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Para ver esta página en español, oprima aquí. Governor Supports Police Coordination With Federal OfficialsPesquera: Gov’t Takes Credit For NPP's WorkHouse Bars NepotismArce Wins NPP VPHispanic Lawmakers Hunt For UnityPuerto Rican Sworn In As Ambassador To D.R.
Governor Supports Police Coordination With Federal Officials By Proviana Colon Diaz November 13, 2001 Gov. Sila Calderon said Tuesday that she supports the state police in carrying out its duties in coordination with federal authorities in Vieques. "The Puerto Rico Police is complying with its duties and has to strictly comply with them and has my total support. The reality is that there is a law, and I, as governor, have to comply with it, whether I like it or not. That is my responsibility," Calderon said. Such coordination efforts include the video recording of acts of civil disobedience and escorting federal authorities while they conduct arrests on the island municipality. The acts of cooperation were seen during the recent arrest of Yabureybo Zenon, son of anti-U.S. Navy leader fisherman Carlos Zenon, when a task force of federal and local enforcement authorities arrived at his home to arrest him on a misdemeanor charge of trespassing on Navy land. In court and while being indicted, videos recorded by the Police Department's United Forces of Rapid Action (FURA by its Spanish acronym) of a vessel chase between the Navy and the Zenons was displayed. When questioned Tuesday, however, if such cooperation was acceptable, Calderon said she would not "enter" into a discussion of "internal matters." "Those are in determinations between police and federal authorities, and the police is doing a very good job, and I support them, and they have to abide by the law," the governor said.
Pesquera: Government Takes Credit For NPP's Work November 12, 2001 SAN JUAN (AP) - New Progressive Party (NPP) Carlos Pesquera said Monday that the administration of Gov. Sila Calderon has been taking credit for the work done by the past administration. Pesquera claims that due to a lack of work projects, the actual government uses the same ones of former Gov. Pedro Rossello's administration by changing the names of the projects to give the impression that they are doing something different. The NPP president mentioned that instead of the Technological Corridor, now it's the Technoeconomic Corridor, instead of the Transshipment Port is the Port of the Americas, and the Route 66 is now the Corridor of the East, but the bottom line is that "it is the same thing."
No More Permits To Hire Relatives At The House By Proviana Colon Diaz November 12, 2001 The House of Representatives will not grant any permits for legislators to hire relatives until official rules on the matter are drafted, House Speaker Carlos Vizcarrondo said Monday. Vizcarrondo, who assigned a three-partisan committee on the matter, has also assigned them to draft legislation that will be turned into law to extend an anti-nepotism policy to all three constitutional branches. The speaker made his announcement during a late Monday afternoon press conference at his office following a meeting with Commonwealth Comptroller Manuel Diaz Saldaña and Puerto Rico Government Ethics Office Director Hiram Morales. Taking into consideration both Saldaña and Morales recommendations on the matter, Vizcarrondo announced nine immediate measures that will be taken at the House of Representatives to avoid nepotism. Although Vizcarrondo has only authorized one permit to hire a relative since he took office, no other permits will be granted until the official policy on the issue is drafted. The rules and regulations for granting permits will be established in accordance to the Commonwealth Comptroller's and Ethics offices recommendations. "In conclusion, the permit will be the exception, not the rule," Vizcarrondo said. He hopes that the same criteria will be used in the Senate. Vizcarrondo added that it is his interest that the measures taken in the House apply to all the legislative, judiciary, and executive branch.
Sen. Lucy Arce Wins Vice Presidency Of Puerto Rico’s PNP November 12, 2001 San Juan, Nov 11 (EFE).- Puerto Rican Sen. Lucy Arce on Sunday won the vice presidency for the women of the New Progressive Party (PNP) in a delegates' primary. Arce defeated Sen. Miriam Ramirez de Ferrer by a vote of 2,084 to 1,188 in an election where slightly more than 50 percent of the party's delegates cast bellots, according to PNP president Carlos Pesquera. Arce will replace PNP vice president Sen. Norma Burgos, who was supposed to remain in office until 2004, but an amendment to the party's regulations moved up the election for that post. Another amendment prevented Burgos from running again for the vice presidency, as well as for other positions, and specifically forbade anyone convicted of a crime from holding office within the PNP. Burgos was convicted of entering land controlled by the U.S. Navy on the small island of Vieques during a peaceful protest of the U.S. military's use of that island for training purposes. [With the election of Arce as second vice president, the NPP directorate has been completed, with Pesquera as president, San Juan Mayor Jorge Santini as first vice president and Rep. Angel Cintron as general secretary.]
Hispanic Lawmakers Hunt For Unity November 10, 2001 SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- About 165 Hispanic state legislators met in San Juan on Friday to discuss what kind of new legislation is needed to benefit Hispanic populations in the United States. It was the first meeting of its kind, organizers said. The National Caucus of Hispanic State Legislators planned to discuss state-level legislation on immigration issues, economic development and education, as well as prevention of diseases such as hepatitis and diabetes, which affect a relatively large proportion of Hispanics. The four days of meetings and seminars at a San Juan hotel began Friday. Legislators from Florida, California, Connecticut and New York were among those attending. "At these meetings, we'll develop, for the first time, a common agenda that will benefit Latinos in the United States and its territories," John Martinez, president-elect of the caucus, told reporters. Martinez, a Democrat, is deputy majority leader in the Connecticut House of Representatives. On Sunday, a seminar is planned on inter-Hispanic relations. Presentations are to be made by U.S.-based Puerto Rican , Cuban- American, Mexican-American and Dominican-American groups. The seminar will focus on bridging divisions that separate U.S. Hispanics of different backgrounds. Martinez also said the caucus will look at how to press state legislatures to ask President Bush to ensure that the U.S. Navy would stop bombing on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques by 2003. Earlier this year, Bush promised to have the Navy out by that date. The Navy began using dummy bombs on the Vieques range after 1999, when off-target bombs killed a civilian guard on the range, igniting mass protests.
Puerto Rican Sworn In As U.S. Ambassador To D.R. November 9, 2001 SAN JUAN (AP) - The Puerto Rican lawyer and banker, Hans Hertell, was sworn in Thursday as the new U.S. ambassador in the Dominican Republic before Secretary of State Collin Powell. Hertell took up his post in a ceremony at the U.S. State Department, after the Senate confirmed his nomination without problems. Hertell's inauguration will be in two weeks, according to published reports. San Juan Mayor Jorge Santini said this designation represents a historic situation for Puerto Rico. Hertell is a personal friend of President George W. Bush, according to Santini.
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