Puerto Rico News Digest For June 15, 2016

PUERTO RICO MOURNS ORLANDO VICTIMS

From US News/AP:

"Puerto Ricans held somber vigils and prepared to bury many of their own
after authorities said nearly half of those killed at a gay night club in Florida
had ties to the U.S. territory. Officials said that while it's still unclear how ma-
ny of the 23 Puerto Ricans killed were born on the U.S. mainland or had mo-
ved there from the island, they expect many of them to be laid to rest in Puer-
to Rico in the coming days...The shooting early Sunday at the Pulse nightclub
in Orlando that killed 49 people has shaken Puerto Rico's gay community and
shocked the U.S. territory as a whole..."

US SENATE TO CONSIDER PROMESA IN JUNE

From Caribbean Business:

"Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday the Senate will consider a
rescue package to ease Puerto Rico’s financial crisis before the U.S. territory’s
$2 billion payment to creditors is due July 1. The House overwhelmingly pa-
ssed legislation to create a new control board and restructure some of Puerto
Rico’s $70 billion debt last week. The Senate is expected to take up the same
bill “sometime before the end of the month,” McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters
Tuesday..."

FBI INVESTIGATES BANKER'S DEATH IN PR

From The New York Times:

"The Federal Bureau of Investigation has identified possible suspects in its long-
running investigation into the murder of a banker in Puerto Rico,  but it is now
asking the public for help in solving the 2011 killing. Five years ago this week,
Maurice Spagnoletti, a top executive at Doral Financial, the holding company
that owned a Puerto Rico bank, was gunned down on his way home from work
in San Juan...The F.B.I. announced on Tuesday a $20,000 reward for information
that leads to an arrest..."

LIBERTY LAUNCHES HBO NOW IN PUERTO RICO

From News Is My Business:

"Starting [yesterday], Liberty Puerto Rico’s customers will begin to enjoy HBO
NOW, a new service from HBO for internet customers who want to watch the
network’s programming but are not subscribed to a video service. Liberty Puer-
to Rico is the only telecom provider to offer this service on the island, the com-
pany said. HBO NOW is an independent streaming service from HBO Networks
that provides unlimited access to all of HBO’s programming, including series, mo-
vies, documentaries and specials..."

The Lesson We Refuse To Learn: The Case of Orlando, Florida 2016

Commentary

Tiberiu Dianu

So, it happened again. On June 12, 2016, another Muslim militant, this time 

Omar Mateen, an American citizen of an Afghan origin, a self-declared ISIS-

inspired fighter, and a registered Democrat (a detail the press does not want 

to emphasize), opened fire in a gay club in the city of Orlando, Florida, kill-

ing 50 people and injuring other 53 (to date) in what is now being called “the 

deadliest mass shooting in the United States and the nation’s worst terror 

attack since 9/11,” according to authorities. 

In the period 2008-2016, overlapping comfortably the Obama’s two presi-

dential mandates, several mass shootings took place in the United States, 

with casualties ranging from 12 to 50 dead and 1 to 58 wounded. Let us re-

cap the most notable ones:  Binghamton, New York and Fort Hood, Texas 

(both in 2009), Aurora, Colorado and Newton, Connecticut (both in 2012), 

Washington, DC (2013), Fairfax, Virginia (2014), Charleston, South Caro-

lina and San Bernardino, California (2015), and finally, Orlando, Florida 

(2016).

Some of them were committed by people unsatisfied with their own life, 

but others were cold-blooded executions in the name of Jihad.

And again, the same sickening mass-media’s post-fact scenario repeats 

itself. The (fill in the blank with ABC, NBC, MSNBC, CNN or FOX) network 

anchor asks the field reporter: “So, tell me about the reactions of the people 

over there” and the reporter goes: “Well, everybody is in a state of shock!” 

After which the network anchor concludes: “Our prayers go to the victims of

...(fill in the blank with the name of the city where the massacre took place).”

I am beginning, for one, to become sick and tired of this crêpe (pardon my
French!). The same thing has been happening over and over again during the
last eight years, with us being “in the state of shock” and sending “prayers to
the victims.” Until when, if I may ask? I am not shocked any more, I am extre-
mely angry. And, no, in my outgrowing cynicism, I do not want to send prayers
to the victims anymore, but instead I want their terrorist attackers to be punished 

according to the military law. And more importantly, I want to see the leaders 

of this country admitting for once the cause of these mass killings, with no po-

liticking spins.

We are living in a perpetual state of denial, where the president of the Republic 

(the lame-duck Barack Obama) keeps on preaching us about “workplace viol-

ence” or “acts of hate,” but refuses to call the shootings for what they are, that 

is “Islamic terrorist acts” when the case applies.

When I was little, my grandmother told me a story about a donkey (not the De-

mocrat one, although it was possible) who, once lost in a dark forest, saw at a 

certain distance behind him what appeared to be the eyes of a wolf, but he refu-

sed to think it might actually be one. When the creature got closer, the donkey

saw his open jaws and rabid fangs but he reassured himself: “No, it’s not the wo-

lf, it cannot be the wolf!” And then, when the wolf planted his teeth into the poor 

donkey’s leg, the donkey yelled: “No, I don’t think it’s the wolf, it cannot be!”

But, finally, when the wolf stuck his fangs into the donkey’s neck, the donkey 

began to roar: “It’s the wooolf! Help! It’s the wooolf!” Sadly for the donkey,

there was no one around to help him anymore.

This coming November we will have to make up our minds and decide if we 

want to play donkeys or not, and who the wolf is.

Tiberiu Dianu is a legal scholar, book author, graduate of the American University Washington 

College of Law in Washington, DC, the University of Manchester Faculty of Law in Manchester, 

UK, and an exchange scholar of the Oxford University in Oxford, UK. He currently lives in Wa-

shington, DC and works for various government and private agencies. The opinions expressed

in the preceding article are those of those of the author alone and do not necessarilly represent

 the views of The Puerto Rico Monitor, its editors or advertisers.

Puerto Rico News Digest For May 10, 2016

RECESSION TO LAST INTO 2017

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"More red ink is in store for Puerto Rico, according to an island Planning
Board statement issued late last week that projected negative growth in the
gross domestic product (GDP) of minus 1.2 percent for fiscal year (FY) 2016
and a minus 2.0 percent contraction for FY 2017. In FY 2015, at current pri-
ces the local economy measured by the GDP generated $68.52 billion, repre-
senting a growth of 0.1 percent with relation to FY 2014..."

EIGHT-YEAR-OLD GIRL SHOT DEAD IN CIALES

From Fox News Latino:

"A little 8-year-old girl died of a gunshot to her head while another 14 peo-
ple suffered multiple bullet wounds in two unrelated incidents during a vio-
lent weekend in Puerto Rico...The death of the 8-year-old, local authorities
said Monday in different reports, occurred Sunday night, though the circums-
tances of the shooting are as yet unknown...One or more unknown persons
shot at a vehicle carrying the little girl and her parents as they arrived home
in the town of Ciales on the north side of the island...They took their daugh-
ter to a  hospital where she was pronounced dead..."

NO URGENCY FROM CONGRESS ON ZIKA FUNDS

From Caribbean Business:

"Republicans from states at greatest risk, such as Florida, Texas, Louisiana
and Georgia, have been slow to endorse Obama’s more than 2-month-old re-
quest for $1.9 billion to battle the virus, which causes grave birth defects. The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently reports more than 470
cases in the continental U.S., all so far associated with travel to Zika-affected
areas. Polls show that the public isn’t anywhere nearly as scared of Zika as it
was about the Ebola outbreak in...2014. Aides to GOP lawmakers, even those
representing Southern areas most vulnerable to Zika, say they’ve yet to hear
from many anxious constituents..."

PR SENATE HANDS PREPA PROBE TO FBI

From ABC News:

"A special commission looking into fuel purchases by the financially troubled 

electric utility in Puerto Rico has turned over its findings to U.S. federal autho-

rities for further investigation, the majority leader of the island's Senate said 

Monday...The special Senate investigative commission has been looking into 

allegations that the utility overcharged customers by hundreds of millions of 

dollars while amassing about $9 billion in debt in recent years. Utility officials 

appearing before the commission denied wrongdoing..."

Puerto Rico News Digest For January 7, 2016

LICENSES OK FOR TRAVEL TILL OCTOBER

The US Department of Homeland Security has granted Puerto Rico an
extension to meet the requirements of the 2005 Real ID act, giving tra-
velers until October 10th of this year to continue using Puerto Rico dri-
ver's licenses as a valid form of ID for air travel. All other federal agen-
cies will also continue to accept commonwealth driver's licenses as va-
lid ID until that date. The Real ID act seeks to create secure and  uni-
form identification cards in order to stymie terrorism, identity fraud and
other crimes. Puerto Rican travelers had become concerned when it had
recently been announced that Puerto Rico driver's licenses wouldn't be
accepted as valid ID at airports after January 10th.

FEW ATTEND FORTALEZA THREE KING'S PARTY

From Caribbean Business:

The low public attendance at the Three Kings fiesta organized by La For-
taleza in the municipality of Utuado ended with a lot of volleyballs, bas-
ketballs and footballs ready to be given as gifts during the holiday activi-
ty to remain in their plastic bags. Although several small children and ado-
lescents were carrying toys, various stacks of toys were left in their bags
in the Utuado sports complex. At the beginning of the event Wednesday
morning, some people came, but shortly after noon it began to rain and the
activity concluded..."

BANKRUPTCIES UP IN DECEMBER BY 5% 

From News Is My Business:

"Bankruptcy filings were up 5 percent year-over-year in December 2015,
when the number of Chapter 11 cases on record soared by 385 percent when
compared to the same month last year, according to preliminary figures relea-
sed Monday by research firm Boletín de Puerto Rico. A total of 881 cases were
filed during the month, representing 42 more cases when compared to Decem-
ber 2014..."

PR POLICE DEFENDS PROTOCOL AFTER SHOOTING

From Yahoo! News:

Puerto Rico's police chief says a policeman accused of fatally shooting three
officers at work underwent two psychological exams before his weapon was
returned. Jose Caldero says Guarionex Candelario passed both exams before
his gun was returned in January 2015. Candelario was charged with first-de-
gree murder in the Dec. 28 shootings and remains in jail on an $11 million
bond. He had been disarmed for 10 years while undergoing psychological
treatment..."

Puerto Rico News Digest For December 29, 2015

COP KILLS THREE AT PONCE POLICE HQ

From Reuters:

"A Puerto Rico police officer shot dead three colleagues on Monday and
was in critical condition after being shot himself in the police department
building in the city of Ponce, authorities said. The suspect, Guarionex Can-
delario Rivera, was on duty when he walked into Commander Frank Roman
Rodriguez's office to speak with him, but the senior officer was unable to do
so immediately and the situation escalated, Puerto Rico police spokesman
Axel Valencia said. Candelario Rivera eventually shot Roman Rodriguez,
Lieutenant Luz Soto Segarra and agent Rosario Hernandez de Hoyos, he
added. Further details were still being investigated..."

MORE PR CHILDREN RUNNING AWAY 

From The San Juan Star:

"A commonwealth Family Department study shows that more younger chil-
dren are running away from home in Puerto Rico, and experts say the find-
ing is alarming. The most recent cases took place when two boys, ages 11
and 9, ran away, apparently together, from a foster care home in Hatillo.
They have not been found. The study shows that regardless of whether the
children are running away from the home of their biological parents or from
a foster home, the reality is that they are running away at very young ages,
younger than in prior years..."

PDP LEGISLATOR NOT TO RUN FOR REELECTION

From Caribbean Business:

"Angered at how some of his fellow Popular Democratic Party (PDP) mem-
bers manage government and political issues, Rep. José Báez has decided not
to run for reelection and thus return to his private practice as an attorney be-
cause he has no say in the party. Currently, the president of Precinct 4 in San
Juan, Báez said he is retiring because there is serious tension within the PDP
with a sector that, little by little, has broken everything in front of everybody
and no one is saying anything for fear of losing the election..."

PREPA, CREDITORS AGREE TO RESTRUCTURING

From News Is My Business:

"The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority announced early Thursday that it
has reached an agreement with creditors holding approximately 70 percent
of its financial debt on a plan to execute a restructuring that, among other
things, will reduce the utility’s principal debt burden of more than $600 mi-
llion. As part of the lengthy negotiations that took about 15 months, PREPA
amended its previously announced restructuring support agreement, or RSA,
to include an agreement with monoline insurers Assured Guaranty Corp. and
National Public Finance Guarantee Corp., as well as the Ad Hoc Group of PRE-
PA bondholders — comprising traditional municipal bond investors and hedge
funds — its fuel line lenders and the Government Development Bank for Puer-
to Rico..."

Puerto Rico News Digest For November 4, 2015

SUSPECT KILLED IN SHOOTOUT WITH FEDS

From Yahoo! News:

"A man sought by federal authorities in Puerto Rico died on Tuesday
following a shootout that broke as he tried to evade arrest near the U.S.
territory's biggest mall, officials said. The unidentified 22-year-old sus-
pect was hit by a bullet as he tried to flee from agents who were about
to arrest him...The shooting occurred close to the popular Plaza Las Am-
ericas mall in the capital of San Juan in a heavily transited area near po-
lice department headquarters..."

TREASURY HEAD SAYS HOURS MAY BE CUT

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"Commonwealth Treasury Secretary Juan Zaragoza confirmed Monday
that the government is contemplating reducing public workers’ working
hours, which the agency calculates could save about $90 million, a sum
that will allow the government to comply with the upcoming month’s co-
mmitments...The Treasury chief said a government shutdown is not on the
table for discussion right now, but there is a contingency plan for reducti-
ons of public workers’ daily working hours to six hours or half a day (four
hours)..."

PREPA FORBEARANCE EXTENDED FOR 48 HOURS

From Caribbean Business:

"A preliminary restructuring agreement between forbearing creditors
and the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (Prepa) has been put on
hold for 48 hours as a deadline set to expire Tuesday at 8 p.m. approa-
ched. The extension to the forbearance agreement is intended to provi-
de time for the filing of the Prepa Revitalization Act, which is expected
to take place within the next two days..."

LUFTHANSA OPENS FACILITY IN PR

From Fox News Latino:

"German airline Lufthansa's first center for aircraft maintenance, repair
and reconditioning in the Americas was inaugurated over the weekend
in Aguadilla, a city on Puerto Rico's northwest coast, officials said. The
Lufthansa facility will attract new investment from the aerospace indus-
try to the Caribbean island thanks to the development of business allian-
ces and the arrival of other companies in the sector, the Puerto Rican go-
vernment said in a statement..."

Puerto Rico News Digest For October 12, 2015

TODAY IS COLUMBUS DAY

Today, October 12, is Columbus Day (Día de la Raza). Federal and co-
mmonwealth government offices are closed today. There is no school or
mail delivery, and most financial institutions are closed for the day. The
day commemorates Christopher Columbus' arrival in America. In some
places, it is seen as a day to celebrate the native peoples of the Americas.

US SENATORS URGE CHAPTER 9 ACCESS

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"Twelve U.S. senators, including the top Democrat on the Senate Judici-
ary Committee (Patrick Leahy of Vermont) and the top Democrat on the
Judiciary panel subcommittee that has jurisdiction over the bankruptcy
code (Chris Coons of Delaware) on Thursday wrote Senate Judiciary Co-
mmittee Chairman Charles Grassley a letter seeking a hearing on S. 1774
/H.R. 870, companion bills that would give Puerto Rico access to Chapter
9 bankruptcy protections equal to that of the 50 states..."

POLICE INVESTIGATE TRIPLE KILLING IN BAR

From Caribbean Business:

"Puerto Rico police say three men have been killed and four other people
wounded in a San Juan bar shooting. Sgt. Omayra Arnaldi Vélez says ab-
out 20 people were inside the El Regreso bar in the Hato Rey district when
the shooting took place at about 2:24 a.m. Sunday. She says police have not
yet established a motive or identified the three dead, who were men between
the ages of 20 and 30..."

CUOMO SENDS MEDICAID EXPERT TO PR

From Syracuse.com:

"Gov. Andrew Cuomo is sending his top Medicaid official to Puerto Rico
today, the administration's second trip in two months to help improve the
commonwealth's healthcare system. Cuomo announced Sunday the group
would visit Puerto Rico from Oct. 12 to 14. People on the trip include Lt.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, Secretary of State Cesar Perales, Health..."

Puerto Rico News Digest For September 4, 2015

GANGS TURN AVENUE INTO WARZONE

65th Infantry Avenue Closed For Three Hours

As reported by El Nuevo Dia, Police had to close off a stretch of 65th

Infantry Avenue in Rio Piedras as gang members from  Monte Hatillo

public housing project and the Berwind apartment buildings across the

road traded gunfire on Wednesday night. No deaths or injuries have
been reported as a result of the gunfire. A local school had to be eva-

cuated yesterday due to threats of further violence in the area. Police

believe that the latest outburst of violence came about due to the recent

murder of Héctor Nussa Román, who was the stepbrother of the alleged

head of drug sales in Monte Hatillo. Shootings in the area are sporadic,

but have been happening for years.

CARRAIZO GOES TO TWO-DAY RATIONING

Puerto Rico's water utility, AAA, has announced that water levels at the
Carraízo reservoir -- which serves Trujillo Alto, Carolina and parts of San
Juan -- is now high enough that water rationing for areas served by Carraí-
zo is being cut back to two days without water and one day with water. The
change begins today, after several weeks of water users being restricted to
two days of running water a week. About 160,000 AAA customers would
be affected by the change. Recent rains have swollen Carraízo's level to 37.
14 meters. Users of the La Plata reservoir are still also under "phase two"
water restrictions, with water off for two days at a time.

PREPA DEAL CAPS RATE HIKE AT 8¢

From The San Juan Daily Star:

The hike that Puerto Rico consumers will see in their electricity bill, which
must be approved by the Energy Commission, is not going to be higher than
the eight cents estimated in a five-year business plan prepared by the Puerto
Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) following an agreement reached with
the Ad Hoc Group of bondholders. PREPA Chief Restructuring Officer Lisa
Donahue said the final rate structure will be determined by the outcome of
talks with the other PREPA creditors -- banks and the utility’s insurance com-
panies. Those talks are expected to be completed by Sept. 18, which is when
the forbearance agreement between PREPA and its creditors is expected to
expire. TheAd Hoc Group represents 35 percent of the debt.

ARECIBO INCINERATORS GETS FINAL PERMIT

From News Is My Business:

Energy Answers confirmed Wednesday that the Puerto Rico Environmental
Quality Board has granted the final permit to build a facility for the processing
of non-hazardous solid waste at the Cambalache Sector in Arecibo. The review
process of this permit began in 2012 under the administration of Gov. Luis For-
tuño and included two separate public hearings and extended periods of time for
comment in writing, ensuring broad public participation in the permitting pro-
cess. “The periods for written comments exceeded by far the established regu-
latory requirements and what is usual and customary for a facility handling so-
lid waste as proposed,” the company said.

USDA DESIGNATES 17 TOWNS DISATER AREAS

From Caribbean Business:

Although Puerto Rico has received much-needed rain in the past week, primari-
ly due to Tropical Storm Erika and a tropical wave, the U.S. Department of Agri-
culture has declared an additional 17 municipalities in Puerto Rico as natural di-
saster areas due to the ongoing drought conditions. These additional municipali-
ties are: Aguas Buenas, Aibonito, Bayamón, Cataño, Ceiba, Coamo, Comerío,
Dorado, Guaynabo, Loíza, Naguabo, Naranjito, San Juan, Santa Isabel, Toa Al-
ta, Toa Baja  and Vega Alta.

Puerto Rico News Digest For June 10, 2015

2-DAY WATER RATIONING STARTS TODAY

From The San Juan Daily Star:

Starting Wednesday, some 160,000 citizens who receive water from Lake
Carraízo will enter into the second phase of the water rationing plan, which
is two consecutive days without potable water followed by one day with it,
Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) Director Alberto Lá-
zaro announced. “This decision to extend to a second phase arises from the
dramatic reductions [in water levels] at Carraízo reservoir, due to the severe
drought many municipalities are facing, especially those whose rivers feed
the reservoir,” Lázaro said, adding that the level of the reservoir is at 36.34
meters, which means that during the weekend the water level went down by
more than .17 centimeters.

MAN SHOT DURING FACEBOOK MEETING

A Carolina man was shot last night at the Jardines de Montellano public hou-
sing project in Cayey as he was meeting in person a woman he had found on
Facebook. Shortly after arriving at the projects number 69 building, two males
approached the man and asked him what he was doing there, immediately after
which they opened fire. The victim was transported to Centro Médico in Río
Piedras with gun shot wounds to the chest. He is in stable condition, as repor-
ted today by El Nuevo Día.

NEW STORES DEBUT AT MALL OF SAN JUAN

From Caribbean Business:

The retail establishments offer a variety of products and services. BCBG
Max Azria offers women’s ready-to-wear and accessory collections; Evo-
cent has handcrafted jewelry and accessories; Lush Fresh Handmade Cos-
metics, a first on the island, sells hair and beauty products; Swiss-watch
manufacturer OMEGA ’s first local store; Perfume Plus; the first Brow Art
23 store on the market; watches and jewelry from Invicta’s only store in
Puerto Rico; and apparel and accessory store Zara’s second local store.

COTTO WANTS CANELO ALVAREZ FOR NEXT FIGHT

From International Business Times:

After Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico pulverized Daniel Geale of Australia in
just four rounds Saturday, Cotto wasted no time in calling out Mexico's Ca-
nelo Alvarez for his next fight. "Let's do it," Cotto told HBO commentator
Max Kellerman after the match with Geale. "Before that, I want to spend
some time with my family and enjoy them again, but then it's back to L.A.
and training for Canelo [Alvarez]." Cotto and Alvarez did not want to “do it”
earlier this year when negotiations for the fight broke down at the last minute.
Instead, the Puerto Rican faced an overmatched Australian -- just another
tune-up fight before the potential big money fight against Alvarez.

Puerto Rico News Digest For June 8, 2015

48-HOUR WATER RATIONING IS HERE

From Caribbean Business:

Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (Prasa) President Alberto
Lázaro announced Sunday that the water-rationing plan has been ex-
tended to two days for customers supplied by the Sergio Cuevas fil-
tration plant, whose source is the Carraízo dam, as well as the addition
of 2,000 customers in the Carolina area designated as Zone  B. The uti-
lity director said 2,000 customers have been included in  areas of Caro-
lina, which represents 600,000 gallons of water, including Paseo del
Prado, Martín González Industrial Zone, San Fernando Village, Jardi-
nes de San Fernando, Buenaventura, Estancias de Tierra Alta, Puerto
Rico Industrial Park, Veredas del Río, Río Vista and Parque Juliano.

MAN SHOT WHILE DRIVING IN RIO PIEDRAS

As reported this morning by El Nuevo Dia, 49-year-old Carlos Madera
Segarra was shot to death while driving down José Celso Barbosa Ave-
nue in Río Piedras at 2:40 AM Monday morning. The victim was a mar-
keting manager for Caribbean Cinemas, and was well-liked by friends
and colleagues. Segarra was driving a 2006 Honda Civic near the inter-
section of Celso Barbosa and Ramon Lopez Avenue. After being shot,
Segarra struck a traffic light pole and died at the scene. No motive for
the  killing is yet known.

TEACHER'S UNION FIGHTS SCHOOL CLOSINGS

From The San Juan Daily Star:

Teachers Association President Aida Díaz announced Thursday that
the organization that she heads will go to court against the Edu-
cation Department in order to paralyze implementation of the school
closing plan. In a radio interview, Díaz said the Association’s act-
ions respond in particular to the fact that Education excluded school
councils -- which include the teachers,parents, students and the co-
mmunity where the school is located -- from the school consolidation
process. “The Education Department left out the school communities,”
Díaz said. “There was no participation off ered, and those changes
will provoke emotional damages in these communities, because they
see how their link to their school is now disintegrating.”

SUMMIT TO FOCUS ON MEDICAL TOURISM

From News Is My Business:

Puerto Rico is moving quickly to position itself as a leading medical
tourism destination in the Caribbean and Latin America, looking to be-
come the preferred choice of potential patients from the U.S. mainland.
During the first “Caribbean Health Summit” taking place at the Caribe
Hilton Hotel on Thursday, Puerto Rico hospitals and service providers
will present their services and benefits to potential buyers, investors
and healthcare executives interested in the potential of the island as
a destination in this medical market.

Puerto Rico News Digest For May 20, 2015

COP GOES ON SUICIDAL RAMPAGE

As reported this morning by El Nuevo Dia, a 26 year old police officer

shot two fellow officers inside a house in the Santa Rosa neighborhood

of Bayamon early this morning, and then shot himself to death. According 
to police, the as of yet unidentified officer had an argument with an ex-
girlfriend, who is also a police officer in a different location. After the 
argument, the female officer went to the house that she was sharing with 
other police  officers. The man followed her to the house, where their ar-
gument escalated. The officer then shot at his ex-girlfriend and another
police officer who was present, injuring but not killing them. The shooter 
then immediately put the gun to his own head and shot himself. The inju-
red officers were taken to Centro Médico for treatment.

UPDATE: Heriberto González Padilla, one of the officers who was shot,
died this morning in hospital. The deceased shooter has been identified
as police officer José David Carrión Gómez.

GOVERNMENT TO PRESENT BUDGET TODAY

From Caribbean Business:

The administration of Gov. Alejandro García Padilla will present 

its fiscal year 2016 budget plan Wednesday. It will total $9.8 

billion and will include about $600 million in government spending 

cuts, La Fortaleza Chief of Staff Víctor Suárez said Tuesday. He 

added that Puerto Rico will seek to access the markets for tax-

revenue anticipation notes (TRANs) at the beginning of fiscal 2016, 

or July 1, to provide the commonwealth with much-needed liquidity 

to address cash flow issues during the first few months of the fis-

cal year. Suárez warned about the need to approve both the new tax 

bill and the budget plan “to provide certainty to financial markets.”

Absent TRANs funds, the chief of staff said such measures as fur-

loughing public employees would be discussed, as “the budget and 

the cash flow are two different things.”

RIVERA SCHATZ SEEKS SUPPORT FOR RUN

From The San Juan Daily Star:

Although it is not offi cial, former Senate President Thomas Rivera

Schatz is reaching out to New Progressive Party (NPP) mayors and 

already has a jingle in support of his candidacy for governor.Sources 

said Rivera Schatz, who is known as the “White Shark” for his nonon-

sense personality, already has the support of several powerful mayors 

including Guaynabo Mayor Héctor O’Neill, but that information could 

not be confirmed. The former Senate leader spent the weekend on a jeep 

caravan around parts of the island to promote his candidacy.

P&G PLANT LEAVES PR FOR N. CAROLINA

From ABC News:

Procter & Gamble Co. says it is closing a manufacturing plant in Puerto 

Rico and laying off some 230 employees. A company statement Friday 

says the plant in the southern town of Cayey will close in the next nine 

to 12 months. Officials said the company will move operations to a plant 

in North Carolina as part of an overall restructuring.

NEW OLIVE GARDEN OPENS JUNE 15TH

From News Is My Business:

A year after the arrival of Olive Garden in Puerto Rico, Restaurant 

Operators Inc. announced Monday the company will open its second 

restaurant on the island, in Guaynabo’s San Patricio Plaza sector, 

June 15th.

Puerto Rico News Digest For April 17, 2015

GIRL IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER SHOOTING

As reported by El Vocero, a 5-year-old girl is in critical condition at Centro
Médico after having been injured along with her mother when  they were
shot as they drove down Road 188 in the San Isidro sector of Canóvanas
last night. Police are investigating whether the shooting was an ambush or
if the vehicle drove into a shooting between other parties. The child suffered
a bullet wound in the chest, while her mother is also in the hospital with
non-life-threatening injuries. The vehicle they were in was being driven by
a female friend, who was uninjured.

PREPA TAPS RESERVE FUND FOR PAYMENT

From Reuters:

Puerto Rico's troubled utility, PREPA, made another withdrawal from
its reserve account to make a quarterly bond payment on April 1,
according to a regulatory filing posted by the utility. While the  with-
drawal amounted to just $8.8 million, the filing posted on Wednesday
shows the utility is remaining current on it debt payments  ahead of a
much larger bond payment of around $400 million which comes due
on July 1 and that some analysts expect PREPA to miss.

PIERLUISI SEEKS SSI PARITY FOR PR

From The San Juan Daily Star:

Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi announced on the floor of the  U.S. 

House of Representatives on Wednesday the filing of legislation to extend 

the Supplemental Security Income program (SSI) to Puerto Rico -- as well

as to the other territories of Guam, the U.S. Virgin  Islands and American 

Samoa. “Of all the disparities that Puerto Rico  faces because it is a territory 

and not a state, few are as morally egregious and practically damaging as 

its exclusion from SSI,” Pierluisi said. “SSI provides monthly cash assis-

tance to blind, disabled or elderly individuals who have limited or no inco-

me. We are talking about the most vulnerable members of our society.” 

The resident commissioner said SSI applies in all 50 states and the District 

of Columbia. However, since the program’s inception in 1974, it has not 

been extended to Puerto Rico. 

USVI PESTICIDE ALSO FOUND IN PR

From The Daily Mail:

The toxic pesticide that poisoned a U.S. family on vacation in the Virgin 

Islands has also been improperly used in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency said Thursday after a federal investigation. Officials said 

documents suggest methyl bromide may have been improperly applied in 

various locations in Puerto Rico.  EPA regional administrator Judith Enck 

said the agency and Puerto Rico's Department of Agriculture are investigating 

where and when the pesticide was used and how much was applied.

PONCE SEES REVENUE SPIKE BEFORE JUSTAS

From Caribbean Business:

Ponce Mayor María Meléndez said municipal licenses and permits increa-

sed revenue for the municipality ahead of "Las Justas de la Liga Atlé

tica Interuniversitaria" intercollegiate sports competition (Las Justas), 

which kicked off Thursday. Meléndez said Ponce was ready to welcome the 

more than 180,000 people.

Puerto Rico News Digest For March 16, 2015

ATHLETES INJURED DURING SHOOTOUT

Photo: Puerto Rico Police Dept.

From Yahoo News:

Two competitors in a Puerto Rico Ironman triathlon were injured by
gunfire exchanged between occupants  of two cars as they sped past
the bicycling part of the Sunday event in an  upscale area of the U.S.
island's capital. Puerto Rico police identified the  wounded compe-
titors as Wisconsin woman Liz Boivin, 26, and island  resident
Miguel Arroyo Ramos, 49.  Boivin was hit in the left calf while
three bullets struck Arroyo in the  left side while they raced on bi-
cycles through the San Juan district of  Miramar. The triathlon in-
volves biking, running and swimming.

OIL TAX HIKE WENT INTO EFFECT SUNDAY

The increase in the crude oil tax to $15.50 per barrel, colloquially 

known as "La Crudita", went into effect yesterday across Puerto Rico. 

Immediate rises in the price of gasoline were expected and have 

already been seen. But, as of Sunday afternoon, many gas stations 

across the island were still selling fuel at the "old price". However, 

across the board gas price hikes are inevitable and will likely start 

to be seen more consistently over the next few days.

GUAYANILLA MAYOR DENIES SEX ALLEGATIONS

From The San Juan Daily Star:

The suspended mayor of Guayanilla, Edgardo Arlequin Vélez,  on 

Thursday expressed hope he will be vindicated in the end  after the 

Special Independent Prosecutor (SIP) Panel suspended him last week 

from the mayoral seat for allegedly sexually harassing a municipal 

female employee. “All these  actions against me were based solely 

on statements by another party,” Arlequin Vélez said in a written 

statement. “I flatly deny the facts alleged against me. My family is 

accompanying me right now firmly and with serenity and  gratitude, 

and the people overwhelmingly have expressed solidarity with me. 

At the end of the process, I will prevail and continue to serve my 

people as usual.

TREASURY COLLECTIONS UP FOR FEBRUARY

From News Is My Business: 

The Puerto Rico Treasury Department collected $709.3 million in 

February for the General Fund, a figure that was up $39.4 million, 

or 5.9 percent when compared to the same month last year, and $6.5 

million, or 0.9 percent, below estimates. One of the main revenue 

drivers was $319 million collected in income taxes, which exceeded 

February 2014 collections by $35 million. All components of this 

category reflected increases when compared to February 2014.

WOMEN'S NAVY TENNIS TEAM TO PLAY IN PR

From Navy Sports:

The Navy women's tennis team (11-6) will open a three-match spring 

break trip in Puerto Rico on Monday against Augustana College (S.D.)

at 12:30 PM (ET). The Mids and the Vikings will meet in Palmas del 

Mar on the southeastern coast of  Puerto Rico. The Mids have won 

three straight matches and are coming off a 4-3 win over Delaware 

on Thursday. Navy has also recently defeated Towson, 5-2, and Marist, 

5-2.

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