The Weekly Journal January 15-21, 2020

Puerto Rico and the Caribbean

Wednesday, January 15-21, 2020 / no. 038

www.theweeklyjournal.com

PUERTO RICO’S HOTEL OPENINGS FOR 2020 P14 ENERGY RATES COULD RISE AFTER QUAKE P6

AFTER QUAKES,

HOW TO STAY SAFE DURING AN EARTHQUAKE P10

>Carlos Giusti/AP

NEW RECONSTRUCTION CHALLENGES FOLLOW

According to official preliminary estimates, the tremors have caused $120 million in damages, but other analyses calculate that losses could reach $1.7 billion

P

Cynthia López Cabán

MLB PLAYER CARLOS CORREA’S CHARITABLE ENDEAVORS ON THE ISLAND P20

clopez@wjournalpr.com

@cynthia_lope

uerto Rico was still recovering from Hurricane Maria’s bruising, when a magnitude 6.4 earthquake rocked the island last week causing $120 million in losses and leveling 559 homes in the southwestern region of the U.S territory, according to the preliminary estimate included with the major disaster declaration petition.

This figure, however, doesn’t include the harm to

public infrastructure like schools, roads, bridges and the ailing electric grid, which the executive director of Puerto Rico’s Electric Power Authority (Prepa), José Ortiz, said sustained about $50 million in damages, or the estimated daily regional economic impact which oscillates between $16.8 to $21 million, according to economist Gustavo Vélez.

In the petition, Gov. Vázquez stated that a preliminary evaluation by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) calculated the damages at $838 million, which represents 1 percent of the island’s gross domestic product (GDP).

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A WEEK IN REVIEW THE PUERTO RICO PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST ANNOUNCES RESEARCH GRANT The opportunity is available to qualified researchers or professionals who have obtained a medical or doctorate degree in health sciences from public or private universities, colleges or research institutions located in Puerto Rico. Awarded grants could be of up to $10,000.

Grantees must use the monies to develop an innovative health concept or product, even within the telehealth industry, in Puerto Rico. The research must be able to have a positive impact in the island’s economic development and be aligned with the Trust’s community vision. For more information, write to info@prpht.org >Archive

CALIFORNIA SENT 35 DISASTER SPECIALISTS TO PUERTO RICO AFTER QUAKES

NEW YORK GOV. ANDREW CUOMO HEADED TO PUERTO RICO TO HELP Gov. Andrew Cuomo brings down 115 National Guards-people, emergency blankets, pillows, meals and technical support with the New YorK Power Authority (NYPA). “The island still hasn’t fully recovered and then they get hit with an earthquake and a second. I am proud of the delegation that we have with us here today,” said Gov. Cuomo on Tuesday. >Carlos Rivera Giusti

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

Governor Gavin Newsom sent members of the California Department of Social Services, CalRecycle, Caltrans and the Division of the State Architect within the Department of General Services to aid in Puerto Rico for 16 days.

“California stands with the people of Puerto Rico,” Gov. Newsom said in a press release. “Our nation-sized state knows first-hand the devastating toll of natural disasters and we will provide aid and support as our brothers and sisters rebuild and recover.” >AP

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indicated state secretary Elmer Román in a press conference on the earthquakes. Classes had been scheduled to start on Jan. 9, after the holiday break, but that date has been pushed back due to the sequence of seismic events that started on Dec. 28 and even collapsed the Playa Ventana rock formation, in Guayanilla.

Despite the initial declaration of a state emergency, and the parade of politicians visiting the affected areas, evacuees and even some mayors have bemoaned the state government’s slow response to the emergency.

Chávez explained that the government is taking the necessary steps to ensure access to federal emergency aid. Last week, President Donald Trump issued a state of emergency declaration which allows the island to tap into funds for

For Gustavo Vélez, the earthquakes laid bare the government’s shortcomings. >Josian E. Bruno Gómez

An estimate by economist José Alameda calculated the preliminary impact to be in the ballpark of $1.7 billion, factoring in the loss of GDP and the 30-day aftershock scenario of the USGS, but he didn’t rule out the possibility of it exceeding $2 billion.

Acknowledging the island’s vulnerable situation, and the delay on the arrival of federal recovery funds after Hurricane Maria slammed the island over two years ago, Ottmar Chávez, the executive director of the Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency (COR3), felt more confident that this time around the government’s response to the emergency would be more timely and effective.

“I feel more confident and optimistic because for this event we have the knowledge and team to handle the recovery,” Chávez stated in an interview with THE WEEKLY JOURNAL. “As for the recovery of Maria, since my arrival six months ago, we have accelerated the pace of work. We’re not satisfied, neither the federal or the local government. We continue to fight for the reconstruction process that the people deserve.

At this juncture, it’s important that we remain calm. FEMA is working with us. The National Guard and other groups are offering support.

The government is committed to making this response as efficient as possible to ensure that the residents of the southern areas receive the

help they need.”

After the quake, whose tremors were felt as far north as San Juan, even though the epicenter was off the island’s southern coast, the Financial Oversight and Management Board (FOMB) authorized the disbursement of $260 million for emergency expenses related to the quake.

Four days later, Gov. Vázquez announced the immediate disbursement of $2 million for the hard-hit towns of Ponce, Peñuelas, Guánica, Utuado, Guayanilla and Yauco.

Nearly 8,023 people have taken refuge in 42 government and non-governmental shelters located in 14 municipalities, while hundreds more are sleeping outside their homes, some in cars and others in tents, out of fear of the structures in which they live. At least eight people were injured and one person was killed when a wall collapsed on him at his residence in Ponce.

On Monday, almost a week after the earthquake, although Prepa reported power was restored to 99 percent of its customers, they were urging them to save energy as to minimize power outages. Their request is in response to having the largest plant of the system, Costa Sur, which produces a quarter of the island’s electricity, still offline.

Public schools certified as safe are set to resume classes on Jan. 22. As of Monday, engineers had inspected 388 of 856 schools,

Puerto Rico is a patient who has a significant structural chronic disease. It needs another type of structure. Even with the reconstruction aid, if the economy surges 1 or 2 percent it will remain on the negative side because we had dropped 6 percent... It is not the result of an investment over an investment. It is the result of divestment to try to mitigate the impact of that economic downturn.

-Economist José Alameda

simple life provisions like food, water and folding cots. According to the Stafford Act, the total amount of assistance may not exceed $5 million but FEMA clarified that this is not a “hard limit” and, if needed, the president can authorize an extension.

Last Saturday, the governor requested a major disaster declaration to gain access to individual help, such as the $500 in assistance, temporary shelter and unemployment assistance, and psychological help. It also provides funds for debris removal, repairs of bridges and other structures as well as hazard mitigation assistance to implement initiatives to prevent or reduce long term risk to life and property from natural hazards.

In the aftermath, $2.4 billion were disbursed for individual assistance and other $14 billion for repairs, including $5 billion for the reconstruction of the grid’s transmission and distribution lines, and over $4 billion roads and bridges.

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Although Chávez, doesn’t know when Trump will issue the major disaster declaration, he explained that contrary to Maria, there is an administrative structure in place to help request and allocate federal funds.

“Prior to the hurricane, this office didn’t exist. But now we have a structure to guide municipalities, agencies and nongovernmental organizations through the process,” he indicated, while highlighting his good working relationship with FEMA officials.

Recognizing the magnitude of the task, COR3 plans to expand its team by the end of the year to 400 or 500 workers, from the 125 employees it currently has. “In fact, FEMA in Puerto Rico has more than 2,300 employees and more than 80 percent are Puerto Ricans who were not here before Maria.”

While FEMA and COR3 work on reconstruction efforts, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) continues to delay the allocation of $8.2 billion of Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Recovery assigned by Congress to assist in the island’s recovery after the havoc caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Despite the intervention of resident commissioner Jenniffer González, chair of the Puerto Rico Republican Party, HUD secretary Ben Carson has not released the needed funds.

As Puerto Rico weathered the quakes, top Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, blasted the Trump administration again for withholding the money unlawfully and called on officials to “cease and desist that illegal activity”, while questioning whether the federal government will give Puerto Rico what it needs to recover this time, reported The Washington Post.

Although Ottmar Chávez doesn’t know when Trump will issue the major disaster declaration, he explained that there is now an administrative structure in place to help request and allocate federal funds. >Josian E. Bruno Gomez

Challenging Economic Environment

For economist Vélez, the earthquakes laid bare the government’s shortcomings. Without qualms, the president and CEO of Inteligencia Económica said that public officials didn’t learn much from Maria and that they are using this emergency for political gain in a prelude to the next election cycle.

“They learned nothing. Two years and four months later and nothing has been done.

Everything remains the same. We didn’t organize effectively to request federal aid. We haven’t privatized Prepa and haven’t eliminated the inventory tax,” Vélez insisted.

He also warned that if the emergency isn’t handled properly, the municipalities affected by the quakes could suffer an exodus of people and become ghost towns. Poverty levels in the southern towns affected by the tremors oscillates between 50 to 63 percent, highlighted Vélez, who estimated that these six towns represent 8 or 10 percent of the aggregate economic activity. If the cost of the day of the big quake was calculated in $210 million, then the daily regional impact oscillates between $16.8 to $21 million, without computing the social cost of displacement and uncertainty or damaged infrastructure.

“The quake hit the poorest, the most vulnerable,” Gustavo insisted. “If there had

Economist José Alameda proposed a plan in which the government creates social and economic policies recognizing the country’s vulnerabilities, depoliticizes the public sector and gives special attention to food security. >Brandon Cruz González

been, at least, an effort to start rebuilding... this wouldn’t have found us so weak. This economy is very fragile, particularly the energetic system.”

Despite the grim forecast, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Alameda, for instance, suggested that the government should plan social and economic policies recognizing the country’s vulnerabilities, depoliticize the public sector and give special attention to food security, because the island imports most of the provisions it consumes.

“Puerto Rico is a patient who has a significant structural chronic disease. It needs another type of structure. Even with the reconstruction aid, if the economy surges 1 or 2 percent it will remain on the negative side because we had dropped 6 percent... It is not the result of an investment over an investment. It is the result of divestment to try to mitigate the impact of that economic downturn,” Alameda argued.

Vélez, on the other hand, suggested that the government needs to define its priorities, privatize Prepa, take measures to expedite its exit from the bankruptcy-like process it initiated under Title III of the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act to restructure its $70-billion plus debt load, and create a climate of investment where investors feel safe.

“With Vázquez, the frictions with the Board have subsided. It is time to restructure Prepa’s debts, the central government and the Highway and Transportation Authority so we can emerge from Title III, which was the Board’s objective for this year,” he indicated.

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Most of Puerto Rico’s power is produced in the south of the island, but the highest demand is in the northern region, which includes the capital city, San Juan. > Carlos Rivera Giusti

Rate Increase on the Horizon After Quake

In the aftermath of last week’s quake and subsequent aftershocks and tremors, experts call for a revision of Prepa’s Integrated Resource Plan and the Restructuring Support Agreement with bondholders

A Cynthia López Cabán

clopez@wjournalpr.com

@cynthia_lope

n increase in the cost of electricity looms ahead due to the 6.4 magnitude earthquake that rattled Puerto Rico last week, following days of seismic activity, and plunging the U.S. territory into darkness, again.

“Definitely [we are going to see a hike] because during the emergency we are using generators that run on diesel like Cambalache, Aguirre and the San Juan unit ,that has not been converted to gas and run on diesel, a more expensive fuel,”

indicated Tomás Torres Placa, the consumer interest representative to the utility’s governing board and the executive director of the Institute for Competitiveness and Sustainable Economy.

“In the next billing cycle, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (Prepa) will do a balance of costs. All generating costs are transferred to customers. But we can’t forget that fuel prices are going up in response to the instability in Iran,” he added.

The islandwide power outage and the collapse of buildings and houses prompted Gov. Wanda Vázquez to declare a state of emergency. The situation raised concerns about the fragile condition of the electric grid knocked out by the Hurricane Maria’s unrelenting winds back in Sept.

2017.

Firstly, authorities explained that the blackout was triggered by automatic emergency response systems, which shut off power plants as a safety mechanism. However, after minimizing the quake’s impact on the grid’s infrastructure and predicting that power would be restored by midday on Tuesday, the executive director of Prepa, José Otiz, finally admitted that the tremor had severely damaged Costa Sur, the electrical network’s largest power plant in Guayanilla, a municipality near the earthquake’s epicenter.

Ortiz, who has been under fire for offering unreliable information about the system’s recovery process, also said to CBS NEWS that Costa Sur could be out for over a year. However, Ángel Perez, the operations manager at the plant, told the network that if his team worked for 24 hours around the clock it could be back in service within a month.

Despite several requests from THE WEEKLY JOURNAL, Ortiz declined to comment for this story.

While Prepa engineers began restoring electricity to some parts of the island within hours of the quake, two-thirds of the utility’s 1.4 million customers remained without power for two days.

A week after the earthquake, only one percent of islanders don’t have electricity, and power outages have become an everyday occurrence throughout the island. Authorities have warned it could take weeks to stabilize the system, which, according to Ortiz, suffered an estimated $50 million in damages, but no assessment of losses was presented to the governing board prior to publicly sharing the figure.

After Maria, concerns centered around the grid’s capacity to sustain gusty winds since the brunt of the losses and the repairs concentrated on the transmission and distribution lines, but the

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earthquake inflicted damage to the infrastructure, affecting the system’s ability to produce electricity.

“The quake brought to light other risks that Prepa was not prepared to handle. We need to study the situation and develop an Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) that takes into account these vulnerabilities for the future. One option, to deal with these risks, could be to decentralize the generation, move part of it to the north, as we have recommended in the past, but these measures require time and money and, as you know, Prepa is bankrupt,” stated Sergio Marxuach, policy director for the Center for a New Economy (CNE), a think tank that has been closely monitoring the island’s energy transformation.

Most of Puerto Rico’s power is produced by plants located on the south of the island, but the highest demand accumulates in the northern region, which includes the capital city, San Juan.

Marxuach recognized the anxiety and the uncertainty that power failure causes, but cautioned against quick fixes that in the long run could cause another major breakdown.

“We have to repair the system gradually and do it right,” he continued.

Torres Placa agreed that the utility has to revisit not only the IRP submitted to the Energy Bureau for approval, but also the Restructuring Support Agreement (RSA) reached with bondholders and backed by the Financial Oversight and Management Board (FOMB).

Last Thursday, at the FOMB’s request, federal judge Laura Taylor Swain postponed until March 31 the hearing on the final approval of the RSA as to allow the commonwealth’s Legislature to approve the $8.3 billion restructuring deal. The legislation is widely rejected by diverse sectors of society due to the damaging consequences it

could have on the economy as a result of the rate increases it includes for debt serving.

“These events have created a new paradigm that canceled any benefit that the agreement with the bondholders could’ve had. It was not viable before and now there is just no possibility of

We have to revise the IRP and the RSA because they don’t promote a true transformation of the electric system.

-Tomás Torres Placa, Consumer Interest Representative to Prepa’s Governing Board

viability,” Torres Placa pointed out.

“There is a limit on how much we can pay in rate increases, but we should also ponder how much of the increase should be used to pay an old debt owned by two vulture funds that bought it in a secondary market, and how much of Prepa’s income should be allocated to modernize the system and address these risks,” added Marxuach in a separate interview.

Torres Placa also warned about pitfalls in the Integrated Resource Plan that, far from complying with the clean energy policy that pledges to produce 40 percent of the territory’s power from renewable sources by 2025, leans towards natural gas terminals, a risky proposition with quakes, and recognizes hikes in energy rates.

“The proposed plan creates eight regions, but it doesn’t produce enough power for the entire island... With that plan, we would have been without energy right now and that cannot happen,” Torres Placa indicated.

Both Marxuach and Torres Placa proposed an energy overhaul of the electric system with an emphasis on renewables.

According to Torres Placa and Marxuach, this experience should move Puerto Ricans into an earthquake preparedness state of mind and toward accepting the reality that the island sits at the edge of the Caribbean tectonic plate and is prone to quakes.

Aside from learning how to cope with this newly discovered way of life, like residents in California, Mexico and Chile do, in the short-term, the government should provide the affected communities with portable illumination, such as solar lamps, equipment to charge mobile phones and basic necessities, Torres Placa insisted.

“After Maria, the Institute for Competitiveness and Sustainable Economy distributed 10,000 solar lamps so people could have lighting at night,” he said.

To mitigate the impact of power outages, people should install solar panels on their roofs or have Tesla batteries as a backup plan to run critical medical equipment, the refrigerator and provide illumination.

“The government must facilitate these initiatives through federal CDBG funds or other funds. In the case of indigent people, the government should provide them with the backup system, but in the case of people that can purchase it, Prepa should be able to finance it through the public utility,” asserted Torres Placa. “We have to revise the IRP and the RSA because they don’t promote a true transformation of the electric system.”

Gov. Wanda Vázquez alongside the executive director of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (Prepa), José Ortiz. >Carlos Rivera Giusti

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What to Do In Case of a Tsunami Alert

Different types of alerts require varying emergency plans, or none at all

W Giovanna Garofalo

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

ith the high number of seismic activities that have continuously engulfed Puerto Rico in the past weeks, residents and visitors may have received or read about different types of tsunami alerts, prompting some to immediately flee their residences or lodging areas. However, not all alerts indicate a real

threat to their livelihoods, which is why everyone who is wary of the situation needs to be able to differentiate the types of alerts.

Christa von Hillebrandt-Andrade, manager of the Caribbean Tsunami Warning Program (CTWP) at the U.S, National Weather Service (NWS) explained that there are four different types of alerts emitted by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC)—a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in charge of monitoring tsunami developments in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). The PTWC works in collaboration with the NWS, the Puerto Rico Seismic Network, the Puerto Rico State Agency for Emergency and Disaster Management (Aemead by its Spanish acronym), and the corresponding authorities in the USVI. The highest level of alert is a tsunami warning, emitted when seismic activity will produce a

tsunami that will generate flooding. When this alert is issued, the Aemead and other government authorities need to conduct an evacuation.

“When we emit a tsunami warning we believe that there could be waves over three feet tall in any point in Puerto Rico and the USVI. The message is that any tsunami warning will apply equally to Puerto Rico, the USVI and the British Virgin Islands,” von Hillebrandt-Andrade told THE WEEKLY JOURNAL. Specifically, the PTWC would communicate this information through a wireless emergency alert (WEA) to all smartphones, unless the owner of said device disables this option in their phone settings. Due to the ongoing earthquakes, it is recommended to activate WEA systems on phones.

A WEA entails that the impact could be felt in minutes or within three hours.

In the case of a tsunami, each municipality has

Christa von Hillebrandt-Andrade explains that the highest level of a tsunami alert, a warning, requires evacuation. >Archive

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its own protocol for notifying residents, such as more than three hours to reach the region. As sirens, and some have plans to mobilize their such, neither the government or residents need emergency management vehicles or police force. to take immediate mobilization measures. As time Meanwhile, the central government would inform passes, the PWTC will continue analyzing the event all regional emergency management directors, until it has a clear idea on whether it represents who would, in turn, collaborate with local offices a flooding risk, a maritime threat or no threat through a radio communication whatsoever. network. Regarding sirens, the “This is very important CTWP manager said that more because in 1755 an earthquake than 70 out of 90 are working in in Portugal generated a tsunami Puerto Rico, nearly as many as that reached our region. This before Hurricane Maria impacted took eight hours to reach the system in 2017. the Virgin Islands and other Warning: Evacuation The second-highest alert is a Caribbean islands. But one required tsunami advisory, often confused cannot emit a tsunami warning Advisory: Avoid beach with a warning. Unlike with a immediately because, with activities warning, the PTWC does not emit time, one can have a better Watch: More a WEA for an advisory, but other understanding of how big it will information pending agencies do emit their own alerts. be,” von Hillebrandt-Andrade News Bulletin: No An advisory implies that there said. threats to the region is minimal risk, but with waves Lastly, the lowest and most between one to three feet in frequent level of alert is a news height. bulletin. The PWTC issues a “That implies that there won’t be flooding but news bulletin after concluding that the event there will be strong water currents, so we don’t does not pose any threat to the region. That is, want anyone to be bathing in the beach, we don’t a tsunami could take place but with waves lower want people to remain in boats and we want than one foot. people to stay away from the docks, for example, “With less than one foot, a tsunami will not but they don’t need to evacuate,” she stated. have greater impact and most people will not The third level is a tsunami watch, to even notice. That’s what happened after the be announced when there has been a seismic [earthquake] on Jan. 7. We issued a news bulletin event and any tsunami generated would take indicating that, yes, this seismic event had

Tsunami Alerts:

Christa von Hillebrandt-Andrade, manager of the Caribbean Tsunami Warning Program (CTWP) at the U.S, National Weather Service (NWS). >Courtesy RUM Press Office

occurred, but according to experts… there wasn’t any threat of tsunamis,” the CTWP manager affirmed.

To stay updated on these news bulletins, visit www.ptwc.weather.gov, redsismica.uprm.edu/ english/ or follow @NWS_PTWC on Twitter.

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In Yauco, a residence on columns exemplifies the structural damage caused by the 6.4 earthquake. >Carlos Rivera Giusti

Collapsed Buildings Not on Par With Construction Codes

Codes consider magnitudes up to 6.5. The strongest local earthquake reached 6.4.

P Giovanna Garofalo

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

uerto Rico’s infrastructure may not be able to withstand earthquakes with greater magnitudes than those documented in past weeks, according to the guidelines established in the most updated Construction Codes.

The codes, which were approved in 2018 and implemented in Feb. 2019, outline the mechanisms

to construct buildings with an ability to endure an earthquake with a magnitude of up to 6.5.

However, on Jan. 7, the temblors peaked at 6.4 on the southern region of the island, with tremors that echoed throughout other areas, including San Juan.

While there have been fewer earthquakes reported in recent days and with lower magnitudes, there is a general concern that the island’s infrastructure would not be able to thwart the impact of further seismic activity.

Félix L. Rivera, chairman of the Earthquake Committee in the Engineers and Land Surveyors Association (CIAPR by its Spanish initials), affirmed to THE WEEKLY JOURNAL that the current codes and their predecessor, the International Building Code of 2009, are “very complete.”

Alas, the engineer acknowledged that if Puerto Rico were to experience an earthquake with a

magnitude of 7.0 or greater, the structures would not be able to completely sustain themselves. He noted that these buildings would not necessarily collapse, but they would certainly face severe damages, such as significant cracks.

THE WEEKLY JOURNAL inquired about the differences between the local codes and other international documents that set a higher magnitude benchmark in their respective regulations.

“In Chile and Alaska, the codes are very strict because these are places that have experienced earthquakes as strong as 9.0. In California— although I don’t have the information on the codes—I know that they use the same as ours.

The codes are international and adjusted to the local situation. Here they could be increased for stronger earthquakes, but the law would have to be amended. It could be increased up to 7.5,” Rivera

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stated.

Moreover, he observed that the hundreds of buildings that have either collapsed or faced substantial damages in the southern and southwestern regions were most likely constructed before or in dismissal of the codes.

“The structures designed and built following the code have not had problems. Those we have seen that have collapsed, the majority had not been designed or built following the codes, we have some very good construction codes,” he said.

The structures that were built before 1987, and before the codes were adopted, have different structural aspects, in things like rod connections and types of mooring, as well as in the union of walls and ceilings. The buildings that were severely impacted by the earthquakes were not limited to decades-old The Agripina Seda school in Guánica was left in shambles after continuous earthquake constructions, however. For activity in the region. >Carlos Rivera Giusti instance, according to Rivera, one damaged building was government creates this Association of State Highway and Transportation -Stay in confined areas like constructed only six years ago problem because there is Officials (AASHTO) and, as such, could sustain the hallways, but preferably in with short columns, which no adequate supervision for impact but that’s not the case for all roads and the bathroom. goes against the codes. this type of construction. It is bridges.

-Do not run down the Meanwhile, the necessary to begin to force “The problem is that here we have bridges that stairs.

Department of Education constructions to be inspected are very old and they gradually lose their capability informed that it has had and certified,” he asserted. due to weight and deterioration. It would be -If lying down on a bed, engineers conduct an Houses and buildings necessary to check whether the proper inspections rest face down and cover inspection of damaged are not the sole concern. and the appropriate improvements are being your head. schools, with the same The American Society of carried out so that these structures are in an optimal -Stay away from windows efforts being replicated for Civil Engineers recently condition,” Rivera said. and heavy furniture. other kinds of structures. gave Puerto Rico a grade As to how the island can rebuild more efficiently -Check tsunami alerts.

Rivera clarified that point average of D- on an to avoid further devastation, Rivera stressed the -If you are in a these were not exactly infrastructure report card, importance of “following the codes, conducting condominium when a inspections, but rather “ocular including a D+ on bridges and soil studies, following the rulings, doing a good tsunami alert is issued, go observations.” Furthermore, D- on roads. blueprint, [and] looking for a good inspector and higher up than the third he blamed the fragile state THE WEEKLY JOURNAL a good contractor.” He also stressed the need for floor. of these constructions on asked Rivera if Puerto Rico’s implementing legislation that would block further the government for a lack of roads and bridges, in their construction in coastal regions, akin to a stalled bill proper supervision. current state, would be able introduced by Senator Juan Dalmau.

“There are houses that to withstand the impact are well designed, but of more earthquakes with THE WEEKLY JOURNAL reporter Brenda A. Vázquez their foundations are not. In those cases, there higher magnitudes. The engineer explained that Colón contributed to this story. is no engineering, which is why they collapse. a number of these structures were built following They are built without any blueprints. The the regulations established under the American

Staying Safe During an Earthquake:

There is concern among parents about school buildings withstanding earthquakes. >Carlos Rivera Giusti

Municipalities in the southern region have had to open shelters to assist the high number of people who have lost their homes or live in vulnerable zones. >Josian E. Bruno Gómez

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It’s a stunning reveal at the opening of Cueva Ventana in Arecibo. >Courtesy Discover Puerto Rico

Tourism Industry Faces Challenges as Seisms Rock Puerto Rico

More than $3 million in losses from hotel booking cancelations

A Giovanna Garofalo

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

s an array of strong seismic activities in Puerto Rico continue to garner local and national attention, the tourism sector is in a highly tumultuous state, reporting both cancellations and increased passenger traffic.

The new year kicked off with a series of earthquakes centered in the southwestern region of the island, with tremors felt as far north as San Juan. The strongest seism was reported on

January 7 with a magnitude of 6.4 that caused a major power blackout islandwide and—combined with the impact of other earthquakes—destroyed various types of buildings and structures and caused more than $100 million in damages. As more insight into the damages came to light, the tourism industry reaffirmed its openness to visitors.

Two days after the 6.4-seism, the Puerto Rico Tourism Co. (PRTC) released a missive informing that the 12 lodges that comprise Paradores de Puerto Rico were in “good shape, open, and available for visitors.”

“This gargantuan labor made by the hostels, as well as the rest of the components of Puerto Rico’s tourism industry, is one of the best ways of supporting economic recovery and is part of the efforts of the central government, of Governor Wanda Vázquez and the municipalities, with the goal of achieving the island’s recovery after the

phenomenon experienced this week,” Campos said.

Brad Dean, CEO of Discover Puerto Rico— the island’s destination marketing organization (DMO)—affirmed in an interview with THE WEEKLY JOURNAL that the entity is currently focused on assisting meeting planners and providing information to travelers with inquiries with tourism updates. Dean stated that the DMO is also working on improving the island’s image by implementing strategic marketing techniques.

“Naturally, we don’t want to be running ads next to stories about damage and destruction, so we’re very precise about when, where, and how we’re messaging for the island right now. Having said that, we all recognize here that the affected areas, while still having to work through the situation, don’t keep the rest of the tourism from running, so we are quick to share information about what’s open and what’s operational,” Dean said.

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The CEO said that they are trying to counteract negative coverage by sharing visual imagery. He said that Discover Puerto Rico is encouraging social media users to share their user-generated content and businesses to post updated visual imagery while generating its own to showcase the current status of the tourism industry.

“I don’t want to be misleading with the tens of millions of dollars of negative publicity we’re receiving. We can’t stop all of that, but part of our job is to make sure that the people know what’s really taking place here and what’s available to visitors today,” he said.

Tourism’s Wins and Losses

Dean affirmed that the DMO has activated a “very aggressive” media plan in which it reaches out to various media and influencers to share some of the information it is releasing.

“We are adjusting our message and placement of ads but at the same time using our media, social media, and relationships with influencers to make certain that travelers and planners have accurate up-to-date information possible,” he explained.

But the tourism entity’s damage control efforts have not been entirely fruitful. The president of the Hotel & Tourism Association, Clarissa Jiménez, confirmed at a radio interview that more than 7,500 room reservations have been canceled, which she said represent more than $3 million in losses in just a handful of days. Some hotels reportedly saw up to a 43 percent drop in reservations.

Dean acknowledged cancellations, although he couldn’t precise how many had taken place nor their impact on the tourism economy. However, he noted that most of these cancellations were made by leisure travels, “who chose not to come to Puerto Rico until things stabilize or until they get further updates.”

The CEO noted that 2019 saw more bookings in meetings and conventions than any other recent year, so the challenge would be to appease the concerns of those meeting planners who are still “eager” to visit Puerto Rico but are wary of the situation.

“Thankfully, the conventions that were here this week, for the most part, come off okay, although there have been a few groups that had to depart early. We know that there are several conventions and meetings planned, literally dozens, for this month and we’re working with each of those on an individual basis to address their concerns and ensure that they have a great experience,” Dean stated.

While hotels and conventions have reported losses, the airport segment saw an increase in passenger traffic. JetBlue reportedly changes its A320 aircraft for A321 planes to increase their flight capacity in the Mercedita Airport in Ponce by 18 percent. The airline also added a new flight that carried 145 passengers last Saturday.

The Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Carolina also announced an elevated number of passengers, though Aerostar Airport Holdings— which oversees the airport—attributed the hike to the 20 percent passenger increase in December 2019 compared to December 2018. With flights to Orlando being sold up to $2,000 last week due

to higher demand, the company acknowledged that part of the upsurge was caused by residents who wanted to flee the island amid the crisis. Alas, a spokesperson listed the high number of cruise passengers who wanted to fly back to their homes as the main reason.

On January 8, one day after the 6.4-earthquake and while most of the island lacked power, Old San Juan received nearly 15,000 cruise passengers from Carnival Breeze, Anthem of the Seas, and Oasis of the Seas. The PRTC executive director affirmed that businesses in Old San Juan were “ready and eager” to welcome passengers and restore commercial dynamics.

“We hope that the cruise passengers who

We all recognize here that the affected areas, while still having to work through the situation, don’t keep the rest of the tourism from running.

-Discover Puerto Rico CEO Brad Dean

visited us enjoyed the ample and varied tourist offer of our Island of Enchantment. This has been an excellent opportunity to support the message abroad that Puerto Rico is open for business and that the seismic events of the past days should not alter the plans of those who have included the island in their travel itineraries soon,” Campos affirmed.

As the tourism sector emphasizes its readiness for business, there has been a difference of opinion in the public sector concerning large-scale festivities at a time when earthquakes are expected to continue for at least several more weeks with varying magnitudes.

SanSe 2020 Shrouded in Controversy

Tomorrow will spark the 50th celebration of the San Sebastian Street Festival, colloquially referred to as SanSe. Traditionally, scores of visitors flood the streets of Old San Juan until Sunday enveloped in musical performances, art exhibits and kiosks, and a vivacious nightlife atmosphere. In light of the tragedy that has engulfed the southwestern region, however, a myriad of residents and politicians have lambasted San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz’s decision to carry on the agenda rather than postponing the festivities or cancel them altogether.

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“The San Sebastian Street festivities will not be canceled. We will make some adjustments to the festivities,” Cruz asserted several days after Governor Wanda Vázquez urged a cancellation, claiming that she was more concerned about “the people’s safety.” The governor had even declared a major state of emergency, which was approved by President Donald J. Trump.

According to Vázquez, the government does not have portable bathrooms available for rent to assist the earthquake-impacted communities because they were reportedly reserved for the SanSe celebrations—a claim that has been rebuked by Portosan, a portable bathroom rental company.

DMO spokesperson Anamarie Caratini said in a radio interview that the governor’s recommendation to cancel SanSe brought a “negative impact” on tourism. “[The mayor’s] decision is aligned with what we say, that we are open for business,” Caratini said.

While SanSe 2020 was originally scheduled to begin on Wednesday, the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture (ICP by its Spanish initials) informed that they would begin on Thursday to mitigate safety concerns.

“Although everything was ready to begin next Wednesday (today), it will be postponed as a preventative measure in light of residents’ concerns caused by last week’s earthquakes and the fragility of Old San Juan’s electric power service.

The decision was made after consulting different alternatives with the group of artisans, plastic artists, and the other cultural resources that make part of the event,” ICP Executive Director Carlos Ruiz Cortés stated.

Multiple artists are still on board with the festivities, but others have canceled their respective performances, even though they still appeared as scheduled acts in the official itinerary.

Some of these are musical group Plenéalo and Sonora Ponceña, and musician Johnny Ventura.

Meanwhile, residents from different parts of the island share contrarian opinions, with some vouching for SanSe’s positive impact on the economy, and others denouncing the celebration as insensitive to the people who have lost their properties due to the earthquakes and remain in unstable circumstances.

Cruz announced at the same press conference that the Perrin Zorrilla Coliseum in San Juan will serve as a shelter for people from those distressed areas, as will other points in the municipalities of Juncos and Barceloneta. Those who are interested in seeking shelter in those designated places may contact 787-751-2790.

“Bring your medicines if you have them; if you don’t have them, we’ll provide them for you,” the mayor said, adding that there will be points in Old San Juan during SanSe to collect aid, food, and other donations.

THE WEEKLY JOURNAL asked Dean if any hotels were serving as shelters for people who had lost their homes or lived in vulnerable zones. The CEO replied: “it’s been a relatively small number of hotels that have been impacted and we were entering into a very busy time, so most hotels were filled with visitors, so I’m not aware of any that have been activated as shelters. We’ll double-check that, but I don’t believe that’s the case.”

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/ Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Puerto Rico’s Highly Anticipated Hotel Openings for 2020 Several in Fajardo and Vieques

D Rosario Fajardo

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

espite the recent earthquakes that hit Puerto Rico, the island’s tourism comeback after Hurricane Maria in 2017 remains on track, with several hotel openings scheduled for this year.

Discover Puerto Rico, the island’s destination marketing organization, has been quick to send the word out that most of the damages reported in last week’s earthquakes were in the southern region, including Guánica and Ponce.

As such, the construction work to expand

Four Seasons Cayo Lago >Courtesy of Four Seasons Cayo Lago

Puerto Rico’s hotel offerings with new luxury accommodations and some re-openings, are continuing as scheduled. These hotels will join the ranks of several that have opened in recent months, such as the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico in Río Grande.

Aloft Hotel at the Convention Center is scheduled to open in early February. The new hotel, located at El Distrito, which aims to be the mecca of entertainment in the Caribbean, will feature 177 rooms, a rooftop infinity pool and a fitness center, among other amenities.

With an investment of an estimated $13.5 million, Aloft hopes to attract business travelers and a younger clientele with its competitive rates.

“Aloft San Juan is a vibrant new hotel featuring loftinspired design that is redefining modern travel,” the company said in a statement.

To ramp up its entertainment offerings, El

Distrito is also opening the $40 million Coca Cola Music Hall in March, which will feature concerts by the likes of Ednita Nazario and Draco Rosa.

“We believe that the quality [of the Music Hall] will achieve a high demand in the production of shows and events that, in turn, will increase our number of visitors and increase room requests,” said Federico Stubbe, president of Prisa Group, the developer of District San Juan.

El Conquistador, a Waldorf Astoria Resort in Fajardo severely damaged by Maria, is scheduled to reopen around the fall, after a $100 million renovation. The hotel, with more than 900 guest rooms and a wide variety of restaurants and other eateries, has already had a soft opening in recent months.

El Conquistador’s jewel is widely considered to be Palomino Island, a private 100-acre island that is reached by the hotel’s own ferry. Guests

/ Wednesday, January 15, 2020

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El Conquistador >Archive

in Vieques, is set to open in late 2020. With an estimated $50 million investment, the luxury hotel will feature 118 suites and villas, an infinity pool, a gym, spa, restaurants and a night club.

British businessman Keith St. Clair has said that the economy of the island municipality of Vieques should receive a big boost from Zafira’s opening, as the venue should attract more international visitors to the so-called Isla Nena. The hotel will also provide around 60 direct jobs, which is important for the small island.

Illustration of the Aloft Hotel >Courtesy of Aloft Hotel

can relax on the beach, swim and snorkel in this private getaway. The resort also has Las Casitas Villas, with one, two or three-bedroom villas, which are perfect for families.

Meanwhile, Four Seasons Cayo Largo is scheduled to open on 610 acres of beachfront property in Fajardo in late 2020. The facility will feature 136 rooms, “five-star luxury” and an 18hole golf course. The total investment for the project has not been disclosed.

“The project has been designed as a villastyle, low-density resort with more than half of the rooms and suites containing private plunge pools. The plan, envisioned by a world-class architectural and landscape team, also calls for multiple communal pools, a five-star spa and fitness center, a kids- and teen-center for families, indoor and outdoor meeting and event space, multiple restaurants providing a variety of dining and entertainment options and complementary retail set around an intimate market square,” the company said in a statement.

In addition to the resort and golf course, 270 acres are being set aside for 315 for-sale residences, 75 of which will be Four Seasons branded.

Finally, the highly anticipated Zafira St. Clair

A Question Mark on an All-inclusive Resort in Guánica

The only hotel opening that seems to be facing a question mark is the Dreams Resort and Spa

Zafira St. Clair >Courtesy of Zafira St. Clair

Puerto Rico in Guánica, located near the UNESCOdesignated world biosphere reserve of the Guánica Dry Forest. Originally scheduled to open in 2018, the inauguration was pushed back to 2020 after Maria.

The all-inclusive resort will have 250 rooms, a spa, clubs for kids and teens, and a wide variety of water sports, such as snorkeling, kayaking and diving. Guests can also take day trips to Gilligan’s Island, a popular destination among locals. Dreams Resorts has not disclosed the total investment for the project.

THE WEEKLY JOURNAL could not reach company officials to inquire about the current state of the project after the recent earthquakes.

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/ Wednesday, January 15, 2020

$4.5 Million Public-Private Effort to Support Solar Businesses and Workforce Training Aims to boost use of solar energy in Puerto Rico

T Rosario Fajardo

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

he recent earthquakes that shook Puerto Rico have highlighted the continuing fragility of the island’s electric power grid, more than two years after Hurricane Maria. The 6.4-magnitude temblor that hit last week also highlighted the need for the island to decrease its dependence on fossil fuels, as much of the island was again left without power.

Now, a public-private initiative hopes to improve resiliency and promote the use of renewables in Puerto Rico.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), Solar Foundation and PathStone Corp. have launched a $4.5 million Puerto Rican Solar Business Accelerator, Workforce and Small Business Development Program to provide business assistance and workforce development for Puerto Rican solar and construction companies.

The project, with support from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), represents a joint, public-private effort to train and place workers in solar-plus-storage and construction. The EDA provided $3.8 million for the program, which meets three of the EDA’s investment priorities: recovery and resiliency, Workforce development and manufacturing, and the newly designated Opportunity Zones. The EDA investment is aimed at fostering job creation and attracting private investment to support development in economically distressed areas of the United States.

According to the Puerto Rico government’s public policy law on renewables, the island aims to derive 40 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2025. Currently, only 2 percent of the island’s energy is drawn from renewables such as solar and wind. This does not include generated electricity that does not go through the Puerto Rico

>Courtesy of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority

Since Hurricane Maria, we have worked in partnership with local installers to bring solar and storage to critical locations in Puerto Rico. We are proud to lead this groundbreaking new program to help expand Puerto Rico’s solar industry and develop a highly qualified workforce.

—Andrea Luecke, president and executive director at the Solar Foundation

Electric Power Authority’s system.

“Since Hurricane Maria, we have worked in partnership with local installers to bring solar and storage to critical locations in Puerto Rico,” said Andrea Luecke, president and executive director at the Solar Foundation. “We are proud to lead

this groundbreaking new program to help expand Puerto Rico’s solar industry and develop a highly qualified workforce.”

The multidisciplinary initiative aims to increase economic resiliency in Puerto Rico with training and technical assistance to help locally owned and operated businesses increase operating efficiencies and participate fully in post-Maria reconstruction efforts. It will also provide workforce and training to prepare unemployed workers and the existing labor force for jobs that support these efforts.

The program will focus on three areas of opportunity: The Puerto Rican Solar Accelerator will work with Puerto Rican solar companies to improve financing, support a robust workforce pipeline, disseminate information on consumer protection and develop two solar and storage microgrid demonstration pilots.

Business Technical Assistance will focus on raising the capacity of locally owned and operated businesses to play a bigger role in rebuilding the Puerto Rico economy with a focus on resiliency and job creation.

Workforce Development will screen, train and place workers in full-time employment within industries that are primarily engaged in the production, sales and installation of solar energy productions and construction. NYSERDA is providing $30,000 in cost share for seven qualified instructors from the State University of New York and City University of New York (CUNY) to provide training over a 12-month period in Puerto Rico.

The islandwide effort in all 78 municipalities will operate out of PathStone’s Puerto Rico Central Office in Ponce, Regional Service Sites in Arecibo, Mayagüez, Naranjito, Bayamón, Juncos and Guayama, and will serve the residents of the islands of Vieques and Culebra. PathStone currently employs 45 people in Puerto Rico.

Since Maria, CUNY has deployed 500 Service Corps students to affected areas on the island, repairing hundreds of homes, restoring trails and planting fields for crop vegetables. “This new initiative—to help businesses and workers as the island continues to rebuild—is a natural continuation of that important work,” indicated CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos.

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>Archive

/ Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Insurance Premiums May Increase

Recent earthquakes and tremors will impact the insurance industry

D Brenda Vázquez

bvazquez@elvocero.com

ue to its scope, infrastructure damage caused by the Jan. 1 earthquake will affect insurance premiums.

“There is no reason to doubt that the effects of this event will be reflected in the markets; there will surely be an increase in the sale of insurance policies, much like after Hurricane Maria. The rules of the game have changed.

Going forward, insurance brokers will probably have more questions to ask before selling an earthquake policy. They will want to know if the dwelling was built in the appropriate manner,” said Roberto López, first vice president of Antilles Insurance.

López’s comment was made in response to the dozens of homes in the south of Puerto Rico that were recently destroyed because they were not built up to code. This situation is worrisome

because it is estimated that over 200,000 homes in Puerto Rico were built without the supervision of a structural engineer, a fact which may result in the loss of hundreds of lives and properties.

According to López, because this type of catastrophic event hadn’t occurred on the island in over a 100 years, how insurance companies will react to the claims is still unknown. The only sure thing is that it will be a complex and novel process in the Puerto Rican market.

“We will need pictures and repair estimates in order to complete claims. We are ready and willing to help our policy owners as soon as possible.

All documents pertaining to the dwelling and the corresponding insurance policies must be part of the emergency kit,” he indicated.

Javier Rivera, the insurance commissioner, thinks it is still too early to gauge the earthquake’s impact on the industry.

“It is premature to establish guidelines, we will be investigating the impact in the coming days.

It should not be worse than Maria, but we will be closely monitoring the repercussions and how the insured’s rights are managed. We will talk about statistics later,” said Rivera.

The commissioner’s first and foremost worry is how policy owners will be treated, he will focus on the earthquake’s impact on insurance premiums at a later date.

Insurance Coverage

Every home or business owner who pays a mortgage has what is known as Hazard insurance because it is required by banks. However, once a home is paid off, the owner is solely responsible for obtaining insurance.

“Hazard insurance can pay up to its limits, but there’s a five percent deductible; in the case of hurricanes it’s two percent. This insurance does not apply to anything within the property, like furniture. If one wanted those possessions covered, they’d need a separate insurance policy,” said López.

Apartments, “walk-ups” and condos are always covered by a structural insurance policy regardless of whether the mortgages is paid off or not.

“Condos are different because they need to have a ‘master’ policy that covers apartments once they are paid off, being as how they are under the condo’s insurance policy. It is also important to note that earthquake policies cover the initial quake and its aftershocks, whereas hurricane policies only cover damages that occurred on the day of the event,” continued López.

He went on to add that an earthquake policy does not cover tsunamis and that, in order to be covered in the case of such an event, the property owner must have flood insurance, a product that is sold separately.

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/ Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Colectivo 360 to Host

Investors Summit Next Month For two days, Puerto Rico ICON will showcase the island’s tax incentives, competitive advantages and business opportunities

L

Cynthia López Cabán

clopez@wjournalpr.com

@cynthia_lope

ast year, Colectivo 360 hosted the Puerto Rico Opportunity Zone (OZ) Investors Conference, devoted exclusively to the federal incentives program that seeks to trigger economic development in distressed areas by encouraging long-term investments through significant tax breaks.

This year, the real estate, investment and business consultancy firm widened the scope of the conference to discuss the island’s business ecosystem, from the Incentives Code to the success story of the O:live Boutique Hotel, owned by local entrepreneurs Loisse Herger and Fernando Dávila.

“It’s a business, finance and real estate two day forum showcasing Puerto Rico’s unique investment opportunities, tax incentives and competitive advantages. It’s also a platform to promote business collaboration and economic transformation within Latin America and beyond,” explained Richard Santana, managing partner of Colectivo 360.

The conference will take place on Feb. 25 and 26 at the La Concha Renaissance Resort in Condado.

In a span of two days, Puerto Rico ICON will bring together over 50 speakers and 350 private investors, real estate agents, entrepreneurs, fund managers and developers from the United States, Latin America and Puerto Rico. The registration fee is $995 but attendees who purchase their tickets before Jan. 15 will pay $795. Tickets bought before Feb. 15 go for $895.

“Our goal is to connect capital with development opportunities in the private and public sectors,” Santana told THE WEEKLY JOURNAL. He indicated that the summit seeks to offer an overview of the economic development opportunities on the island while addressing other global trends like artificial intelligence and social responsibility.

“We want to start a conversation about different industries and explore opportunities through Latin America, but we also want to inspire Puerto Ricans to think of themselves as entrepreneurs, highlighting the experiences of Orlando Bravo, Ricardo Álvarez and Loisse Herger,” Santana said.

Co-founder and managing partner of the private equity firm Thoma Bravo, Bravo was described by Forbes as “Wall Street’s hottest dealmaker” and the first Puerto Rico-born billionaire.

Following this premise, the conference crafted sessions to explore subjects like the cannabis industry, investment strategies, OZ, Acts 20 and 22, urban development and luxury market and the Puerto Rican diaspora.

“We want to show the other side of the coin. For instance, Act 20 is not just a tool to attract outside investment, local entrepreneurs can also export their services and take advantage of this tax break,” Santana said.

So far, some 20 speakers have confirmed their attendance, including Jean-Louis Lelogeais, Strategic Value Partners; Hank Holland, Pegasus Growth Capital; Robb Rill, The Strategic Group P.R.; Dennis González, CDBG-DR Program; former

Our goal is to connect capital with development opportunities in the private and public sectors.

-Richard Santana, managing partner of Colectivo 360

secretary of Economic Development Alberto Bacó, Partnership for Modern Puerto Rico, Secretary of Housing Fernando Gil, Ricardo Álvarez, Álvarez-Díaz and Villalón, Omar Marrero, chief financial officer of Puerto Rico, and Adrián Franco, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, among others.

“Puerto Rico has tax autonomy, but under the U.S. flag, and that makes the island a very unique place. You can have a tax advantage and the reliability of investing in a jurisdiction endorsed by the federal government,” Santana pointed out.

The event tries to boost the island’s rebuilding efforts and economic recovery on the island. >Courtesy Puerto Rico Icon

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/ Wednesday, January 15, 2020

By Rafael “Tatito” Hernández House of Representatives Minority Leader

T

In Times of Crisis the Truth Shall Prevail

he first step to resolve any problem is to recognize that it exists. Families, businesses and governments continually take actions to secure safe housing, generate profits and implement public policy that results in a balanced budget. In spite of how logical this first step sounds, in most instances, family heads, business leaders and government officials overlook and ignore it. Typically, they run away from it to avoid confrontation and facing reality. By then, it may be too late to take corrective actions to solve the problem.

In my experience as a father, once

owner of a business and now an active, elected official, I have learned that avoiding confrontation does not resolve anything.

For example, when Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, the government refused to acknowledge how many lives had been lost as a result of that natural disaster. While many throughout the Island were dying due to lack of medicine, water and electricity, for those who depended on medical equipment, the government buried its head in the sand exacerbating the problem.

Only by recognizing the problem, however uncomfortable it was, and communicating the truth, many lives could have been saved .

We are now at another crossroad

By Carlos Mercader

Former Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Executive Director

T

Puerto Rico: Let’s Get Back on Track

he recent series of earthquakes that have impacted Puerto Rico’s Southwest region have once again drawn attention to the plight of the Island’s residents, housing and infrastructure that remains devastated from Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.

As of January 13, according to public information FEMA permanent repair funding (not including Architectural & Engineering-only awards), has only been approved for 340 of the estimated 14,000 projects that were necessitated after Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated the island.

This has thus far translated into the obligation of only $75.6 million of the estimated $32+ billion that is needed for permanent repair costs based on FEMA’s own data.

To put this into context, after 2-1/2 years only about 2.4 percent of the Island’s anticipated projects, representing only a little more than 0.2 percent of the estimated funding required.

Furthermore, many of the projects that remain to be addressed have yet to even be inspected by FEMA, and those that have are taking months and sometimes more than a year to progress through the Agency’s bureaucratic systems and approval processes before costs can be

due to the thousands of earthquakes that we have experienced in Puerto Rico since Dec. 28. This constant seismic activity, unprecedented for my generation, keeps the residents of the towns of Ponce, Peñuelas, Guayanilla, Yauco, Lajas and Guánica sleeping in the streets, parks or in any open area, terrified that their houses could collapse with the people inside. Social media is filled with well-intentioned recommendations to move our people to safer grounds.

With the lessons learned in our most recent experience, when we came to grips with another disaster, it is imperative that we do not overreact. It is time to meet this challenge by facing reality. We must analyze each situation and define the resources that we have available before any decision is taken. I do not think it is prudent, or advisable, to start moving residents away from their places of living, unless, of course, the property has been structurally damaged.

Has anyone asked the individuals how they feel about this? There are many people in the shelters whose properties were not damaged, but they do not want to be inside their homes, just in case the ground shakes again.

On the other hand, there are those in shelters whose properties

are totally damaged that do not want to leave their hometowns because of their attachment to their home and neighbors. All of these are valid reasons that cannot be ignored.

Moving people out has to happen out of their own free will and based on a clear protocol that takes into consideration the feelings and desires of those affected.

The first step before taking these decisions is to obtain clear and factual information of the number of people that need to move. Social workers must interview each resident in their homes, in the shelters and in their communities. Because of the reality of the financial condition of our government, all these initiatives cannot be the responsibility of the local government only, but must be shared with the federal government and the private sector.

Once the government collects empirical, true and factual data concerning the people that must move, then and only then, should they identify the alternatives on hand, within the available resources, to assist our people and facilitate a solution.

This logical first step will guarantee that in this time of crisis, the truth prevails and reasonable solutions will be provided to our people.

confirmed and funding can be approved.

Proposals to improve and streamline the recovery – including common-sense proposals to utilize existing authorities to reach funding settlements across large numbers of similar projects – have been summarily rejected by FEMA. They have also refused to fully implement authorities provided to them by Congress that authorize the repair of buildings and infrastructure in a manner that permits reconstruction without consideration of pre-existing condition and encourages the liberal application of cost-effective measures to reduce future risk from disasters including earthquakes have been severely limited. Puerto Rico continues to be burdened with significant delays in the delivery of appropriated funding for recovery. Even when resources have been provided, they have been accompanied by significant restrictions that exceed that imposed on any other U.S. State or Territory in history and often conflict with existing law, regulations and policy.

These requirements also change regularly without planning or the timely provision of implementing guidance and regulations. All this has

been happening despite documented evidence that the Government of Puerto Rico has brought in the expertise to effectively manage its recovery efforts and that it is utilizing federal recovery funds appropriately, with both accountability and transparency.

The way I see it is that the path to recovery for the U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico has been characterized by ineffectiveness, a lack of a true partnership, and of urgency within the Federal family (this is without detailing the delays in the disbursments of CDBG-DR funds). The failed application of bureaucratic structures and systems not designed for a disaster the size and complexity have failed, and the Federal Administration continues to find every opportunity to constrain or delay funding which Puerto Rico has rights to receive under established law. Investments in hazard mitigation proven all over the States to be able to reduce future risk to public health have yet to be made. This explains the widespread damages experienced from the quakes, like the school that got destroyed in Guánica. I hope that the President recognize the imperative to advance reconstruction efforts in Puerto Rico.

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>Brandon Cruz González

/ Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Carlos Correa’s Magic The shortstop volunteers his time to benefit children and raise money to help those affected by earthquakes

C

Jorge Torres Ayala

jtorres@elvocero.com

arlos Correa exemplifies one of Roberto Clemente’s most famous phrases: “Every time you get a chance to make a difference in the world and you don’t act on it, you are wasting your time on earth.”

Clemente, the Hall of Fame outfielder died in a plane crash on New Year’s Eve 1972 while taking supplies to earthquake-ravaged Nicaragua.

Correa, the Houston Astros shortstop wants to leave behind a legacy far beyond baseball, by helping children with cancer or affected by poverty.

The 25-year-old from Ponce, Puerto Rico, has embracing his responsibilities as one of Puerto Rico’s most prominent baseball figures. The Astros selected him with the first pick in the 2012 draft when he was 17-years-old. Correa was named the American League Rookie of the Year in 2015, despite playing in only 99 games and being 20 years old.

After playing in the World Series, Correa came to Puerto Rico during the holiday season so he could participate in “Magic for a Cause”, an event

benefitting the Puerto Rico Children’s Hospital located in San Juan.

“Ever since meeting my wife I’ve been motivated to start a foundation, look for something to do in my spare time that could help others. That’s what life is about, not about how much money you make or how famous you are, but about what you do with the blessings bestowed upon you by God. We have been fortunate enough to be able to help children in Houston and Puerto Rico through donations and visits,” said Correa Oppenheimer to THE WEEKLY JOURNAL. Houston has been witness to the shortstop’s great work both inside and outside the field.

Correa enjoys engaging in philanthropy, far beyond just visiting hospitals.

“The amount of money we donate is not what matters to me, it’s the time I spend with the

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/ Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Correa enjoys engaging in philanthropy, far beyond just visiting hospitals. >Brandon Cruz González

>Brandon Cruz González

children and the smiles I can bring to their faces in their unhappy times. That is what fills me. The kids I have been able to see in Houston have become a part of my family and our bond. It’s really special to be able to spend time with them and see how the visits transform their days; to me that is the most special part of this,” said Correa Oppenheimer.

Such was the case with 17-year-old Jalen García,

my promise. During the 11th inning, he was able to score the winning home run that gave the Astros their victory.

“I hit a home run against the Yankees. Once I reached first base I started signing. I was later told that he was very excited in his bed. It is one of the most important moments of my career,” stated the 2015 American League Rookie of the Year, as he lamented the young man’s passing.

“He became like a brother to me. It ruins your entire week because it’s someone you really appreciate that you will never be able to see again.

It was very shocking,” he said.

This is not the first time that Houston Astros shortstop shows his solidarity.

After Hurricane Maria, the Puerto Rican baseball star focused his efforts in his southern hometown of Santa Isabel and its surroundings, where he have a team of 30 volunteers reaching out to communities that still lack bare necessities. He said sometimes he receives videos of thankful beneficiaries in tears, which he finds deeply touching.

Correa also assisted with relief efforts for Hurricane Harvey, which hit Texas in August, 2017 and devastated the Houston area.

a cancer patient.

“We met him, he was a very special boy in spite of his situation. He was a fan. I promised him that I would play for him and told him that every time he saw me lifting my hand up when I was running bases it would be for him,” he remembered.

During the second game of the World Series, against the New York Yankees, he was able to fulfill

Correa Raise Money to Help Those Affected

by Puerto Rico Earthquakes

The Correa Family Foundation is asking for donations to help the earthquake’s victims. >Brandon Cruz González

Houston Astros shortstop and his wife Daniella were in Puerto Rico when the earthquakes hit.

“Earthquake was insane!! Scariest moment of my life,” Correa tweeted. He also posted photos of the damage to his Instagram story. The Correa Family Foundation is asking for donations to help the earthquake’s victims. Visit: https:// correafamilyfoundation.org/ Yennifer Álvarez contributed to this story.

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/ Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Dulcesalado:

A Tasty 3-in-1 Culinary Concept A beautiful restaurant, a local beer garden and a tasty coffee and pastry shop with an ice cream parlor are part of the offer

D Yennifer Álvarez Jaimes

yalvarez@wjournalpr.com

@yalvarezjaimes

ulcesalado is a new place to discover located in the Trópica Boutique Hotel at walking distance of Ocean Park beach on 1853 McLeary Ave. A beautifully decorated dining room, a local beer

garden and a tasty coffee and pastry shop with an ice cream parlor are part of the culinary offer.

If you were to walk in front of the restaurant and see its beautiful decor you might think it is an expensive place, but the truth is that you can enjoy various dishes at affordable prices.

With 21 years of experience under his belt, Chef Atisha Pascual opened Dulcesalado two months ago after running Bechamel Restaurant in Guaynabo.

The 37-year-old, who favors Mediterranean cuisine, studied at the Butlers Wharf Chef and Restaurant School in London and then worked in Manhattan at an Italian restaurant.

Pascual carefully selects local ingredients of the highest quality for the menu. Here, the farm-totable concept has taken a life of its own because Pascual also grows fruits like papaya and passion fruit at his farm in Corozal.

“I studied in Europe and I came to continue my profession in Puerto Rico. Many people do the opposite; people study here and leave. I invite people to do the opposite, learn elsewhere and return to contribute to your country,” said Pascual in an interview with THE WEEKLY JOURNAL. Pascual is also committed to providing an exceptional experience, focusing on small details and hospitable attention, while offering a high level of service to each guest that visits the restaurant.

The chef is also involved in Dulcesalado’s marketing strategy, developed by his friend Wilfred Díaz.

Dulcesalado offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch. Their brunch menu includes the classic burger, the steak and eggs and the quiche of the day.

The mac and cheese with steak and four cheese sauce that is part of the brunch menu is a must-

With 21 years of experience, Chef Atisha Pascual opened Dulcesalado two months ago. >All photos courtesy by Dulcesalado

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Shrimps with tostones.

Salmon Croque Monsieur.

Churros with coffee.

try. The French onion soup burger with Marbleu cheese, mushrooms and a side of French fries are great for brunch or lunch.

If you have a sweet tooth and absolutely love desserts, then you’re in luck. Dulcesalado have a plethora of fresh sweets and pastries to enjoy with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine.

Churros con chocolate are one of the most popular and you may find them during brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For lunch and dinner, Pascual offers fried snapper and a classic churrasco with mamposteao

rice, among other dishes to enchant your palate.

Meat lovers must try the filet mignon encebollao, or if you want to try something more creative, the lobster’s chicharron should be your choice.

On the menu is the freshest appetizer: watermelon sushi served with goat cheese, toasted sesame seeds and almonds. Empanadillas, chistorras with gouda cheese and spicy guava and the spicy salmon tartare with avocado are part of the appetizer’s menu.

During breakfast, Dulcesalado bets on a triple grilled cheese sandwich, buttermilk pancakes, French toasts and the avocado toast

and egg. All the breads and pastries are baked in house, Pascual explained.

If you want a lighter breakfast there’s oatmeal, the traditional polenta and a fruit salad bowl with granola, coconut oil, cononut flakes and yogurt.

Dulcesalado is open for breakfast every day from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., and for lunch until 3 p.m. Dinner service is Tuesdays to Saturdays from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.

On Sundays and Mondays Dulcesalado closes its doors at 4 p.m. The brunch is available only Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Watermelon sushi.

Dulcesalado have dynamic spaces: an ample dining room with a large selection of wines and cocktails.

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>Archive

/ Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián: The Most Vibrant and Colorful Local Festival The cultural event will celebrate its 50th anniversary from January 16 to 19

P

Yennifer Álvarez Jaimes

yalvarez@wjournalpr.com

@yalvarezjaimes

uerto Rico’s “Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián” is the unofficial closing to the “longest holiday season in the world.”

During the multi-day celebrations, Old San Juan is completely taken over by live

music, impromptu dancing in every street corner and parades.

During the daytime, events are more familyoriented. The old city’s squares and streets are filled with activities for kids, and local artisans showcase everything from paintings to handmade jewelry.

Once the sun goes down, a young adult crowd is usual. Multiple concerts and parties take place across the walled city, and the joyous revelry continues into the late hours of the night.

Its opening event is the parade of “Cabezudos”, a group of people in disguise with oversized Papier Mâché heads representing various local historic and folk characters, marching down San Sebastián street to the San Juan Cathedral.

The Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián were created as a way to bring more people to the area and to give the local community of artists and handcraft traders the opportunity to exhibit their work.

The plan worked better than expected, as within a few years thousands of tourists flocked to Puerto Rico to attend the street festival.

Old San Juan is a popular destination for cruise ships, and those passengers fortunate enough to be on the ships scheduled to dock in San Juan will be able to walk from the port to San Sebastián street.

With more than 1,100 weekly flights from the mainland to Puerto Rico, the island is an accessible location for a weekend getaway or vacation,

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This more than a party, is an extraordinary exercise in logistics and economic development. We are going to have 79 artistic activities that gives work to singers, musicians, sound technicians, stage managers, plus people who make their money at the kiosks.

-Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz

making the San Sebastián festival an easy midJanuary getaway from the U.S. The cultural event will celebrate its 50th anniversary from Jan. 16 to 19.

Despite the tremors and aftershocks that have been reported in the Southern area, the mayor of San Juan, Carmen Yulín Cruz, confirmed that the festival will take place.

“The San Sebastian Street Festival is an event that has international recognition. On 2013, National Geographic proclaimed it as the most important festival in the month of January. We have seven cruises confirmed. In fact, Royal Caribbean made a ‘statement’ saying that, as in San Juan no damage had occurred, the cruises would be coming,” said Cruz.

The hotels in the area have not received cancellations, according the mayor. “This is more than a party, it’s an extraordinary exercise in logistics and economic development. We are going to have 79 artistic activities that gives work

Its opening event is the parade of the “Cabezudos”, a group of people in disguise with oversized papier mâché heads representing various local historic and folk characters who march down San Sebastián street to the San Juan Cathedral. >Josian Bruno Gómez

to singers, musicians, sound technicians, stage managers, plus people who make their money at the kiosks,” Cruz added.

This year the concerts will end at 11 p.m., bars will close at midnight and “vuvuzelas” (loud horns) and whistles are not permitted. Anyone using a vuvuzela will be fined $1,000.

Evacuation Routes

The people in La Perla should go down Norzagaray street and walk to Luis Muñoz Rivera avenue.

The Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián were created as a way to bring people to the area and to give the local community of artists and handcraft traders the opportunity to exhibit their work.>Carlos Rivera Giusti

“If you are at the Plaza del Quinto Centenario you should move immediately to El Morro, which is, in fact, the meeting area in the tsunami plan.

If you are in the Plaza de Armas, you walk down San Francisco street to the Capitol. If on Fortaleza street, you should walk to the Capitol and if you are at Plaza Colón, walk along Muñoz Rivera avenue or Constitution avenue,” the mayor explained.

Cultural Activities

The festival will have musical presentations by Pirulo y la Tribu, Plenéalo and Orquesta Mulenze, among a dozen other artists.

Other renowned singers like Olga Tañón, Ednita Nazario, Yolandita Monge, La India, Manny Manuel, Kany García, Gente de Zona, El Gran Combo and Vico C are part of the musical rundown.

Despite the tremors and aftershocks that have been reported in the South, the mayor of San Juan, Carmen Yulín Cruz confirmed that the festival will take place. >Carlos Rivera Giusti

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Begnaud: There is no preferential treatment The CBS reporter kick off the inaugural event of Puerto Rico Live, a new platform that will host forums to educate residents and visitors on the island’s many opportunities

L

oved by many and criticized by others, David Begnaud could be a polarizing figure in Puerto Rico. However, there is no doubt that he traveled the island highlighting the disaster caused by Hurricane Maria and is now doing the same with the earthquakes that affected southern Puerto Rico earlier this year.

The CBS reporter will kick off the inaugural event of Puerto Rico Live, new, privately-established platform that will host several discussion forums and think-tanks to educate residents and visitors on the island’s many opportunities.

In the first event, Begnaud will discuss personal details that impacted his childhood, what it means to live his truth and what captivated him about Puerto Rico and its people. Begnaud has described himself as a “noisy kid” during childhood and laughs after saying: “Now I get paid to be noisy.”

The forum will be moderated by renowned Puerto Rican meteorologist Ada Monzón, who became an important figure in the wake of Hurricane Maria. The conversation will be held at the Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center in Santurce on Jan. 23, 2020.

>Courtesy David Begnaud

Giovanna Garófalo & Yennifer Álvarez

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>Courtesy David Begnaud

Tickets are available on www.ticketerapr.com and, according to the organizers, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to various charities that are relevant to the topics discussed in each event.

THE WEEKLY JOURNAL asked a few questions to the renowned TV reporter during his most recent visit to cover the 6.4 magnitude quake that occurred on the island.

THE WEEKLY JOURNAL: What should the public expect that night at the event?

DAVID BEGNAUD: “I will sit down for an hour sharing stories about my life, my career, my passion for Puerto Rico, details about the stories that I covered. I think I will have the opportunity to answers questions of the audience.”

TWJ: What is your favorite thing about Puerto Rico?

DB: “Uff! (silence) Probably is the people, I know that it sounds as a cliché but is true. There is a joy of life that Puerto Ricans have which made them resilient, humble, persistent and survivors.”

TWJ: Before covering Hurricane Maria, had you visited Puerto Rico?

DB: “No, I had never been in Puerto Rico.”

TWJ: Based on your experience, what is Puerto Rico’s main challenge when it comes to improving its economic development?

DB: “Puerto Rico can’t catch a break.

Hurricane, the ousting of the governor and now the earthquakes. Second, it is key to find the way to convince people that the government is trustworthy and the way is being trustworthy.”

TWJ: Would you argue that current seismic activity has been politicized?

DB: “I don’t think I am the right person to answer that. Speaking about the hurricane, there had been misinformation spread in social medial and it was a challenge to spread correct information.”

TWJ: There has been some criticism from a few local journalists alleging you have received special treatment from the private sector. For example, a cell phone company that provided you with a free telephone to ensure you had coverage on the island. For these journalists, this action differs from the treatment and consideration they get locally even when they follow up with the emergency day after day. What would you say to those colleagues?

DB: “Local journalists in Puerto Rico deserve to have their requests responded to, they deserve access to government leaders and entities, and they deserve to be anywhere that I am. I certainly don’t deserve any preferential treatment. I’ll give you the example of Costa Sur. There is no preferential treatment, no money was paid, I waited four hours outside to get the interview. I support the local journalists because I saw their excellent work with Hurricane Maria. Persistence is key. I was determined to wait because I know José Ortiz was inside Costa Sur.” TWJ: There are people in the south who say the earthquake is worse than Hurricane Maria, what do you think?

DB: “It’s interesting because I heard that myself, and the person [I heard it from] was the assistant to the mayor of Guánica and she said that the people need psychological treatment because you don’t know when this is going to stop or happen again.”

>Courtesy Puerto Rico Live

/ Wednesday, January 15, 2020

There is a joy of life that Puerto Ricans have which made them resilient, humble, persistent and survivors.

David Begnaud, CBS reporter

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Food Trends

to Watch in 2020

Consumers will become more concerned about the role the food system plays in climate change, such as the effects of agricultural production and food waste

A

The Associated Press

s a new year and new decade offer opportunities to take stock of where we’ve come and to anticipate the changes ahead, the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation is forecasting five broad trends for food and nutrition in 2020.

The mission of IFIC, a nonprofit, is to effectively communicate science-based information on health, food safety and nutrition for the public good.

Interest in sustainability has grown for the past few years, and while in 2020 the topic will mature and evolve, confusion still surrounds the exact definition of sustainability.

For several years, the IFIC Foundation’s annual Food and Health Survey asked whether sustainability was a factor in consumers’ food and beverage purchasing decisions. Between 2012 and 2018, that number ranged between 35 percent and 41percent of consumers.

However, when the 2019 Survey asked whether “environmental sustainability” was a factor in purchase choices, that number dropped to 27 percent, indicating that consumers’ notions of sustainability extend beyond just the environment.

When it comes to environmental sustainability, consumers are eager to know and do more.

According to the 2019 Food and Health Survey, 63 percent said it is hard to know whether the food choices they make are environmentally sustainable.

Among that group, nearly two-thirds say environmental sustainability would have a greater influence on their choices if it were easier to know.

Consumers also consider factors such as the labeling of various product ingredients and attributes, along with production methods and food packaging, to be under the sustainability umbrella.

We can also expect concepts like soil health and

Interest in sustainability has grown for the past few years, and while in 2020 the topic will mature and evolve, confusion still surrounds the exact definition of sustainability. >Archive

regenerative agriculture —“giving back to the land” rather than just conserving resources—to gain traction in 2020.

A New Climate for What We Eat

On an almost daily basis, we get new indications that our climate is becoming more precarious, from unprecedented wildfires around the world to the increasing incidence and severity of hurricanes, to the accelerating rate of polar ice loss.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, agriculture, forestry and other land uses are responsible for nearly one-quarter of net, human-caused global greenhouse gas emissions.

A 2016 systematic review of available research further suggests that “a dietary pattern higher in plant-based foods (e.g., vegetables, fruits, legumes, seeds, nuts, whole grains) and lower in animalbased foods (especially red meat), as well as lower in total energy, is both healthier and associated with a lesser impact on the environment.”

In 2020, consumers will become more concerned about the role the food system plays in climate change, such as the effects of agricultural production, food waste and transportation of goods.

Environmental concerns will continue to drive greater adoption of plant-based diets. However, consumers’ conceptions of plant-based diets vary.

About one-third, 32 percent, of consumers say a plant-based diet is a vegan diet, while another 30 percent define it as a diet that emphasizes minimally processed foods that come from plants, with limited consumption of animal meat, eggs and dairy.

Another one in five believe it to be a vegetarian diet that avoids animal meat, while 8 percent say it is a diet in which you try to get as many fruits and vegetables as possible, with no limit on consuming animal meat, eggs and dairy.

Intuitive Eating and the “Un-Diet”

In 2020, we can expect consumers to consider new ideas about how and why we eat. Fad diets and get-thin-quick regimens will continue to lose popularity, supplanted by more holistic and sustainable concepts like intuitive eating, which rejects many of the tenets of fad diets like “good foods” and “bad foods.” The “un-diet” will focus less on food restrictions and more on natural cues our body gives us, like when we are full, and on healthier relationships with food overall.

Millennial consumers increasingly consider health as more than just a number on a scale. The 2019 Food and Health Survey found that 49 percent of those aged 18-34 are familiar with mindful and intuitive eating.

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/ Wednesday, January 15, 2020

San Sebastián Street Festival 2020

Old San Juan is livened with music, art exhibits, culinary feasts and folkloric performances at the 50th annual San Sebastián Street Festival. Due to big crowds and limited parking, visitors are encouraged to use public transportation or ride-sharing services.

When: Wednesday, Jan.15 - Sunday, Jan. 19 Where: Old San Juan

Straight Up Jazz!

The Borinqueneers Jazz Trio and Ricardo Pons will offer a free concert at Don Rey Cigar. One of the members of the trio, Richard Peña, is an award-winning guitarist and one of the leading musicians in Puerto Rico’s new jazz generation.

When: Tuesday, Jan. 21, 7:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Where: 179 Dos Hermanos St., La Placita de Santurce, San Juan

Lady Boss Party

Every Wednesday, Lady Boss Party gathers “ladypreneurs” in a fun networking environment for working women. The entrance is free of charge.

When: Wednesday, Jan. 22, 6 p.m. - 2 a.m.

Where: Clandestina Book Bar and Café, Mayagüez

Open House by the Mandarin Institute: The Future

Take up a new skill and enroll in Mandarin courses! The Mandarin Institute will host an open house during which attendees can appreciate Chinese culture, take part in consultations and obtain enrollment information.

When: Sat., Jan. 18, 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Where: Mandarin Institute, 137 de Diego Ave., San Juan

Entrepreneurship Seminar

In this seminar, attendees will learn to identify sources of income, the difference between being an employee and an entrepreneur and financial mistakes to avoid. For more information, message (787) 740-6810.

When: Saturday, Jan. 18, 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Where: Professional Technical Institution, Bayamón

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Wine Tasting for Beginners

Certified Sommelier Aníbal Russe is offering three workshops on wine appreciation. Attendees will learn how to distinguish, appreciate and fully enjoy different varietals. Classes cost $125 per person. For more information, log on to http://thehousepr.com When: Tuesday, Jan. 21, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Where: The House PR, Condado, San Juan

Bombazo Vaquero

Want to enjoy cultural activities without SanSe crowds? Visit Bayamón’s public plaza for live performances by musicians, singers and dancers in a family-friendly environment. The plaza is steps away from the Bayamón train station.

When: Saturday, Jan. 18, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Where: Plaza de Recreo, Bayamón

Broadway Karaoke Night

Put your best voice forward in this fun, Broadway-style karaoke at one of the most popular bars on buzzing Loíza street. The person with the best crowd-pleasing voice will win a prize.

When: Friday, Jan. 17, 8 p.m. - 2 a.m.

Where: The Bear Tavern P.R., Loíza street, San Juan

Industry Monday Chill-Out Vibes De-stress after a hectic Monday with views of a beautiful beach in a family-friendly environment.

When: Monday, Jan. 20, 2 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Where: Número Uno Beach House, 1 Santa Ana St., Ocean Park, San Juan

Tropicalia Saturdays Tropicalia is the resident band of the iconic El San Juan Hotel.Every Saturday they enthrall guests with rumba music and Latin American classics. Valet parking costs $13. For table reservations, contact rsvp@elsanjuanhotel.com When: Saturday, Jan. 18, 8 p.m. - 2 a.m.

Where: 6063 Isla Verde