The Weekly Journal - Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Wednesday, September 14-20, 2022 - // no. 177

Puerto Rico and the Caribbean

www.theweeklyjournal.com

LITTLE ALTERNATIVES FOR PR’S POWER CONUNDRUM P6 POSITIVE OUTLOOK FOR THE ISLAND’S EMPLOYMENT P7 DEMOCRATS COULD END UP LOSING FLORIDA P10

A DIFFERENT KIND OF

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP Bringing together leaders from public, private and philanthropic sectors

BRITAIN’S ROYAL SOUVENIRS P15

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Juan A. Hernández, The Weekly Journal

ince the turn of the century, Puerto Rico’s government has selectively resorted to Public-Private Partnerships (P3s) to subsidize and/or privatize some of its essential services and operations in an effort to modernize its infrastructure and improve the quality of the services offer to the public. It must be said though, that the experience with this partnerships has not always been a success story.

Still, the P3 alternative is begin considered as a viable solution to attend to a series of challenges Puerto Rico has faced for quite a while, and the government has been unable to attend to.

For Columbia University professor and former presidential advisor, Howard Warren Buffett, “partnerships have the potential to meet public objectives efficiently and effectively and at a scale not otherwise possible.”

“There are probably more examples of privatepublic partnerships that don’t work out as GO TO PAGE 4

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GUIA le invita a su decimosexto seminario GUIAeduca titulado “Conversatorio de los Medios Postpandemia y su Impacto para el Ecosistema de la Industria Automotriz” donde contaremos con la presencia de los principales medios del país.

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/ Wednesday, September 14, 2022

A WEEK IN REVIEW NO CARDBOARD WHISKIES Alcohol beverages company Diageo has announced the phasing out of some 183 millioncardboardgiftboxesfromitspremium Scotch whiskey portfolio worldwide. Some of the brands included in the ecofriendly decision are Johnnie Walker’s Red Label, Black Label, and Double Black, as well as Buchanan’s 12 Deluxe, among others.

“The waste caused by excess packaging places an unnecessary burden on the planet. Paper and cardboard are highly sustainable forms of packaging, but it is time to look at what is really needed to package a product, rather than doing it that way for historical reasons,” said Ewan Andrew, Director of Sustainability at Diageo.

Diageo has said it will develop packaging based on biomimetics, designs that will be modeled after biological entities and processes, such as mycelium.

ANTI-LITTER DOGS

THE 14TH APPLE Customers of Apple can now pre-order the new iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus models come in 6.1 inches for the iPhone 14 and 6.7 inches for the iPhone 14 Plus. Both models also include an upgraded camera system. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max also stand at 6.1 and 6.7 inches respectively and are powered by the A16 Bionic. The Pro and Pro Max will come in an array of colors such as deep purple, gold, silver and space black.

Apple’s new Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Ultra are also be available for pre-order.

Powered BY El Vocero de Puerto Rico, 1064 Ave Ponce de León 2nd floor San Juan, PR Postal Address: PO Box 15074, San Juan, PR 00902

Scuba Dogs Society (SDS), the official organizer of The International Coastal Cleanup in Puerto Rico will be focusing its efforts this year on 200 coastal areas and natural spaces in Puerto Rico.

Annually, the Scuba Dogs Society removes an average of 120,000 pounds of waste from coastlines and beaches on the island. The most collected objects reported are pieces of plastic, cigarette butts, plastic lids, straws, cutlery and disposable plates.

The International Coastal Cleanup will take place next Saturday and is part of the global strategy of Ocean Conservancy, an environmental organization that carries out the event with more than 900,000 volunteers in more than 100 countries, since 1986.

President Salvador Hasbún shasbun@elvocero.com

VP of Accounting Félix A. Rosa frosa@elvocero.com

Human Resources Director Arlene Rolón, PHR arolon@elvocero.com

Vp of Marketing and Business Operations Michelle Pérez Miperez@elvocero.com

VP of Production Eligio Dekony edekony@elvocero.com

VP of Editorial Content Juan Miguel Muñiz Guzmán jmuniz@elvocero.com

Multi-Platform Graphic and Technology Director Héctor L. Vázquez hvazquez@elvocero.com

Phone: 787-622-2300, 787-721-2300

Multi-Plataform Digital Director Rafelli González Cotto rgonzalez@elvocero.com

Customer Service: 787-622-7480

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 intended, compared to examples where there are flourishing successes,” Buffett said in an exclusive interview with THE WEEKLY JOURNAL. Coauthor of “Social Value Investing: a management framework for effective partnerships,” Buffett considers that by coming together, leaders from the public, the private and the philanthropic sectors could bring out solutions to many of the challenges society in general now faces. Buffett admits there are no silver bullet solutions, but argues this kind of partnership, along with the management framework he proposes, present an alternative on how organizations can work together to solve many of those challenges.

Experience In Puerto Rico

What we are trying to do is develop an approach to provide a set of ingredients to leaders of different organizations… that are the most effective for collaborating.

Howard W. Buffett, former presidential advisor

are the most effective for collaborating,” Buffett explained.

The second element he mentioned was how the different team members across partners synchronize, how well they coordinate and whether The university they have the right leadership professor considered skills and capital to carry out a it “totally possible” successful partnership. to develop private“The third kind of big bucket public partnerships [element] that we are looking with small and at is bringing in community medium businesses, voices and local stakeholders and even with into the partnership process, the new breed of all the way from the design, to entrepreneurs the development, to the actual that has emerged deployment of the partnership, in the wake of the and how community voices are pandemic. participating in how success is also measured,” Buffett explained.

The forth element is how well the partnership is resourced to determine whether

Cross-sector partnerships on the Island have entailed the privatization of operations and services that used to be the government’s responsibility.

Currently, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) privatized its power transmission and distribution services via a P3 contract with LUMA Energy Co. Since its inception in June 2021, LUMA has been unable to maintain constant service to PREPA clients, with massive power outages that have lasted more than 48 hours. Critics and dissatisfied customers have called for the termination of the contract.

Buffet considers public-private partnerships do “not necessarily” entail privatization.

“There have been plenty of both successful and unsuccessful examples of privatizations in the past… The way we look at it is the way government leaders have had perspectives for partnerships with events towards privatization… Sometimes that works, sometime it doesn’t,” Buffett said.

“Unfortunately, when it doesn’t work, it doesn’t mean it stops happening. It just carries on inefficiently for a long time,” he added.

In fact,

there is one single source of funding on which it is relying on, because that simply creates risks for a successful partnership. Also identify what other non-financial resources can come in to help support the partnership.

The fifth element is performance assessment.

More specifically what are the indicators the organizations have establish collaboratively in order to define and track whether or not they are being successful.

Cross-Sectors Partners

In addition to the specific challenges associated with the pandemic, vis a vis the usually limited government resources, Buffett considers the crisis

Partnership success

Like with any other investment or project, there is a need to regularly evaluate performance in order to guarantee goals are being achieved. For that purpose, Buffett mention a 15-point checklist he had included in his book for groups who are trying to create successful partnerships. Among those points he mentioned five key elements that need be considered and evaluated when determining the level of success of any cross sector partnership.

The first of these is how the partnership process is developed and designed.

“What we are trying to do is develop an approach to provide a set of ingredients to leaders of different organizations, whether they are nonprofits, companies or government agencies that

LUMA Energy repair crew working on power lines on 65th Infantry Avenue. >File

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LUMA Energy truck doing maintenance work on powerlines on 65th Infantry Avenue. >FILE

created by the pandemic came with a silver lining. allows them to work to improve the environment, “One thing the pandemic has probably done is and not just making it less bad, or just cause a little highlight the areas where our economy, and the less harm,” he said. people who support our economy, have greater Buffett specifically mentioned Blue Tide, a vulnerabilities… It put an exclamation mark where non-profit organization that promotes sources effective cross-partnerships can of marine-related economic play a role in helping to alleviate diversification and partnerships. some of the challenges that may They train entrepreneurs to be a little more obvious now than develop projects to protect the they were before,” said Buffett environment while also helping while emphasizing he is not an the local economy.

There expert on pandemic affairs.

“I think we are going to see is a need to More specifically, the university more and more examples of regularly evaluate professor considered it “totally that, and those are the type of performance in order possible” to develop privatebusiness that are supported by to guarantee goals public partnerships with small government programs, nonare being achieved. and medium businesses, profits, foundations and others. I and even with new breed of think that is going to become the entrepreneurs that has emerged new norm,” Buffet said. in the wake of the pandemic.

“Social entrepreneurs are right for benefiting from a cross-sector partnership strategy because, as an entrepreneur starting a business, they rely on so many organizations in order to be successful –whether in their supply chain or other particular sourcing, or maybe getting some early stage government funding to get off the ground,” Buffett argued.

Citing as an example a new entrepreneur seeking to partner up with the local chamber of commerce, or the city council, Buffett assured he or she would want to have a partnership process in place.

In fact,

“Social entrepreneurs are right for benefitting from a crosssector partnership strategy because… they rely on so many organizations in order to be successful.”

Howard W. Buffett, former presidential advisor

Areas Of Opportunities

In as much as cross-sector partnerships can be done at any level –community, city, state or national– and partners can come from the government, non-profit organizations, corporations, or new entrepreneurs, there are some areas that may be most conductive for this kind of partnerships. One such area could be environmental conservation.

“That can always be a big source of tension. But there are also plenty of businesses that are finding commercial opportunities in a way that actually

Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) main building in Río Piedras. >FILE

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(Josian E. Bruno Gómez)

/ Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Solutions to the Island’s Energy Crisis Have Strings Attached

CNE Policy Expert recommends action by the Puerto Rico government

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Zoe Landi Fontana, The Weekly Journal

educing complex reality to simple binaries is the result of mediocre thinking,” paraphrased Sergio M. Marxuach, Policy Director at the Center for a New Economy (CNE).

While outages caused by the haphazard state of the electrical grid cannot be wholly attributed to LUMA Energy’s mismanagement, in the 15 months since LUMA entered into an Operation and Maintenance Agreement, or ‘operator agreement’, with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) and the Puerto Rico Public-Private Partnerships Authority (P3 Authority), it has failed to meet key performance metrics.

In its latest policy brief and review, the Center for a New Economy, led by Sergio M. Marxuach, presented possible solutions to the current electric power situation in Puerto Rico.

Over the past 15 months, LUMA has gone over budget, has not met key performance metrics regarding the duration and frequency of outages, has not met maintenance goals in a timely manner, and has not accumulated the savings it projected it would generate from efficient management of the transmission and distribution system.

So What Can The Government Do? Possible Scenarios

The Puerto Rico government has three options, none of which come without significant pitfalls.

Marxuach identifies the first scenario as letting the clock run out on both the operation and supplemental agreements, which could potentially

Returning management of the electrical grid to PREPA, a criminally corrupt and extremely inefficient corporation, would impede the island’s pursuit of having a reliable and affordable power grid.

Sergio Marxuach, Policy Director CNE

occur on November 30 of this year if no prior action is taken. It is up to the government of Puerto Rico to decide whether to allow the agreements to automatically terminate.

If this were to happen, PREPA would be required to pay LUMA an Operator Termination Fee equal to the Interim Period Service Fee of $115 million in 2020 dollars, adjusted for inflation. This would trigger the start of a Back-End Transition period lasting up to 12 months during which LUMA would transfer its operations to a successor operator and PREPA would incur a Back-End Transition Fee to cover it. Unfortunately, there is no successor operator identified.

In a second potential scenario, the Puerto Rico government could seek to declare an Operator Event of Default, stating that LUMA has failed to perform a material obligation under the operation agreement. LUMA would then have 60 days to remedy the default and an additional 30 days if it is determined that they are making reasonable attempts to address the failure and that it can reasonably be fixed.

If the issue isn’t fixed within those 90 days, the P3 Authority can, with at least 120 days prior written

notice, terminate the operator agreement. This option might require prior approval of the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau or the FOMB and could also be contested and brought to court. If the government of Puerto Rico successfully terminates the operator agreement, citing Operator Event of Default, it could possibly receive payment from LUMA. As with letting the operator and supplemental agreements expire, terminating the operator agreement would also trigger a Back-End Transition Period and fee, payable by PREPA – still, there has been no entity identified to take over the operation and maintenance of Puerto Rico’s electrical grid.

The third scenario would be to put pressure on LUMA to improve its performance instead of terminating the operator agreement. The most effective way of doing this, according to the CNE, is to withhold a portion of the Intermid Period service Fee payable to LUMA. As a result of the negotiations and mediation process that this could cause, in a best case scenario, LUMA and the Puerto Rico government would end up agreeing upon a set of actions for LUMA to undertake to improve its performance.

Without A Plan B

If the operator agreement is terminated, there is no obvious candidate to take LUMA’s place.

Returning management of the electrical grid to PREPA, described by Marxuach as a “criminally corrupt and extremely inefficient corporation”, would impede the island’s pursuit of having a reliable and affordable power grid.

Finding an alternative operator is challenging, given the enormous undertaking that is operating the Puerto Rico transmission and distribution system, and could take up to two years. Any reliable, interested company would most likely demand terms more favorable than those granted to LUMA.

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Hiring Predictions for Q4 2022 Puerto Rico scores higher than global average

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Zoe Landi Fontana, The Weekly Journal

s might be expected when coming out of the slower summer months and heading into the busy holiday season, net recruitment expectation –a hiring prediction found by subtracting the percentage of employers who expect a decrease in their workforce from the percentage who anticipate an increase– is positive for most countries.

This is the first year that Puerto Rico is included in Manpower Group’s Employment Expectations Survey, which is conducted in 41 countries and predicts employment trends. For Puerto Rico, the sample included 250 private sector employers throughout the island.

The survey divided Puerto Rico into three zones: Central, The survey revealed East, and West. uneven economic The Central growth between zone and the countries, with East presented various markets the best hiring responding differently predictions, with to the conflict in +33% and +32%, Ukraine, rising respectively. inflation, and higher The West zone living costs. is expected to experience a net recruitment expectation of +27%.

Overall, Puerto Rico is projected to experience a net recruitment expectation of +32%, which is higher than the global net expectation of +30% going into the fourth quarter of 2022. Of Puerto Rico’s employers, 44% plan to increase their workforce, while 12% of the employers expect to decrease their workforce. Another 35% do not expect changes, and only 9% responded that they are unsure.

Commerce responded with the strongest hiring plans with a net recruitment expectation of +67%.

Banking, finance, and real estate followed with +66%, then the construction industry with +61%.

As for company size, microenterprises –made up of less than 10 employees– report the best hiring expectations compared to other company sizes, at +37%.

In fact,

Global expectations

The survey revealed uneven economic growth between countries, with various markets responding differently to the conflict in Ukraine,

rising inflation, and higher living costs. Despite these challenges, the demand for skilled workers remains at record levels.

Employers in 39 of the 41 countries and territories surveyed expect to increase their workforce during the period from September to December 2022, including all countries in the Americas.

Recruitment intention is positive in 39 of the 41 countries, with a net recruitment expectation of +30% globally.

Brazil, India, and Costa Rica are predicted to hire the most, with recruitment expectations of +56%, +54%, and +52% respectively. Meanwhile, Hungary

(-5 %), Greece (-3 %) and Poland (+1 %) are faring worse.

By region, Asia-Pacific (APAC) presents the strongest hiring intentions for this quarter with +40%, South and Central America +39%. Employers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) report stable recruitment expectations (+21%). However, employment prospects for countries near Ukraine have reported a decline of up to 17% since the last quarter.

Globally, the technology sector makes up the highest recruitment expectations at an optimistic +42%, followed by Banking, Finance and Real Estate with +37%.

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In fact, Scant availability of information regarding best management practices has resulted in the increased dependence on agrochemicals (pesticides and fertilizers) in Puerto Rico.

Regenerative farming: solution to both farmers and the land Farming technique sparks interest in the agriculture sector

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Madison Choudhry, Special to the Weekly Journal

uerto Rico’s farmers are standing at a crossroad. Between the devastation caused by hurricanes Irma and Maria, supply chain issues and rising food cost due to inflation, the island’s agricultural sector has been stripped to its roots. However, a small group of Puerto Ricans are touting a solution: regenerative farming.

In a world where the population is booming, the climate is changing, and wilderness areas are diminishing, the pressure for high-yield agricultural production is on the rise. Intensification is occurring on a global scale, Puerto Rico being no exception. However, there has been very little attention given to improving the crop varieties grown in Puerto Rico. Claims have been made Puerto Rican produce lacks resilience to rising temperatures, threats of hurricanes and disease, meaning that a single bad year could have a serious impact on the local agricultural economy.

“Part of what’s needed now is a more holistic policy platform—one that pushes for transformational changes to our food and fiber system alongside the grassroots organizations, community leaders, artists, and revolutionary farmers we are learning from,” says Claire

O’Connor, director of water and agriculture at Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

As a philosophy and approach to land management, regenerative agriculture asks us to think about how all aspects of agriculture are connected through a web—a network of entities who grow, enhance, exchange, distribute, and consume goods and services—instead of a linear supply chain. It’s about farming and ranching in a style that nourishes people and the earth, with specific practices varying from grower to grower and from region to region.

“When we speak with farmers and ranchers focused on regenerative agriculture, they tell us that their notion of ‘success’ goes beyond yield and farm size,” says Lara Bryant, deputy director of water and agriculture at NRDC. Bryant explained “it includes things like joy and happiness, the number of families they feed, watching how the land regenerates and flourishes, the money saved from not purchasing chemical inputs, the debt avoided by repurposing old equipment, and the relationships built with community members.”

It is important to appreciate that this is not a new idea and not all who practice these principles use the label regenerative farming. In fact, indigenous communities have farmed in nature’s image for millennia.

The regenerative agriculture movement is the dawning realization among more people that an Indigenous approach to agriculture can help restore ecologies, fight climate change, rebuild relationships, spark economic development, and bring joy,” says Arohi Sharma, water and agriculture policy analyst at NRDC. Scant availability of information regarding

When we speak with farmers and ranchers focused on regenerative agriculture, they tell us that their notion of ‘success’ goes beyond yield and farm size.

-Lara Bryant, deputy director Water & best management practices has resulted in the increased dependence on agrochemicals (pesticides and fertilizers) in Puerto Rico. Poor management can lead to the soil becoming depleted of essential nutrients for crop growth, leading to a further increased need for fertilizer application. Agrochemical production costs both financially and environmentally have become an unsustainable option for the future of farming systems.

As hurricanes, flash floods, and other extreme weather patterns become more frequent, farmers and ranchers are awakening to the idea they must prepare their land to be more resilient.

Healthy soils with high amounts of organic matter are able to absorb more water during a flood— to the benefit of the farmer and downstream communities—and even help maintain water security.

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Arrests of UK anti-royal protesters spur free-speech debate The civil rights group “worried” to see police enforcing their powers in a heavy-handed and punitive way

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Jill Lawless – The Associated Press

ONDON (AP) — In a country famed for irreverence, some worry a new code of silence has taken hold.

Since the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a handful of people in Britain have been detained by police for expressing — often bluntly — anti-monarchy views.

A woman in Edinburgh holding a sign reading “F—— imperialism, abolish the monarchy” was charged with a breach of the peace. A man faced the same charge after he heckled Prince Andrew as the queen’s hearse traveled through the Scottish capital.

In Oxford, peace activist Symon Hill was put in handcuffs after he shouted his opposition during Powlesland called the police behavior a ceremonial proclamation of the new king. “outrageous.”

Hill said he spontaneously called out “Who The civil rights group Liberty said it was “very elected him?” because he objects to a head of worrying to see the police enforcing their broad state being imposed on the country. powers in such a heavy-handed and punitive way “I doubt most of the people in the crowd even to clamp down on free speech and expression.” heard me,” he wrote on his blog. “Two or three Republic, a group that campaigns for the abolition people near me told me to shut up.” of the monarchy, said it would be complaining to Hill said he was put into a police van by officers police “in the strongest possible terms,” and would who told him he was being organize protests at the king’s detained for alleged behavior that coronation in the coming months. could cause “harassment, alarm “Free speech is fundamental to or distress.” He was later released any democracy,” said spokesman but could still face questioning.

Graham Smith. “At a time when the The arrests “The police abused their media is saturated with fawning come after the powers to arrest someone who over a king appointed without government passed voiced some mild opposition to discussion or consent, it is even a contentious lawa head of state being appointed more important.” and-order bill that undemocratically,” he said.

The arrests come after the toughens police In London, a woman was moved government passed a contentious powers to limit from the gates of Parliament law-and-order bill that toughens disruptive protests. while carrying a “Not my king” police powers to limit disruptive sign. Police said she was removed protests. It’s not clear whether any from the spot, where a police of the arrests involved the new law. officer was stabbed to death by an Prime Minister Liz Truss’s Islamist attacker in 2017, to allow vehicles in and spokesman, Max Blain, said that while “this is a was not asked to leave the wider area. period of national mourning, and indeed grief, Lawyer Paul Powlesland said he was for the vast majority of the United Kingdom … questioned by police outside Parliament on the right to protest does remain a fundamental Monday while carrying a blank piece of paper on principle.” which he, too, planned to write “Not my king.”

But he said it is “for the police to decide what is In footage shot by Powlesland, an officer is appropriate in individual circumstances.” heard saying “it may offend someone” if he wrote The queen’s death has triggered one of the the words. biggest security operations in British history.

In fact,

People protest ahead of the Accession Proclamation Ceremony at Cardiff Castle, Wales, publicly proclaiming King Charles III as the new monarch. >Ben Birchall/PA via AP)

The police abused their powers to arrest someone who voiced some mild opposition to a head of state being appointed undemocratically.

Symon Hill, peace activist

Some 500 royals, heads of state and heads of government from around the world are expected at the late monarch’s state funeral on Monday. Before that, hundreds of thousands are expected to line up in a queue snaking through central London to see the queen lying in state at Parliament’s Westminster Hall.

Huge crowds have already gathered near Buckingham Palace and other royal residences to leave notes and flowers or simply be part of a moment in history.

London’s Metropolitan Police force said “the overwhelming majority of interactions between officers and public at this time have been positive.”

“The public absolutely have a right of protest and we have been making this clear to all officers involved in the extraordinary policing operation currently in place,” said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy.

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Wednesday,February September 14, 2022 / /Wednesday, 9, 2022

Kenneth DavisonMcClintock McClintock Kenneth Davison 22nd of Puerto Puerto Rico Rico 22nd Secretary Secretary of of State State of

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Why Democrats may The Right to lose Life in Florida

“

he Right to Life” is a uring my 52-year-long political phrase used in the career national (I begandiscourse at the age only of 13 for those who of arethe in the context counting), I’ve spent nearly beginning of life when 30 years campaigning among discussing women’s Puertoright Rican tovoters chooseinorFlorida the and have seen and end of life and euthanasia.

However, at supported least once candidates Rep. Soto Rep. right a person islike born, he Darren or she has anand enduring of survivalMurphy throughout In designing Stephanie wholife. excelled in partseveral because important federal programs since as farand back as they paid close attention to the needs the nineteenth century, the voters, Federal and government aspirations of Puerto Rican candidates hasBill sought to help prolong their lives. like Nelson, whoAmericans was defeated because they During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln didn’t. saw thepollsters need to create a system, now Most in Florida choose notknown to askas the Department of Veteran Affairs, to provide Puerto Rican voters their opinion on Puerto Rico’s those who fought in America’s wars with medical most important issue, Puerto Rico’s political services that would help them live and receive status. Very few strategists pay real attention medical services. Few nations provide those who to these results –essentially since about 78have served the level of health services as America.

81% support Puerto Rico’s admission as a state.

During the Depression, as part of the New Some Republican congressmen have paid more Deal, the federal government saw the need to attention to that who polling, choosing to basic co-sponsor help Americans could not afford health HR1522, the Puerto Rico Admission Act, filed services, and began to provide some assistance.

by Rep. Darren Rep. Lyndon Jenniffer González In the 1960s,Soto, President Johnson and Rep. Stephanie Murphy.

Among thefor 19the spearheaded efforts to create Medicare Republican co-sponsors, six Florida Republican elderly and the disabled and Medicaid for the congressmen, Mario Díaz Balart from District 25, medically indigent.

Gus Unfortunately, Bilirakis from federally District 12, Carlos Gimenez subsidized medical from Districthas 26,not Billbeen Posey from Districtto 8,all Maria assistance made available Salazar frominDistrict 27, and Michael Waltz Americans a non-discriminatory fashion. for veterans, VAdemonstrated facilities are doled fromAsDistrict 6, have thatout, theynot strictly onto theread basis of polls need,and but as a result of know how the have stepped patronage or political influence. congressmen Partisan politics forward, joining 10 Democratic and the seniority CongressSenate is factored in whenRep. it is from state,inincluding candidate determined where a new VA hospital or clinic will Val Demings and gubernatorial candidate Rep. be located.

In that case, a state-like jurisdiction that Charlie Crist. should have two voting senators and two voting In the case of Bill Nelson, who was defeated in representatives doesn’t, getting the his reelection bidbut in 2018 by ends only up 10,033 votes, short end of the stick. he did not emphasize his pro-Puerto Rico record Regarding Medicare, that same state-like and his genuine support for statehood, versus jurisdiction lacking voting representation in the Rick Scott’s last-minute, convoluted and weak national legislature as well as in the Electoral stance on Puerto Rico statehood. His Hispanic College that elects that jurisdiction’s president and strategists, whoCongress personally Puerto vice president, hasopposed built in mechanisms Rico statehood, did not want Nelson’s personal to extend Medicare services almost equally, but support for it to be known.

Had Nelson spent almost. When I turned 65 last month, I qualified some money emphasizing his clear contrast for the Medicare coverage that I’d been paying with Scott on that issue, he certainly wouldask have premiums for 47 years. However, if I didn’t mobilized more than B”, 10,033 votes among the particularly for “Part one of the most important 80% pro-statehood within the benefits, I wouldn’t majority get it. Anywhere elsehundreds in the ofnation thousands ofget Puerto Rico voters in Florida.That In I would that benefit automatically. a discriminatory post-election analysis byin” David Shor, itRico, became rule---“opt if in Puerto “opt out” if that anywhere else--was devised Medicare known Nelson did 10.6% worsefor among to be less expensive for the federal government in Puerto Ricans than other Hispanics as that Puerto Rico, only in Puerto Rico. nominee, surely year’s Democratic gubernatorial Concerning Medicaid, thecredentials program towere provide because his pro-statehood not known. In that sense, Nelson’s strategists, Hispanic or not, had him ignore the issue that could have mobilized enough pro-statehood

the federal treasury would be over $4 billion, and the federal share would be 83%.

While those benefits are automatic in a state, non-existent support.

Puerto Rico’s non-voting representative Jenniffer Multiple Republicans in the House have actively González, Governor Pedro Pierluisi, and their co-sponsored Puerto Rico statehood legislation, predecessors for generations, have to devote alland of Puerto Rico’s Republican leaders a lotwhich of time lobbying efforts to plead with strongly Marco Rubio hason chosen Congress andsupport. every President from LBJ to seekto the step equality that would residents of back from the guarantee issue. He has not earned Puerto Ricomidterms the “right to life” that is automatic on In for the any pro-statehood votes. the the mainland. meantime, he’s running against a strong There are manyHR1522 reasonsco-sponsor why an absolute statehooder, Val Demings. majority of Puerto Ricans in PuertoHispanic Rico want If Val Demings strategists, or statehood.

According to multiple over 75% otherwise, have not plannedpolls, to attract hundreds of Puerto Ricans inofFlorida, over 60% Puerto of Puerto of thousands pro-statehood Rican votes Ricans New Yorkearly and probably anthe absolute Kenneth Davison McClintock, for in the taking enough in last 8 weeks majority of the two thirds of America’s Puerto of the campaign, Demings may end up like Bill former Lt. Governor Ricans who have chosen to live in the states Nelson, losing by a slim 10,033 votes, instead of and not in discriminated Puerto Rico, also want winning a Senate seat that she’s certainly earned. statehood for the territory. However, because of Likewise, many Republicans among Florida’s the discrimination in extending federally financed Puerto Rican are uncomfortable with Puerto Rican voters to place him over the top andhealth services to electorate the island, it is also a life or Ron DeSantis and would look favorably at Charlie kept him, and not Rick Scott, in the Senate. death issue, a denial of the Right to Life.

Crist if his strategists remind them that At this time, Florida’s Senate and Governor’s As Congress struggles towould legislate and keep he’s always voted for measures favored races are, at best, too close to call, according America fiscally stable past Friday, February 18,by Puerto Rico’s one-woman congressional delegation, to the polls. Both Charlie Crist and Val Demings Puerto Ricans on the mainland as well as their Rep. Jenniffer González, and its governor, need every vote they can get. At least tens of representatives in Congress should make sure Pedro Pierluisi, and hastostrongly supported HR1522, the thousands Republican Puerto Rico voters in the next few days include language that will services to allofthe medically indigent throughout Puerto Act. Rico, providing are uncomfortable with Marco and Ron protect the Rico RightAdmissions to Life in Puerto America, the cost in Puerto Rico is Rubio’s statutorily Val Demings and Charlie don’ttoquestion benefits under Medicare andCrist Medicaid capped at less $400 million and federal DeSantis’ lackthan of active support forthe Puerto Rico’s equal If its citizens in our territory.

That prefer shouldto beignore our Puerto share is limited 55% of totalmany cost, of requiring the strategists that would admission as atostate.

If the asked, those agenda for the nextissue week,asseeking the ignored America’s poorest jurisdiction to cover 45% offirst the andurgent Rico’s political status Bill Nelson voters will tell you they are statehooders full it extension Rightas tosomeone Life in Puerto cost.

In a state with demographics similar to the in 2018, of I’mThe afraid, whoRico has Republican second. through equality in and statehood. nation’s territory, total cost to campaigned Florida for 30 years, Democrats Bothmost Cristpopulated and Demings havethe a golden may lose the two most important races in Florida opportunity, which predecessors like Bill Nelson in November. They still have a chance, but the ignored, to dramatize their strong support for clock is ticking.

Puerto Rico versus Rubio and DeSantis weak or

As Congress struggles to Thousands Republican legislate andof keep America Puerto stable Rico voters are fiscally past Friday, uncomfortable withRicans Marcoon February 18, Puerto Rubio’s and Ron DeSantis’ the mainland as well as theirlack of active support Puerto representatives in for Congress Rico’s admission as the a state. should make sure in next few days to include language that will protect the Right to Life in Puerto Rico, providing equal benefits under Medicare and Medicaid to its citizens in our territory.

11

< The Weekly Journal > Wednesday, September 14, 2022

12

/ Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Ruby Bridges, desegregation trailblazer, writes kids book

The book is aimed at readers as young as 4-year-olds

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Jay Reeves – The Associated Press

uby Bridges was a 6-year-old firstgrader when she walked past jeering crowds of white people to become one of the first Black students at racially segregated schools in New Orleans more than six decades ago. Now, with teaching about race in America more complicated than it’s ever been, she’s authored a picture book about her experience for the youngest of readers.

Bridges, along with three other Black students at a different school, were the first to integrate what had been all-white schools in New Orleans in 1960.

“I Am Ruby Bridges,” featuring illustrations by Nikkolas Smith, goes on sale last week. Published

by Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., it’s aimed at readers as young as 4.

U.S. Deputy Marshals escort 6-year-old Ruby Bridges from William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, in Complete with a glossary that includes the this file photo from November 14, 1960. >AP Photo/File words “Supreme Court” and “law,” the book is an uplifting story about opportunities and kids being able to make a difference, Bridges said in an Elementary School. The scene was made famous interview with The Associated Press. in the Norman Rockwell painting “The Problem “It’s a true reflection of what happened through We All Live With,” which hung in the White House my own eyes,” she said. near the Oval Office during the tenure of former But books by or about President Barack Obama.

Bridges have been challenged by The book’s theme plays off conservatives in several school the author’s name: “Ruby” is a districts amid complaints over precious stone, and “Bridges” are race-related teaching. Bridges said meant to bring people together.

The book is she hopes the new book winds up Told with a touch of humor from an uplifting story in elementary school libraries. the vantage point of a first-grader, about opportunities “I’ve been very, very fortunate the book captures the wonder of and kids being because of the way I tell my story Bridges’ experience — rather than Ruby Bridges, civil rights activist able to make a that my babies come in all shapes just the scariness of that raucous difference. and colors, and my books are first day at the school. bestsellers, and maybe banned “It really looks like Mardi Gras kids understand that you can’t look at someone in schools,” she said. “But I think to me, but they aren’t throwing and judge them,” Bridges said. parents really want to get past our any beads. What’s Mardi Gras Elsewhere in New Orleans on the same day racial differences. They’re going to without beads?” Bridges writes.

Bridges went to school, Gail Etienne, Leona Tate seek out those books.”

The only parade that day was out of the school. and Tessie Prevost entered the previously allBridges was born in 1954, the same year the White parents immediately began withdrawing white McDonogh No. 19 elementary school. Last U.S. Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation their children, so Bridges spent the entire year by year, New Orleans held a weekend of events to of public schools was unconstitutional. Southern herself with white teacher Barbara Henry, who remember Bridges and other women. school districts, including New Orleans, continued is still alive and a “very best friend,” Bridges said.

Bridges, a Mississippi native, still lives in metro resisting integration for years.

Henry’s acceptance and kindness during a fraught New Orleans and has authored or co-authored But on Nov. 14, 1960, Bridges — carrying a plaid time taught her an important lesson, she said. five books. Two years she published “This Is Your book satchel and wearing a white sweater — was “That shaped me into a person that is not Time,” which is intended for older children than escorted by four federal marshals past a taunting prejudiced at all. And I feel like that little girl is still white crowd into segregated William Frantz inside of me, and that’s it’s my calling to make sure her new book.

In fact,

I’ve been very, very fortunate because of the way I tell my story that my babies come in all shapes and colors… I think parents really want to get past our racial differences.

13

/ Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Director Darren Aronofsky, left, and Brendan Fraser pose for photographers at the photo call for the film ‘The Whale’ during the 79th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy. >Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP

Brendan Fraser celebrated for comeback role in ‘The Whale’

play, going out to see it, and knowing he had to meet the writer.

One line in particular stuck out to him: “People are incapable of not caring.” That’s why, he said, he had to make the film.

But casting presented a challenge.

“To a lot of Sam Hunter’s pain, it took me 10 Lindsay Bahr – The Associated Press years to make this movie and that’s because it took me 10 years to cast,” Aronofsky said. “Casting ENICE, Italy (AP) – Brendan Fraser Charlie was a huge challenge. I considered is having a moment at the Venice everyone. Every single movie star on the planet.

But none of it really clicked. ... It didn’t move me. It International Film Festival. didn’t feel right.”

The once ubiquitous movie Then, a few years ago, he saw a trailer for “a star of “The Mummy” franchise and “George of the Jungle” had, in low-budget Brazilian movie” with Fraser and “a lightbulb went off,” he said. the last decade, Fraser, who also has a role backed away from the spotlight. alongside Leonardo DiCaprio But Fraser is charting what could in Martin Scorsese’s next film, be a major comeback starting with “Killers of the Flower Moon,” said his transformative role in Darren he doesn’t “know an actor in my Aronofsky’s “The Whale,” which Beyond his peer group worth his weight in had its world premiere Sunday physicality, Charlie salt who wouldn’t want to work night at the festival. is also a character with Darren.”

As the credits rolled in the Sala with profound Plus: “By far and away I think Grande Theater, the audience empathy and love Charlie is the most heroic man I gave the film a long standing for everyone around have ever played,” Fraser added. ovation while Fraser, on the him, including his “His superpower is to see the balcony alongside his director and estranged daughter. good in others and bring that out co-stars, wiped tears away. of them.”

Fraser plays Charlie, a reclusive Prosthetics were used to English teacher with a kind soul transform Fraser into Charlie, who who weighs 600 pounds (270 rarely leaves his couch. kilograms). While the film already has pundits “I needed to learn to absolutely move in a new predicting Oscar nominations, Fraser is trying not way. I developed muscles I did not know that I to think about whether awards are in his future. had. I even felt a sense of vertigo at the end of the “I’m just trying to stay in today,” Fraser said day when all the appliances were removed, as you before the premiere. would feel stepping off of a boat in Venice,” Fraser Aronofsky has been trying to make “The Whale” said. “It gave me an appreciation for those with for about 10 years. He vividly remembers reading bodies similar. ... I learned that you need to be an The New York Times review of Samuel D. Hunter’s

Fraser plays a reclusive English teacher with a kind soul who weighs 600 pounds

V

In fact,

“By far and away I think Charlie is the most heroic man I have ever played.”

Brendan Fraser, actor

incredibly strong person, physically, mentally, to inhabit that body.”

Beyond his physicality, Charlie is also a character with profound empathy and love for everyone around him, including his estranged daughter, Ellie, played by “Stranger Things” star Sadie Sink.

Hunter, who also wrote the screenplay, said his play is personal. He started it 12 years ago when he was teaching a mandatory expository writing course at Rutgers University that no one wanted to take and everyone resented. He also pulled from his own background, setting the play in his hometown of Moscow, Idaho, and weaving in his history of being depressed, self-medicating with food and going to a fundamentalist religious high school as a gay teenager.

“I was afraid to write it,” he said. “I thought the only way I can do it is if I write it from a profoundly place of love and empathy. ... I wanted (Charlie) to be a lighthouse in the middle of a dark, dark sea.”

Aronofsky and cinematographer Matthew Libatique, whose friendship stretches back to their days at the American Film Institute in 1990, spent quite a bit of time talking about “how to turn theater into cinema” and “how to make that engaging and exciting.” In the rough cut, Aronofsky said he was relieved to find that it didn’t feel claustrophobic.

Fraser added that the film is “a piece of cinema.

Proper cinema.”

14

/ Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Broadway theater renamed in honor of James Earl Jones The second on the Great White Way named after a Black artist

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Mark Kennedy – The Associated Press

EW YORK (AP) — The newly restored Cort Theatre on Broadway has been renamed after James Earl Jones, becoming the second theater on the Great White Way named after a Black artist.

The ceremony included Norm Lewis singing “Go the Distance,” Brian Stokes Mitchell singing “Make Them Hear You” and words from Mayor Eric Adams, Samuel L. Jackson and LaTanya Richardson Jackson. The 91-year-old Jones did not attend.

The honor adds to the many that the iconic actor Jones has amassed, including two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, the National Medal of Arts and the Kennedy Center Honors. He also was given an honorary Oscar and a special Tony for lifetime achievement.

“It means everything. You can’t think of an artist that has served America more,” director Kenny Leon told The Associated Press ahead of the represents the good in all of us.’” ceremony. “It’s like it seems like a small act, but it’s Leon was joined at the ceremony by Suzan-Lori a huge action. It’s something we can look up and Parks, NaTasha Yvette Williams, Danielle Brooks, see that’s tangible.”

Corey Hawkins, Phylicia Rashad and Woody King, The renaming comes after a wide Broadway Jr. coalition of theater owners, producers, union Jujamcyn already has the August Wilson Theatre leaders, creators and casting and the Nederlander Organization directors hammered out will soon rename the Brooks a series of reforms and Atkinson Theatre after Lena Horne, commitments in 2021 for the marking the first time a Black theater industry to ensure woman will have a Broadway theater equity, diversity, inclusion and named in her honor.

The honor adds to the accessibility.

The three-tier Cort Theatre — at many that the iconic One requirement of 138 W. 48th St. — opened in 1912 actor Jones has the so-called New Deal for and was built by and named for amassed, including Broadway was that the Shubert, John Cort, general manager of the two Emmys, a Golden Nederlander and Jujamcyn Northwestern Theatrical Association.

Globe, two Tony theater chains have at least Thomas Lamb was the architect.

Awards, a Grammy, one of their theaters named It has undergone a $47 million and the National after a Black artist. Artists like restoration and expansion that Medal of Arts, among LaChanze, Audra McDonald, includes the building of a 35-foot others.

Wendell Pierce, Billy Porter and wide and 100-foot deep adjacent Leon backed the proposals. space to the theater that allows for “I couldn’t think of anybody bars and lounges on every level, new more deserving of this honor,” bathrooms for men and women, and said Leon. “When I think about elevators, all in compliance with the Americans it, I think about young kids. I think about Black kids, with Disabilities Act. white and Asian kids, all kinds of kids, standing The James Earl Jones Theatre has a wider stage up outside of that theater and looking up and and a trap room underneath — making musicals saying, ‘That’s it: The James Earl Jones Theatre. That now an option — and a new upstairs rehearsal

In fact,

The Cort Theatre on Broadway in New York will be renamed after Jones on Monday, becoming the second theater on the Great White Way named after a Black artist. >Photo

by Charles Sykes/ Invision/AP, File

It means everything. You can’t think of an artist that has served America more.

Kenny Leon, film director

space that matches the stage’s footprint. There is also an upgraded wardrobe room and offices for theater staff and roomy dressing rooms.

Inside the theater, the architect has brought back the Marie Antoinette color palette in the seating, ornamental plaster, drapery, lighting and carpet. Original cove lighting have been replaced with long life lamps and the original Tiffany glass illuminated proscenium has been restored.

New wider seats actually mean the interior lost four seats from its just-over-1,000 seats — but it promises to offer a more comfortable experience. A new rigging system has been added, as well as a refashioned orchestra pit and ventilation systems.

15

/ Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Just days after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, unofficial souvenirs have rolled out at royal-themed gift shops in London and online marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy. >AP

A piece of the queen: New souvenirs mark monarch’s death

Unofficial souvenirs have rolled out at royal-themed gift shops in London

L

Kelvin Chan and Jeffrey Schaeffer – The Associated Press

ONDON (AP) — There are fridge magnets, tea sets and flags. And of course mugs, T-shirts and sweatshirts with the face of Queen Elizabeth II that are inscribed with the dates of her 70-year reign: 19522022.

Just days after the death of Britain’s longestserving monarch, unofficial souvenirs have rolled out at royal-themed gift shops in London and online marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy.

Cool Britannia, a shop selling U.K.-themed memorabilia across the street from Buckingham Palace, pushed its suppliers to work overnight to get mementos ready by Saturday, just two days after the queen’s death, store manager Ismayil Ibrahim said. Items depicting the new monarch, King Charles III, were also on their way to Ibrahim’s shop, where tourists were buying other royal gifts like queen bobbleheads and rubber ducks wearing crowns.

Official merchandise, however, will take longer to arrive to approved vendors, who have suspended sales of royal souvenirs out of respect for the mourning period.

Based on strong customer demand for gifts for the queen’s recent Platinum Jubilee celebrating her seven decades on the throne, Ibrahim anticipates even greater interest in souvenirs commemorating her life and death.

“People kept asking us, ‘Have you got anything yet?’,” Ibrahim said.

So he quickly stocked T-shirts and mugs saying, “Forever in our Hearts” and “Gone but not forgotten,” bearing a portrait of the queen as a

young woman. Another version carried portraits merchandise like Ibrahim are poised to capitalize on of the queen both young and old with the words: it, raising questions over copyright. But it’s unlikely “Queen Elizabeth II — The Greatest Reign 1952that the royal family will take legal action, according 2022.” to a lawyer specializing in trademark law.

There was a constant stream of tourists browsing “Given the fascination with the monarchy at the shop Monday, and two others nearby, though it would be a full-time job to stop unlicensed not many were buying the items commemorating merchandise,” said Charlotte Wilding, a partner at her reign. the firm Wedlake Bell.

Lorenzo Corbani, an Italian living in Bath, “I suspect the Royal Family takes the view that England, bought a solar-powered bobblehead figure it would rather not punish the general public for of the queen for his mother, who was a big fan. its ‘support,’ even if that support may not be in the “She felt she was a great woman,” said Corbani, correct form,” Wilding said by email. “Bad press is 35. just not something the Royal Family Unofficial gifts have spread want to be a part of or risk being quickly online, too. Sellers on eBay a part of, even if they are legally in are already hawking King Charles the right.”

III souvenir mugs, badges, fridge In the meantime, official vendors Official magnets, and key rings that say of royal gifts are observing a 10vendors of royal “God Save The King.” Amazon day mourning period. One of gifts are observing vendors are flogging similarly them, the Royal Collection Trust, a 10-day mourning tacky and hastily churned out royal which manages public access to period. merchandise like Union Jack flags the queen’s residences, said on its adorned with Charles’ portrait and website that its shops have closed decals and posters commemorating in London, Windsor and Edinburgh Queen Elizabeth II’s life. There’s and online sales of items like even a pet bandana with the dates of her reign.

Buckingham Palace magnets have been suspended.

At Majestic Gifts near Buckingham Palace, Paul With no official items to snag, Judy Kline, a Callaghan splurged on a tin of Platinum Jubilee 74-year-old tourist from suburban Detroit, spent 32 English breakfast tea bearing the queen’s picture pounds on souvenirs at a tourist shop at London’s for 15 pounds ($17.50), which he said was a one-off famed Piccadilly Circus, including several ornate blue purchase. and white fridge magnets with the queen’s portrait.

“It’s not cheap, but it’s limited. It’s never going to “I have some friends who are very envious that happen again,” said Callaghan, 35, who works in they’re not on this trip with us. I wanted to give financial services and was visiting London from Dublin. them a little token,” Kline said.

Now that the queen has died, he decided to buy Kline said she felt a certain affinity with the royals a memento “before all the stocks run out.” and wanted to buy King Charles III memorabilia but “Because, again, it’s quite a historic thing. You’re would be departing before any arrived at souvenir never going to see a queen live until this long or shops and stalls. reign this long,” Callaghan said. “And not only that, “The prince — I mean the king — is a year but we’re probably not going to have another queen younger than I am. So I saw him as a little kid, and for another century.” he was like my peer, you know?” Kline said. “And There’s likely to be big demand for King Charles then their grandkids are just a little bit younger than III souvenirs, and vendors of unofficial royal our grandkids.”

In fact,

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