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Para ver esta página en español, oprima aquí. Government To Commemorate Citizenship Day In MayagüezPuerto Ricans Elected In U.S. To Meet In San JuanNational Governors Association Supports Calderon's EffortsCharlie Rodriguez: Changing SIP Rules May Be DangerousRomero Barcelo: NPP Goes Through Difficult SituationMcClintock Criticizes Acevedo Vila's Congressional RecordFirst Revision Of The Penal Code Law Presented
Government To Commemorate Citizenship Day In Mayagüez February 25th, 2002 SAN JUAN (AP) - Resident Commissioner Anibal Acevedo Vila and Secretary of State Ferdinand Mercado will lead the commemorative acts of the American Citizenship Day on March 2, sponsored by the Mayagüez municipal government, officials informed Monday. Mayaguez Mayor Guillermo Rodriguez indicated in a press release that Acevedo Vila and Mercado will address the bond between Puerto Rico and the United States in their respective speeches. "American citizenship is an important pillar that we should value and commemorate as one of the advantages we can maintain as a Commonwealth without losing our identity as Puerto Ricans," said Rodriguez, who invited the people to unite in this commemorative act, to be held at the Eudaldo Baez Garcia Boulevard in Mayaguez.
Puerto Ricans Elected In U.S. To Meet In San Juan February 25th, 2002 SAN JUAN (AP) - The National Puerto Rican Coalition (NPRC), which groups Puerto Ricans elected in posts throughout the states, will hold their annual meeting on the island to discuss possible solutions to problems that affect Puerto Ricans here and abroad, among other things. The meeting, to be held April 3-6 in a hotel in Carolina, officials expect participation of over a thousand legislators, officials, and Puerto Rican leaders of different states. "This is an opportunity for community leaders from there and here to gather and discuss their problems and how they can help each other," group spokesman Manuel Mirabal said. Mirabal estimated the Puerto Rican population residing either on the island or abroad at more than 7.4 million. We are calling on political, municipal, business, and union leaders to see how important it is for the Puerto Rican community to unite, Mirabal said in a press conference.
National Governors Association Supports Calderon's Efforts February 25th, 2002 SAN JUAN (AP) - The National Governors Association, which is holding its annual assembly in Washington D.C., approved a resolution "supporting economic incentives" to make Puerto Rico more competitive in comparison with other countries, officials informed Sunday. The press office said in a press release that the resolution responded to a petition made by Gov. Sila Calderon to the organization in support of the proposed amendment to U.S. Internal Revenue Code Section 956. However, Calderon explained that although the resolution supports those efforts, it does not refer to the amendment directly, since the association "has as a public policy of not supporting any specific bill."
Charlie Rodriguez: Changing SIP Rules May Be Dangerous February 24th, 2002 PONCE (AP) - Former Senate President Charlie Rodriguez said the possibility of granting legal power to the Justice secretary to review the decisions of the panel of the Special Independent Prosecutor's Office could be dangerous for democracy, as it would open the door for political persecution to take place within the government. "In a highly politicized country as ours, nobody would think of eliminating that law because it guarantees that the government won't use its power to persecute those who may have different ideas," Rodriguez said. The New Progressive Party (NPP) leader said the office of the Special Independent Prosecutor (SIP), which was created in the 1970's during former Gov. Rafael Hernandez Colon's tenure, has functioned correctly because the people who decide who will or who won't be prosecuted are not linked to the political changes on the island. Justice Secretary Anabelle Rodriguez asked legislators to approve a bill that would allow her to review the decisions of the SIP panel so that the cases in which it was decided not to act upon, may be returned to the Justice Department. Rodriguez received criticism from NPP opponents when she said it would be "unjustifiable" not to appoint a SIP to investigate former Department of Natural and Environmental Resources Secretary Daniel Pagan, for alleged corruption cases. The petition took place at a time when it seemed that the SIP panel hasn't found evidence to accept the recommendation of the Justice secretary to appoint a SIP for Pagan.
Romero Barcelo: NPP Goes Through Difficult Situation February 22nd, 2002 SAN JUAN (AP) - Former New Progressive Party (NPP) Resident Commissioner in Washington Carlos Romero Barcelo said the NPP is going through difficult times. "I do not recall any other moment when the party has being in such difficult position like this one. People are scared," said Romero Barcelo, according to published reports. The former governor's expressions followed published reports that linked several NPP leaders, including Romero Barcelo, to the corruption acts at the Education Department. However, Romero Barcelo said he is hopeful that the collectivity may be able to undergo a reorganization process, but could not say when or how. For his part, NPP president Carlos Pesquera, considered that difficult times require a lot of unity and affirmed that the party is on the right "path."
McClintock Criticizes Acevedo Vila's Congressional Record February 22nd, 2002 SAN JUAN (AP) - The invisibility of the Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner in Washington Anibal Acevedo Vila in the congressional sessions received the criticism of New Progressive Party Senate Minority Leader Kenneth McClintock. The legislator held a press conference in his office to warn of the alleged lack of interest shown by Acevedo Vila in Congress. McClintock added that this "will continue to be detrimental to the Puerto Rican interests in Washington" and will create a negative impression in Congress. McClintock referred to published reports that revealed the countless times in which the resident commissioner has been absent from the congressional sessions and meetings, based on the legislative commission attendance records. "What troubles me the most is that apparently (Acevedo Vila) does not have a clear view of the mechanisms a resident commissioner can use to fully exploit the little resources at his disposal (in Congress)", McClintock said.
First Revision Of The Penal Code Law Presented By Proviana Colon Diaz February 22nd, 2002 Two months after being assigned the task of revising the Commonwealth Penal Code Law, Professor Dora Nevares said on Friday that the existing code and the laws included in it have resulted in "false and ineffective" sentencing system. Therefore, the revision of the code must emphasize in classifying the crimes and the corresponding penalty. Nevares affirmed that amendments made to the code to increase the penalties have been made in a "disarticulated" manner which have resulted in a larger prison population. "The lack of proportion in the code penalties is an offense to the sense of justice," Nevares said. That injustice, according to the professor, has the inevitable effect of turning the island's correctional system into a revolving door where people come in an out constantly, without any rehabilitation. Nevares made her statements on Friday before members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Justice Secretary Anabelle Rodriguez and Corrections and Rehabilitation Secretary Victor Rivera, during a morning meeting for the presentation of her first conclusions on the matter. Following the presentation, Rivera agreed with Nevares and suggested that a health specialist also be consulted in the revision process. The health specialist, according to Rivera, will shed light into the problems faced by drug users, who compose most of the island prison population. Rodriguez, for her part, said she will assign a task force to cooperate with the Judiciary Committee in the revision. Such revision is expected to be completed by early 2003. Committee Chairman Eudaldo Baez Galib said he expects to comply with that deadline as he does not want the process to conclude near election time, so as not to give way for sectors to push in their own interest, over the needs of the system. Baez Galib added that the special working group will have representation from the minorities as well as the House of Representatives.
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