing within two weeks, as reported this morning by El Nuevo
Dia. 70,000 water customers will likelybe affected by a rationing plan
starting in June, due to low lake levels. La Plata sat yesterday at 44.26
 meters, seven meters below its optimal level, and 75-80 gallons leave
the reservoir daily. La Plata sits between the towns of Naranjito, Toa Alta
and Bayamón. Water rationing in the San Juan area begins today for Zone
A, while Zone B will see its first rationing day on Thursday.

MEDICAL POT PRODUCER COMES TO PR

From Caribbean Business:

Growblox Sciences Inc., a biopharmaceutical research and development
company with technologies in plant biology and cultivation designed to
produce medicinal cannabis, announced Wednesday it has established
Growblox Sciences Puerto Rico LLC (GBS PR), a majority-owned
subsidiary domiciled in Puerto Rico. "As widely reported, Puerto Rico
Gov. Alejandro García Padilla recently signed an executive order autho-
rizing the production of medical cannabis. We are very excited by the
timing of this announcement as it coincides with our continuing pre-
sence in Puerto Rico and our commitment to realizing significant fun-
damental growth this fiscal year," Growblox CEO & Chairman Craig
Ellins said.

GARCIA PADILLA PUSHES FOR 13.25% VAT

From News Is My Business:

Saying it “is the best option” to solve the government’s fiscal problems,
Gov. Alejandro García-Padilla re-introduced Tuesday a proposal to es-
tablish a value added tax system he said would generate more than $2.5
billion in net revenue for the cash-strapped administration. In a meeting
with members of the Puerto Rican media, García-Padilla appealed to
lawmakers and the general population to support the proposal, which he
said is the best option over the alternatives of increasing the sales and use
tax or going back to applying an excise tax on goods and services at the
points of entry.

GOV'T COULD BE BROKE BY SEPTEMBER

From The San Juan Daily Star:

An analysis conducted by the fi rm Conway MacKenzie Inc. on the
Puerto Rico’s budget concluded that the government may run out of
cash in September unless it obtains fi nancing and starts fiscal year
2016 with a deficit of $2.4 billion. The commonwealth is evaluating
the impact of certain short-term administrative measures to deal with
the projected liquidity shortfall. Conway’s analysis indicates, however,
that in the absence of new tax and revenue anticipation notes (TRANs)
or other cash flow financing for fiscal year 2016, the implementation
of such measures would not be sufficient, by themselves, to avoid full
cash depletion in the Treasury’s Concentration Account by September
2015.

SPANISH FIRMS EXPLORE PUERTO RICO

From Fox News Latino:

Five Spanish companies from widely differing sectors including
culinary training and organic solvent recovery presently are loo-
king for investment opportunities in Puerto Rico. "We've decided.
We want to open a Mediterranean gastronomy school here for foreign
students who want to get their training in Spanish and learn about
this subject," Angel Eduardo, the head of international development
for the Centro de Superior de Hosteleria Mediterranea. His company
decided to open a higher education institute in Puerto Rico in 2016
and now he is seeking a site for the school in the area of Santurce,
the nerve center of San Juan, which this businessman already knows
well, given that he lived in the island's capital for a number of
years.

SOCCER: BERMUDA FACES PR IN FRIENDLY

From Stabroek News:

Bermuda and Puerto Rico will gear up for their respective 2018 World
Cup second-round qualifiers by meeting in a friendly international
at the National Sports Centre here next month, officials have announ-
ced. Bermuda reached the second round by eliminating Bahamas 8-0 on
aggregate and will now face Guatemala, while Puerto Rico, who had a
first-round bye, take on Grenada.

Puerto Rico Legalized Medical Pot, But You Can't Smoke It

Puerto Rico News Digest For May 6, 2015

GOVERNMENT CONSIDERS SPENDING CUTS 

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"The government is planning to reduce public workers’ hours and
cut non-essential services as part of a plan to avoid a shutdown
and a default on debt payments, House Treasury Committee Chairman
Rafael Hernández said. “We may reduce hours. … We still don’t exac-
tly know the plan because some [agencies] work 24 hours,” he said
in a radio interview. “We are also going to combine jobs to avoid
duplication, simplify the system. … We are talking about a cut that
is going to be aggressive.” Office of Management and Budget Di-
rector Luis García said there will be cuts in nonessential services,
but did not dismiss cuts in essential services such as education or
health."

TWO BURNT BODIES FOUND IN CANOVANAS CAR

As reported this morning by El Nuevo Dia, a 911 call early this
morning alerted police to a vehicle in flames under a bridge on
Road PR-951 in Canóvanas. Firefighters arrived at the scene,
and once the fire was put out, discovered two dead bodies inside
the car. One of the bodies was found in the back seat, while the
other was wedged between the two front seats of the SUV. Inves-
tigators from the Carolina jurisdiction are in charge of the case.
The victims have not yet been publicly identified.

MEXICAN AIRLINE TO FLY TO SAN JUAN

Volaris, the Mexican low-cost carrier, announced yesterday the
introduction of new international service from Cancun, Mexico to
San Juan, Puerto Rico, effective July 2nd. Volaris will be opera-
ting two flights per week. During a press conference, Volaris CEO,
Enrique Beltranena, addressed the importance of including San Juan
in the Volaris destination roster and informed the carrier is the
only one to connect Mexico with this important Caribbean island in
the last 15 years. "Volaris' arrival to Puerto Rico is part of con-
certed efforts by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company to extend access
to our destination. With this flight, we are restoring direct co-
nnection from our Island to Mexico, which is the Latin American
country sending the highest number of visitors to Puerto Rico,"
said Ingrid I. Rivera Rocafort, Executive Director of the Puerto
Rico Tourism Company. "Now, arriving in San Juan will be much
easier and affordable for tourists who visit us from Mexico,"
she added.

BORICUAS HAVE WORST HEALTH AMONG HISPANICS

From ABC News:

Among Hispanic groups in the United States, Puerto Ricans appear to
have the worst health, according to a government report released
Tuesday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued its
most comprehensive report on Hispanic health, drawing from earlier re-
search. But it also offered new details on differences among Hispanic
populations in the U.S. Among the findings: Puerto Ricans have higher
rates of cancer and heart disease than Mexican-Americans, Cuban-Ameri-
cans, or those with roots in Central or South America.

NO SMOKING POT FOR MEDICINAL USES

From Caribbean Business:

Smoking marijuana for medicinal purposes will not be allowed in Puerto
Rico, but cannabis derivatives could be consumed in other ways, govern-
ment officials said Tuesday as they provided more details on the gover-
nor's weekend executive order on cannabis use. Justice Secretary César
Miranda told The Associated Press that the government would allow pa-
tients access to cannabis derivatives that would be inhaled or used
orally, such as potions or pills. "Smoking marijuana is not being cont-
emplated as part of a medical treatment," he said. Advocates say mari-
juana helps with conditions like chronic pain, glaucoma, anxiety, and
nausea from chemotherapy or drugs to combat HIV. Gov. Alejandro García
Padilla issued an order late Sunday directing the island's health de-
partment to authorize the use of some or all controlled substances or
derivatives of the cannabis plant for medical use.

Puerto Rico News Digest For May 4, 2015

PUERTO RICO LEGALIZES MEDICAL POT

From RT:

The governor of Puerto Rico has signed an executive order to allow
marijuana to be permitted for medical uses. Alejandro Garcia Padilla
endorsed the move, which will come into immediate effect, following
a lengthy public debate on the US territory. Governor Padilla men-
tioned that Puerto Rico’s health secretary will have three months to
file a report about how the executive order will be implemented. The
order will also mean that some or all controlled substances that de-
rive from the cannabis plant will be permitted for medical use. "We're
taking a significant step in the area of health that is fundamental
to our development and quality of life," Garcia said in a statement,
cited by AP. "I am sure that many patients will receive appropriate
treatment that will offer them new hope."

PR SCIENTIST SAFE AFTER NEPAL QUAKE

From The San Juan Daily Star:

A young Puerto Rican scientist whose family did not know anything
about him after a strong earthquake hit Nepal last weekend was
reported alive Thursday. Secretary of State David Bernier said
Francis H. González “contacted his family and is alive and well.”
“We are very happy,” Bernier said. The family had been appealing
through social networks and the media for the past week for any
information about González. The earthquake that hit Nepal killed
thousands, with the death toll nearing 6,000 as of Thursday.

WATER CONSERVATION URGED AMID DROUGHT

From Caribbean Business:

Government officials are urging people to conserve water amid a
record-breaking heat wave. The Puerto Rico Aqueduct & Sewer
Authority president said water levels are extremely low for the
season and noted that summer has not even started.

SURVEY: JOBS ARE OFF ISLAND

From News Is My Business:

A recent survey conducted by the Universia-Trabajando.com Labor Co-
mmunity revealed that more than half, or 69 percent, of respondents
from Puerto Rico believe that there are more job opportunities out-
side the island. Of the 593 participants, 46 percent think that
those options are in North America, particularly in the U.S. main-
land, 30 percent looks to Europe, and 11 percent to South America.

SUN COUNTRY AIRLINES BEGINS PR FLIGHTS

From NBC 2:

Service from Fort Myers to San Juan began Sunday according to airport
authorities at Southwest Florida International Airport. The nonstop
service to San Juan Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) in
Puerto Rico got underway officially Sunday with two weekly flights,
Sundays and Thursdays. This was supposed to be a test run, however
there was so much positive feedback, Sun Country decided to make this
a permanent run right away.