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Para ver esta página en español, oprima aquí. Rossello, Berrios Have "Productive" Meeting… Calero Finally Happy… Hot Stuff, Cool Places… Municipal Police Threatened If Claims Ignored… State Forest Designation Would End Mining Exploitation… 3 Former Governors Honored… Rossello, Berrios To Discuss Status… Health System To Be Asessed… CPA’s Favor Sales Tax… El Yunque Measure OK’d… Still In Love, For The Love Of Salsa
Rossello, Berrios Have "Productive" Meeting February 21, 2005 SAN JUAN (AP) — The president of the New Progressive Party, Sen. Pedro Rossello, met Monday with the president of the Puerto Rican Independence Party, Ruben Berrios, in a "productive" meeting in which they arrived at agreement on Puerto Rico beginning the process to resolve the status issue. After they met, Rossello said of the PIP proposal, "It seems to me the Puerto Rican Independence Party makes a great contribution to this discussion." "I think this is a serious proposal that fundamentally I agree with … there are differences that are not fundamental that will continue to be discussed," Rossello said in his senate office. Rossello said that they must consider the three bills at public hearings to deal with the status issue. Berrios called the meeting "very positive and productive." Calero Finally Is Happy He's With Club Tim Casey, Bee Staff Writer February 20, 2005 PHOENIX When he was hosting a party at his Puerto Rico home Dec. 18, Kiko Calero received a call from his agent. Calero had been traded from the St. Louis Cardinals to the A's as part of the Mark Mulder deal. Suddenly, his jubilant mood changed. "I said, 'Oh, that's pretty far,' " Calero recalled. "The first 20 minutes after that, I was like, Don't talk to me." By Saturday, when A's pitchers and catchers reported to spring training, Calero seemed happy. Calero, 30, is expected to contribute to an improved bullpen. A middle reliever, Calero is capable of throwing two or three innings and several times per week. Last year, Calero struck out 47 and walked only 10 in 451/3 innings. The Cardinals had the best record in baseball before the Boston Red Sox swept them in the World Series. "Nobody knows what happened (in the World Series)," said Calero, who allowed two runs in two World Series games. "Everything changed, the pitchers and hitters. We just didn't do good." For the first time, Calero likely will spend the entire year in the majors. He made his debut in 2003, then underwent season-ending knee surgery in June. He began 2004 in Triple-A before being promoted to St. Louis on May 7. Where To Go: Hot Stuff In Cool Places February 20, 2005 RIO GRANDE, P.R. -- PARADISE FOUND Leaving your wallet at the door . . . priceless. That's just what you'll do at the 500-room, five-star Paradisus Puerto Rico, 35 minutes outside San Juan and the first major all-inclusive luxury resort in the U.S. Just think of the possibilities amid the sprawling 44 acres: six restaurants, all nonmotorized water sports, four unlimited premium open bars (even the en suite mini bars are gratis), two golf courses, three tennis courts, casino and sleek wellness center. Really want to treat yourself? Sign up for Royal Service, which offers express check-in, receptions and private bath butler for your very own terraced Jacuzzi. Paradisus, indeed. Details: Paradisus Puerto Rico, 800-33-MELIA, www.solmelia.com. From $480 per room, per night. Municipal Police Could Be Eliminated If Toledo Ignores Claims By JOSÉ FERNÁNDEZ COLÓN February 19, 2005 PONCE (AP) — Peñuelas mayor, Walter Torres Maldonado, said Saturday that his municipality’s police officers do not have necessary equipment and called on Police superintendent, Pedro Toledo, to resolve the situation. Torres Maldonado threatened to eliminate the Municipal Police if Toledo ignores his claims. The mayor said that he is asking Toledo for a meeting to discuss what the Police Department’s "public policy will be" toward Peñuelas. In a firm tone, the mayor complained that due to the Police Department's lack of personnel, the municipal police have had to carry all the responsibility, which has depleted the municipality’s finances because they have had to allocate more resources for safety purposes. Although Torres Maldonado did not set a deadline for Toledo to assign new personnel and equipment to Peñuelas, he did say that if his requests are not met, he will "reassign the Municipal Police personnel and make the State solely responsible for public safety". The mayor, who aspires to a second term as vice president of the Popular Democratic Party’s Mayors Association, said that for now he will not enforce the Public Order Code in Peñuelas. State Forest Designation Would Eliminate Mining Exploitation By JOSÉ FERNÁNDEZ COLÓN February 19, 2005 PONCE (AP) — If Adjuntas' State Forest is designated as an International Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations (UN), it would permanently eliminate the possibility of mining exploitation in Adjuntas and Utuado, said designated secretary of the Department of Natural & Environmental Resources, Javier Velez Arocho, on Saturday. Velez Arocho, who worked for the Environmental Protection Agency prior to his designation, favored the efforts of Casa Pueblo and of its director, Alexis Massols, to have the UN declare the State Forest an International Biosphere Reserve. As an maritime microbiologist specialist, Velez Arocho said that some of the benefits of having a forest designated as an International Biosphere Reserve is that it becomes known world wide and it can be developed as a tourist attraction. "I support this effort, models such as [Casa Pueblo’s] should be imitated, not only locally, but in other countries in order to manage and preserve natural resources," he said. In the late 80s, the UN declared Guanica's Dry Forest as Puerto Rico's first International Biosphere Reserve. UNESCO will have the final word on the matter. Regardless of what happens to Puerto Rico’s political status, if the State Forest is protected by the UN no one will be permitted to exploit Adjuntas and Utuado’s copper and silver beds, said Velez Arocho. Three Former Governors Honored February 19, 2005 SAN JUAN (AP) - Messages calling for unity and peace even during a time when different points of view reign were the overall theme of Friday’s special senatorial session to commemorate the births of former governors Luis Muñoz Marin, Roberto Sanchez Vilella, Luis A. Ferre. However, the topic of status and leadership battles were not absent from the session when Senate president, Kenneth McClintock, called for new generations to be allowed to act and when resident commissioner and main speaker, Luis Fortuño, highlighted how Muñoz Marin’s leaned toward a permanent union with the US during the last phase of his political career. "[Sanchez Vilella] knew that Puerto Rico’s future did not rest in the hands of his party’s old watch, in his vision it was unavoidable, and I quote, ‘to incorporate new ideas, new people, and new styles," said McClintock. "Muñoz’s political evolution made him reject criteria independence completely, but he did not rule out the possibility of statehood… It is time for political leaders to show our disposition for a convergence in order to resolve our island’s political status problem," said Fortuño. The three former governors had birthdays on consecutive days, which is why the Legislature decided to honor the group. Rossello Will Meet With Berrios To Discuss Status February 18, 2005 ARECIBO (AP) — Sen. Pedro Rossello announced that he will meet Monday at the Capitol with the president of the Puerto Rican Independence Party, Ruben Berrios, to discuss the issue of status. Rossello said he accepted Berrios’ invitation to meet about status, contrary to what he had done with the initiative of Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila to discuss the subject at La Fortaleza. "If he (Acevedo Vila) wants to join the group, welcome," Rossello said. The former governor and president of the New Progressive Party has said that it should be the Legislature, and not the Executive Mansion, where the issue should be debated. Berrios recently met with Acevedo Vila at La Fortaleza. Acevedo Vila favors a vote so the people decide between a Constitutional Assembly or a referendum with status options backed up by the U.S. Congress. The NPP prefers to turn directly to Congress and hold the referendum later, without including the option of a Constitutional Assembly. Committee Will Evaluate Island’s Health System February 18, 2005 SAN JUAN (AP) — With the purpose of evaluating the entire health system, Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila on Friday issued an executive order creating the Health System Evaluation Committee, which has already begun its work. The group, led by Dr. Jorge Sanchez and attached to the Health Department, must present a report in 180 days with alternatives and adjustments to the government’s medical services structure. "This committee, which is part of the Health Department, has the mission of evaluating the entire health system," Acevedo Vila said at a press conference. The committee is made up of Health Secretary Rosa Perez Perdomo, economist Joaquin Villamil; labor leader Juan Eliza Colon; former Medical School rector Carlos Giraud; former health secretary Luis Izquierdo Mora; the executive director of Menonita Hospital, Domingo Torres, and former Patient’s Advocate Carlos Diaz. Also on the committee are the dean of the Health Sciences at the University of Turabo, Maria Rosa; public health professor Mario Rodriguez; primary physician Hector Candelas; and the administrator of the State Health Insurance Corp., Salvador Rovira. Public Accountants Favor Sales Tax February 18, 2005 SAN JUAN (AP) — The president of the Association of Certified Public Accountants, Andres Morgado, on Friday defended imposing a sales tax on consumers to improve government revenue, because it will help overcome the structural deficit. Morgado said the tax should substitute for the current general tax of 6.6 percent, at the beginning of the distribution chain, to all the products sold on the island. "The foundation (of the CPA Association) recommends the sales tax in place of the general tax because it is easier to administer and implement, because of the collection capability, and because it will speed up commercial traffic, imposing fewer obstacles and obligations to the merchants," he said in public hearings before the House Committee on Budget and Allocations. He said the so-called IVA has the same ability to collect as the sales tax, but is more complicated and its implementation would be more costly. He said the current system, which depends in large part on the payment of income tax, is not effective because people evade taxes, and the lack of adequate supervision. Congressional Committee Approves El Yunque Measure February 18, 2005 SAN JUAN (AP) — The Energy and Natural Resources Committee of the U.S. Congress approved the proposal to declare 10,000 acres of El Toro area of El Yunque as a natural reserve, Resident Commissioner Luis Fortuño announced. The measure — promoted by the Forest Service and in the past term by then-resident commissioner Anibal Acevedo Vila — was presented in the Senate by Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. In the House, the project now is under the authority of Fortuño and has the support of Puerto Rican Congressmen Jose Serrano, Luis Gutierrez and Nydia Velazquez. "It shouldn’t have problems getting approved in the House," Fortuño said. Still In Love IDY FERNANDEZ February 18, 2005 Looks like actress Roselyn Sánchez's relationship with salsa singer Victor Manuelle is still going strong, reports The Associated Press, after she took the stage at one of his shows Saturday. Before a full house in Puerto Rico, the couple danced while Manuelle sang Si me preguntan (If They Ask Me). When the song ended, the crowd began chanting, ``Kiss her, kiss her.'' It was unclear whether the couple appeased fans or not, but that wasn't the only emotional moment of the night. Manuelle then burst into Vivo orgulloso (I Live Proud) as a slide show of his family played overhead on big screens. Manuelle's father, who was in the front row, was shown with tears running down his cheeks. For The Love Of Salsa IDY FERNANDEZ February 18, 2005 Six of Puerto Rico's greatest salseros are showing their love in a weeklong concert titled Del Amor a la Salsa (Of the Love for Salsa) throughout Ecuador, reports the Spanish news wire Agencia EFE. Victor Manuelle, Eddie Santiago, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Cheo Feliciano, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico and Jerry Rivera opened the concert Thursday in Guayaquil. Today, the stars will head toward Quito, the South American country's capital. The concert is designed to promote tropical music in Ecuador, where the genre isn't as popular as it is in other Latin American countries, said Javier ''Mambo'' Castro, an entrepreneur backing the concert. Each artist will perform a set of at least 45 minutes. ''This will be an incredible opportunity to see all the biggest salsa stars together,'' he said. ``Considering how hard it was to make all their schedules work, it might also be the only time.''
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