The Weekly Journal - February 19-25, 2020

Puerto Rico and the Caribbean

www.theweeklyjournal.com

>Josian Bruno Gómez

Wednesday,February 19 - 25, 2020 / no. 043

New Housing Secretary: Puerto Rico Gets “Unequal” Disaster Funding P6 From Breast Cancer Drugs to Solar Panels, Local Researchers Secure Patents P10 OVER 16,500 Prepa CUSTOMERS Generate Their Own Energy P12

Continuing Efforts to Help Businesses in the Southwest

>Carlos Rivera Giusti

Almost all of the estimated 160 lodgings endorsed throughout the island are open; slew of activities, public relations, legislative bills underway

W Rosario Fajardo

Jordan Schnitzer Museum To Exhibit The Work Of A Puerto Rican Woman P20

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

ith the busy Holy Week just a few weeks away, the high tourism season in the south can still be saved, as various efforts to promote the industry and business activity after the January earthquakes are ongoing and having a positive impact in some municipalities.

“There is definitely an improvement in visitors and

activity after the Jan. 7 earthquake. We have been very active in organizing events and telling the public to come to Lajas, as the damages were not major,” said Lajas Mayor Marcos Irizarry.

“The message is reaching people. We still need help to market us internationally. We have the nature reserve of La Parguera, the bioluminescent bay has improved and there is now more illumination. We have the floating houses and some of them are available for rent on Airbnb.

We have a lot of attractions in Lajas,” he said in an GO TO PAGE 4

The Weekly Journal > Wednesday, Febuary 19, 2020 > 2

3

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

a week in review Governor’s Representative to Puerto Rico Fiscal Board Steps Down After six months representing Puerto Rico’s government before the fiscal board, attorney Eli Díaz-Atienza resigned from his position, effective Thursday, Feb. 27. Díaz-Atienza also resigned as president of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA). Díaz-Atienza became PRASA’s president in early 2017, and was named as the government’s representative to the Financial and Oversight Management Board (FOMB) on Aug. 2019.

“The time has come for me to consider new options for professional growth in the private sector while the change and renewal for the company [PRASA] is underway. I am very proud of all we have achieved, and, in particular, for having honored the trust placed in me by Governors Rosselló and Vázquez, as well as PRASA’s board,” said the lawyer and engineer. >Carlos Rivera Giusti

Aloft Hotel Opens At The Convention District Aloft San Juan, the first Aloft hotel in the Caribbean, is now open at the Convention District. Aloft San Juan is part of the expansion and growth of Prisa Group with Caribe Hospitality and will be managed by Marriott International. With 177 rooms, the new boutique hotel features a loft-inspired design that redefines modern travel. The property invites guests to experience effortless travel to the city of San Juan by staying at its convenient location near the Isla Grande Airport, Miramar and Old San Juan. >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

Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Opens Following Multi-Million-Dollar Transformation

By June 2020, the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico will have undergone a complete transformation which entailed a capital expenditure and rebranding at a cost of over $70 million, according to the owners’ spokesperson Rich Cortese, senior vice president of Aimbridge Hospitality. Cortese also said that as of Dec. 2019, the development had generated 580 jobs in Puerto Rico. Formerly known as the Gran Meliá Hotel, and later relaunched as The Resort at Coco Beach, a Hyatt Affiliated Hotel, the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico was acquired in 2019 by Monarch Alternative Capital in partnership with Royal Palm Companies and an affiliate of Aimbridge Hospitality, LLC. >Courtesy Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve

President Salvador Hasbún shasbun@elvocero.com

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

Managing Editor Yennifer Álvarez yalvarez@wjournalpr.com

Comptroller Félix A. Rosa frosa@elvocero.com

Traffic Director Ilia M. Pérez Centeno iperez@elvocero.com

Multi-Platform Digital Director Stephanie Gómez Álvarez sgomez@elvocero.com

Production Director Eligio Dekony edekony@elvocero.com

Editorial Director Juan Miguel Muñiz Guzmán jmuniz@elvocero.com

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

Phone: 787-622-2300, 787-721-2300 Customer Service: 787-622-7480

4

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 interview with THE WEEKLY JOURNAL. Irizarry said he did not have specific numbers on visitors, but noted that business was quite slow after the earthquakes. He estimated economic losses in Lajas at around $2 million.

Today, though, many lodgings are seeing an increase in occupation of as much as 80 percent, especially during the weekends when there are concerts at La Parguera. “People have returned.

Businesses are open. We are safe and secure,” he indicated.

Special offers for restaurants, hotels and “paradores” or small inns, have helped attract visitors, Irizarry added. “Hotel rates were decreased and at the same time, guests do not have to pay the room tax. We also increased police vigilance.”

Among the various events that sectors of civil society have organized for the area include a 10K run on Feb. 23 organized by local journalist Elwood Cruz; the Parguera Challenge, a triathlon event on March 29; and Paradise 5K on May 2.

The yearly Pineapple Festival, which celebrates the popular tropical fruit that is widely grown in Lajas, is also scheduled for June 5-7.

Ponce has received a much-needed infusion of tourists in recent days as the first cruise ship after the earthquakes arrived last week at the city’s port. Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas and its 3,380 passengers and crew docked for the day on Feb. 13. The Ponce municipality welcomed passengers with music as they arrived and departed, while the city’s historic town square was spruced up for the event.

Cruise ship passengers are an important source of revenue for many local merchants, as they spend an average of $118.31 each when spending

Lodgings Status With the reopening of Copamarina, almost all of the estimated 160 lodgings endorsed by the PRTC throughout the island are open and hosting visitors. Exceptions include the Ritz-Carlton in San Juan and the W resort in Vieques, which were damaged after Hurricane Maria in Sept. 2017.

a day in Puerto Rico, according to the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association. Another cruise is scheduled to visit Ponce on March 26, according to city officials.

Two gastronomic “chinchorreos” were also organized by local businesses, for the public to enjoy Puerto Rican food and music by joining a caravan on a “road trip” to small eateries. The first was held in Yauco and the second in Peñuelas.

Nearly All Of The 160 PRTC-Endorsed Lodgings Are Open

Last week, the Copamarina Beach Resort and Spa in Guánica was able to reopen after Road 333, which had been closed due to the earthquake, was finally opened.

The road has been repaired and reopened, and the hotel owners took the opportunity to highlight the $85,000 renovation of its on-site restaurant.

“This event marks a milestone in the recovery of the southwest, since… the revival of tourism

and commercial dynamics in the area is of vital importance to sustain jobs and the surrounding communities,” said Carla Campos, the executive director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Co. (PRTC).

“We commemorate the reopening of Copamarina and its restaurant, Las Palmas Café, as a symbol of the revival of the tourism industry throughout the island. Our commitment is to spread the message that one of the best ways to support our island is by engaging in internal tourism,” she added.

With the reopening of Copamarina, almost all of the estimated 160 lodgings endorsed by the PRTC throughout the island are open and hosting visitors. Exceptions include the Ritz-Carlton in San Juan and the W resort in Vieques, which were damaged after Hurricane Maria in Sept. 2017.

However, the Costa Bahia Hotel in Guayanilla is not fully operational. Its rooms in the “village” area are open, as are its two restaurants, but rooms in the main tower and the casino are closed, as they are still undergoing repairs, according to a hotel employee. He did not know when the repairs would be completed.

While tourism in Lajas and Ponce appear to be rebounding, other municipalities have faced a slower road to recovery. Cabo Rojo, another popular tourist area, has suffered about $4 million in lost business, according to its mayor, Roberto Ramírez.

Cabo Rojo is famous for Combate Beach, the seaside village of Boquerón and “Playa Sucia” (Dirty Beach), which is actually gorgeously pristine; as well as the historic Los Morrillos Lighthouse.

While visitors are returning slowly, Ramírez said the area has experienced a severe economic downturn since Hurricane Maria in Sept. 2017 because the public beach of Boquerón was forced to close due to severe damages to the cabins and villas located on site at the Vacation Center that is run by the Sports and Recreation Department.

“The 300 cabins there are not operating and that is 3,000 fewer people who are not going to Cabo Rojo every month,” he said during a press conference. Before Maria, the cabins were renting for about $160 a night, while villas were renting for $250 a night—with a maximum of six people for each.

DMO Campaigns Continue

>Courtesy of Copamarina Beach Resort & Spa

Discover Puerto Rico, the island’s destination marketing organization (DMO), is also continuing its public relations campaign to promote tourism.

The DMO is tripling the number of familiarization trips (FAM trips) by inviting more than 100 journalists and influencers to the island. These trips will be divided by groups and niches, with mainland and international journalists visiting a wide array of venues across the entire island.

“We conduct FAM trips year-round, but given recent events, we are doubling down on earned media and significantly increasing the number of FAMs we will host in the upcoming months.

There are 16 FAMs planned to take place between now and the end of June,” said Brad Dean, CEO of Discover Puerto Rico.

“Through these FAMs, journalists and influencers get to see that Puerto Rico is open

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

>Courtesy Ponce Municipality

for tourism, while they experience firsthand everything that the island has to offer. In turn, they’ll share their experience with their audiences and encourage travel to the island,” he added.

As part of the effort, the DMO is working with the private industry, including hotels, restaurants and tour operators. Attendees will highlight participating properties, products and services as part of the exchange.

FAM itineraries include visits to Old San Juan, Castillo Serrallés in Ponce, the bio bay at La Parguera, the pink salt flats in Cabo Rojo and the sunflower farm in Guánica. One FAM will be focused on the golf niche and will attend the Puerto Rico Open this week at the newly renovated Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve in Rio Grande. In addition, attendees will dine at authentic Puerto Rican restaurants around the island.

According to Discover Puerto Rico, each FAM generates an average earned media value of $125,000 to $150,000.

Anamari Caratini, Discover Puerto Rico’s public affairs director, also told THE WEEKLY JOURNAL that in addition to the FAM initiative, the DMO is investing $100,000 in specific marketing efforts promoting the west and south regions of the island.

People have returned.

Businesses are open. We are safe and secure.

- Lajas Mayor Marcos Irizarry

The Legislative Front

The Legislature has also been busy, with two bills filed to help businesses in the south.

A measure with the support of the two main political parties would provide tax incentives and tax credits to businesses located in the 25 municipalities that were seriously affected by the earthquakes.

The benefits would include exemptions from tax withholdings for services already rendered; tax credits for creating new jobs, regardless of whether they are part time or full time;

The historic Los Morrillos lighthouse in Cabo Rojo >Archive

5

exemptions from paying the 11.5 percent sales tax and exemptions in the room tax for hotels.

“Through this legislative measure, we provide extensions and tax exemptions to stop the loss of capital and revive the economy of the area,” according to the bill. Both the House and Senate are expected to pass the measure.

The Financial Oversight and Management Board (FOMB) still needs to conduct its evaluation. “As of today [Feb. 16], we have not yet received the Joint Resolution or the documentation related to this proposal from the House of Representatives in order to carry out a review and analysis, as appropriate. Although we are aware of some of the proposals for the measure, we need to evaluate the cost of the measure to the general fund,” the FOMB said to THE WEEKLY JOURNAL. “From day one, the FOMB has shown interest in supporting the residents and businesses of the municipalities affected by the recent earthquakes, but it is our responsibility with the people of Puerto Rico to evaluate any proposal of this nature in the wider context of the Certified Fiscal Plan , the bankruptcy of the government of Puerto Rico and the possible fiscal impact of the proposal,” added the Oversight Board.

Meanwhile, another bill has been filed that would specifically help small and midsize businesses in the affected municipalities by establishing a moratorium on loan payments.

“This moratorium seeks to include payments to essential services and loans to corporations.

I hope the House deals with this measure with the urgency it deserves,” said Rep. Carlos Bianchi Angleró, who filed the bill.

The Parador Owners Association said it supports the initiative, as “it is imperative to protect jobs in small and midsize businesses.”

6

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Fernández Trinchet said that the local government would initially have access to $1.7 billion out of the $8.3 billion approved in the second HUD allocation. >Carlos Rivera Giusti

Housing Secretary Acknowledges Unequal Disaster Relief Conditions

Says Puerto Rico “could not have any more controls” Giovanna Garofalo

T

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

he newly appointed secretary of the Puerto Rico Housing Department, Luis Carlos Fernández Trinchet, acknowledged that the commonwealth has received unequal treatment from the

federal government compared to other U.S jurisdictions in terms of disaster relief limitations.

Fernández Trinchet, whose designation was confirmed by the Senate of Puerto Rico on Feb. 13, held a one-on-one with THE WEEKLY JOURNAL to discuss the funds from the Community Development Block Grant for Disaster Relief (CDBG-DR) that were approved after Hurricane Maria made landfall in Sept. 2017.

Governor Wanda Vázquez recently signed the grant agreement that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) developed to distribute roughly $8.3 billion in stalled federal recovery funding. According to Fernández Trinchet, this new agreement comes

with stricter terms and conditions.

“They included additional conditions to Puerto Rico and part of the discussion is that Puerto Rico is being treated differently from other jurisdictions,” the housing secretary asserted.

The official stated that of the $8.3 billion assigned, the local government would only be able to access $1.7 billion initially. This, when paired with the first allocation of $1.5 billion, would mean that the government would be disbursing $3.2 billion for housing.

“I don’t think that having some restrictions is that bad, [but] there are some concerns we would like to clarify. A letter was sent to HUD that states, ‘look, these are our concerns with the guidelines

7

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

They included additional conditions to Puerto Rico and part of the discussion is that Puerto Rico is being treated differently from other jurisdictions.

-Housing Secretary Luis C. Fernández

and restrictions that you are imposing on us.’

There are some that we need to mitigate,” he said, adding that the corresponding officials have yet to provide an answer, but reiterating that the government has, “in theory,” $1.7 billion to manage in the meantime.

Pressed to elaborate, Fernández Trinchet noted that the first allocation of $1.5 billion did not come embedded with usage restrictions.

He argued that by imposing conditions on this second assignment, Puerto Rico stands out among other jurisdictions.

There has been noticeable discussion among federal sectors concerning the local government’s capacity to handle disaster relief. Earlier this year, citizens discovered various shelters stocked with a plethora of undistributed aid, such as water bottles, diapers, food items, and other essentials.

According to the distribution stamps on these packages, these were meant to placate residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. The resulting indignation among some residents led to protests in front of the governor’s mansion in Old San Juan, an echo of last summer’s historic demonstrations of political dissent.

These and previous incidents have led highranking U.S. officials, including President Donald J. Trump, to publicly denounce what they perceive to be the local government’s inefficiency to manage federal funds, on grounds of corruption.

Fernández Trinchet, however, argued that Puerto Rico “could not have any more controls.”

“We have inspections from the U.S. Office of the Inspector General, federal HUD, local HUD, now with the presence of the federal monitor, with the presence of the admiral who will be addressing this issue; so, it is impossible to have more supervision and more people monitoring this program,” he stated.

The Housing secretary added that on Dec. 31, 2019, HUD released a list of states and jurisdictions receiving CDBG-DR funds that qualified as slow spenders. Save for a 2008 allocation of $29 million, Puerto Rico is not certified as such. “The first $1.5 billion, which is the first allocation [after the hurricane], appears correctly classified as a first-year allocation to the [CDBG-DR] program; so, we are fine in that regard,” he said, adding that these funds will boost the economy by creating affordable housing, which would result in “immediate employment.”

Aside from providing Hurricane Maria disaster relief, Congress approved $4.7 billion in aid for the recovery process stemming from January’s earthquakes. >Carlos Rivera Giusti

THE WEEKLY JOURNAL asked Fernández Trinchet to discuss which measures, if any, the local government is implementing to improve federal officials’ perceptions about the former’s capability. He affirmed that he already held a meeting with Robert M. Couch, whom HUD announced last January as the new Federal Financial Monitor to oversee the grant administration and disbursement process of disaster recovery funds to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“I can tell you that the chemistry was immediate. [Couch] is a person that listens. I don’t think he comes here to whip. I think that he wants to ensure that Puerto Rico is on track, that it has the corresponding fiscal controls.

He doesn’t want to be an obstacle,” Fernández Trinchet said.

The housing secretary went on to say that he and other public officials have also held meetings with members congress and HUD personnel that were “extremely productive.” He said that local officials presented their concerns and disapproval over some of the conditions, but they ultimately asked for clarification on how to accelerate the fund disbursement process. “We don’t want to waste time with confrontation. The blaming game goes nowhere,” he said.

Municipal Delay in Housing Program

Fernández Trinchet highlighted that the Housing Department has outlined 26 programs within its Plan of Action, of which eight are already established. One of these is the Municipal Planning Program, in which towns can access funds for municipal or regional

development. Although this program has been operational since Oct. 2019, only 30 out of 78 municipal governments have submitted requests.

These municipalities are: Aguada, Aguadilla, Barranquitas, Caguas, Canóvanas, Carolina, Cidra, Coamo, Dorado, Fajardo, Guánica, Guayama, Guayanilla, Hormigueros, Humacao, Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Díaz, Lajas, Maricao, Mayagüez, Peñuelas, Ponce, Rincón, Salinas, San Germán, Santa Isabel, Vega Baja, Yabucoa and Yauco.

The official dismissed a possible lack of knowledge, asserting that there have been individual and group meetings with all mayors and/or their representatives. Given that the Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resilience (COR3) is facing a similar issue, Housing will collaborate with that agency on holding additional meetings with municipal leaders starting this week. Meanwhile, his department is requiring municipalities to update their inventory on abandoned properties and public nuisances to address the island’s housing crisis.

Alas, Fernández Trinchet said that his primary concern at the moment, regarding municipalities, is working on short-, medium- and long-term housing solutions for residents who lost their properties amid the 6.4-earthquake on Jan. 7 and its aftershocks. The official expects to have emptied the shelters by March 24.

“I think that we are doing well with that date.

As of Feb. 12, I believe we had fewer than 1,300 refugees from a peak of 8,000 just two months ago. We are quite confident that will meet that goal,” he said.

8

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

‘Intergalactic Doctor’: Puerto Rico Can Become the Next “Silicon Island”

Dr. José Morey to discuss island’s potential in STEM industries at upcoming investors’ conference

A Giovanna Garofalo

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

head of the Puerto Rico ICON event next week, Dr. José Morey—an expert in various innovation fields—said that the island’s socioeconomic future lies in the development of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and businesses.

Puerto Rico ICON is an upcoming investors conference organized by Colectivo 360, a local real estate, investment and business consultancy firm dedicated to promoting the island as an international destination for investment and entrepreneurship.

As one of the guest speakers, Dr. Morey will highlight cities and countries that have successfully boosted STEM industries and added significant capital to their respective economies, and detail how Puerto Rico can incorporate a similar model.

Although he holds residency in the U.S. mainland, Dr. Morey is deeply connected to his Puerto Rican roots and hopes that this event will help showcase the island’s potential to become a monolith in STEM. Dr. Morey is regarded as the world’s ‘Intergalactic Doctor.’ During a dialogue with THE WEEKLY JOURNAL, the Puerto Rican professional explained that he received the nickname a few years ago during an interview due to his scientific and technological proficiency. After graduating from the John Hopkins School of Medicine he journeyed into a successful career as a radiologist but eventually ventured to other fields to complement his STEM literacy—such as artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, aerospace, business intelligence, 3D printing, and more. In short, the colorful sobriquet is essentially the

Dr. José Morey is deeply connected to his Puerto Rican roots and hopes the event will help showcase the island’s potential to become a monolith in STEM. >Courtesy

evolution of the ‘Renaissance Man,’ which is fitting, considering Dr. Morey’s influence.

“One of my role models is Leonardo Da Vinci, and I believe that it is very important to learn a little bit of everything, especially in science and art because I believe that nowadays in order to remain innovative it is especially crucial to have a combination of science, math, and art,” he said.

In this sense, one of the aspects that the acclaimed tech expert will discuss during the panel is the importance of revamping Puerto Rico’s education model in universities and primary schools. Given experts’ consensus that software engineering and computer coding will be the new forms of literacy, Dr. Morey affirmed that these building blocks of innovation must be incorporated in the education system from an early age. These, however, must be accompanied by a thorough engagement of the arts.

“The arts need to stay there because we need scientists who are creative… We need to create a myriad Steve Jobs who combine science, engineering and art to create new companies, to find solutions,” he affirmed, pointing to Albert

Einstein, Leonardo Da Vinci, and Ada Lovelace as geniuses with creative and analytical backgrounds in areas of expertise that changed the world.

He observed that Israel is a country that is similar in size and population to Puerto Rico, yet roughly 15 or 20 years ago it integrated STEM to children’s education and now those branches comprise a sizable portion of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP). In an article he wrote for Forbes, he noted that Israel has almost 1,000 startups in the field of AI alone and in the last five years the exits for these companies have averaged $121 million.

“It can be done here, but we need to focus on education and promote new companies with government incentives; focusing on one vision and one mission, which is to create a population of scientists and creating innovative companies on the island to boost everyone at the same time,” he stated.

Dr. Morey stressed that this education overhaul needs to be complemented with a healthy business environment that incentivizes innovation. He praised the efforts of various local organizations, startups and accelerators, such as Ciencia Puerto Rico, Parallel18, Piloto 151, and the Puerto Rico Science Trust.

Moreover, he lauded Acts 101, 20 and 22, as well as the federal Opportunity Zones program that was incorporated in the Puerto Rico Incentives Code. But while he acknowledged these mechanisms, he stressed that these served as building blocks on which the public and private sectors need to improve upon to foster a sciencedriven economy.

“The leaders of the future are scientists, technologists, engineers—those are the people who will be the leaders of the future. Here in Puerto Rico, we have the opportunity to be those leaders, and not just for Latin America or the Caribbean. Our island, the Island of Enchantment, can become the Silicon Island that can be a worldwide leader,” he stated, alluding to Silicon Valley, the world’s capital of high tech and innovation.

Puerto Rico ICON will take place on Feb. 25 at La Concha Resort in Condado, San Juan. For more information, visit http://www.prinvestorsconference.com

9

GOLF TOURNAMENT VIERNES 20 DE MARZO

< The Weekly Journal > Wednesday, Febuary 19, 2020

ROUND 2

10

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

UPR Secures 26 Patents From breast cancer drugs to solar panels, researchers and scientists at the institution are creating technology to improve public health and quality of life

I

Cynthia López Cabán

clopez@wjournalpr.com

@cynthia_lope

n a lab at the University of Puerto Rico (UPR), a team of scientists develops a drug that could block the spread of breast cancer to other organs. Another group works to improve the storage capacity of solar panels, while other researchers fine-tune an invention to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

These are just three of the 26 patented projects that were added to the UPR’s research

We’ve made history and I don’t want to take all the credit. This has been a team effort and part of the new direction the university is taking, promoting collaborations with other organizations and the private sector.

-Yahveh Comas, director of the Office of Intellectual Property at the UPR portfolio in the past two years, despite budgetary constraints. The island’s main institution of higher learning currently holds 98 patents. Mayagüez, Medical Sciences and Río Piedras top the list of the

campuses with the most inventions.

“We’ve made history and I don’t want to take all the credit. This has been a team effort and part of the new direction the university is taking, promoting collaboration with other organizations and the private sector,” pointed out Yahveh Comas, director of the Office of Intellectual Property at the UPR. For the development and research of the breast cancer drug, the UPR teamed up with MBQ Pharma, the first biopharmaceutical company on the island working with new therapies to prevent metastasis in patients with cancer, and the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust.

The intellectual property on the compound stems from the research of scientists at the UPR Medical Sciences Campus, who are currently working on non-clinical trials.

“First, we evaluate the invention. Then, we have it registered and protected by submitting an application to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (Uspto). Once the patent is approved, we own it,” Comas explained to THE WEEKLY JOURNAL. According to the Uspto, a patent is an

The University of Puerto Rico has secured 98 patents and is awaiting approval to the exclusive rights of another 50 inventions. >Courtesy

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

11

Yahveh Comas, director of the Office of Intellectual Property at the UPR, said that the institution encourages collaboration and teamwork in hopes of advancing research and innovation. >Courtesy

authorization that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, selling and importing an invention. It’s generally granted for 20 years from the date the application was filed and it’s effective only within the U.S., its territories and possessions.

Other 62 inventions are in the pipeline, 12 are under evaluation and the remaining 50 are waiting for patents.

“We are processing applications (for patents).

Some directly tackle the needs of the people.

For instance, after the recent earthquake, one of our professors joined forces with a mechanical engineer from the Mayagüez campus to develop a microclimate for bedridden patients,” Comas indicated.

The idea to conceive and build a chamber of sorts originated from the televised images of bedridden patients sleeping outdoors during the emergency caused by the ongoing seismic activity.

“Although the institution is going to commercialize these inventions and generate revenues, what matters to us is the social impact that these technologies have,” Comas stated.

Other Patents

The Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust also applies for patents in collaboration with the Ana G. Méndez University, the Central University of the Caribbean and the Ponce Health Sciences University.

“Getting a patent can be expensive. We cover the expenses of the application process and the marketing of the new technologies, but the institution owns the patent,” indicated Carlos Báez Pagán, technology manager of the trust’s Technology Transfer Office. “We support inventions that have the potential to be commercial.”

The cost of an application for a patent within the U.S.A. can oscillate anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000, but the fee for an international patent depends on the country, the need to translate documents and to comply with other rules.

Since its inception three years ago, the Technology Transfer Office has obtained 25 patents and manages a portfolio of 36 inventions, which include therapeutic or drug delivery innovations and medical devices.

It has also filed 9 petitions for provisional patents, 5 regular patents and 13 international patents in countries like Canada, Germany, Great Britain, New Zealand and Australia.

Báez indicated that a provisional patent, only issued in the U.S., is requested when an inventor needs to publish an article in the very early stages of the research and wants to protect the intellectual rights of the invention; it expires in one year.

He added that, aside from holding a U.S. patent, they have also secured international patents in Australia, Canada and Germany for the breast

cancer compound to prevent metastasis.

“MBQ Pharma is the first start-up created to commercialize a drug developed at the UPR,” he pointed out. “It has the license to commercialize that intellectual property. Eventually, when the company starts selling the drug, the UPR will receive royalties from those sales,” Báez indicated.

Inventors also receive royalties. Scientists at the UPR receive 34 percent of the revenues the institution receives and scientists at the Sistema Ana G. Méndez get 50 percent.

“Researchers and inventors have to reimburse the institution’s investment in the patent process before they can collect royalties,” Báez said.

The trust has also collaborated with the UPR on patenting a compound meant to treat malaria created at Adelfa Serrano’s laboratory, a wellknown scientist at the Medical Sciences Campus.

Báez mentioned that, for this invention, the trust filed an international patent application under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) seeking protection in several countries. “The PCT allows you 18 months to decide the countries where you want to file a patent.”

They are not frequent, but the technology manager said his office had recently received three more invention disclosures that are currently under evaluation.

“We are open to working with other universities and institutions. We have the resources to help them navigate the process,” Báez stated.

12

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Prepa’s deputy director affirmed that DG systems have experienced “accelerated growth.” >Archive

No Gov’t Data Available on Clients Who Remain Off-Grid More Than 16,500 Prepa Clients Generate Their Own Energy

T Giovanna Garofalo

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

he Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (Prepa) informed that 16,569 residential, commercial and industrial clients have opted to generate their energy while remaining on the public utility’s grid.

Per THE WEEKLY JOURNAL’s request, Prepa Deputy Director Jaime López said that by Jan. 2020 the island’s primary energy supplier had 17,241 distributed generation (DG) systems interconnected with its electricity grid at transmission, sub-transmission and electrical distribution voltages with an aggregate capacity of 212,204 kilowatts (kW). Of these, 16,407 belong to residential clients, which represents 100,990 kW of aggregate nominal capacity.

These numbers closely mirror the estimate provided by several experts who participate in the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) of the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau—a plan developed by Prepa through Act 57-2014, meant to improve the system’s reliability, efficiency and transparency.

However, López acknowledged that Prepa does not have a record of the clients who have chosen to remain off-grid in favor of fully sustainable energy. Although current clients have that option, some experts warn that accomplishing this transition would not be financially advisable to some due to equipment costs. Moreover, clients with interconnected DG systems could receive financial compensation.

As previously reported by this paper, Prepa offers the Net Measurement Program in which clients who generate an energy surplus can export it to the utility’s grid and receive a credit in their monthly electricity bills.

López stated that to receive these monthly credits, “it is essential that the client is

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

We believe that there will be several factors that will impact the consumer’s decision of installing their DG, including financial and environmental [reasons], access to capital, new technology, etc.

-Jaime López, Prepa Deputy Director

interconnected with the authority’s electricity grid and that they comply with the requirements established in the current regulations.” The statutes, Regulations 8916 and 8915, are available at www.aeepr.com.

Asked if there has been a growing trend toward energy generation among clients, López asserted that DG interconnection with the public electricity grid has shown “accelerated growth, particularly since 2014.” However, after Hurricanes Irma and Maria made landfall in Sept. 2017 the growth has been slower.

“In reality, this [slower growth] is attributed to several factors, among them: problems in the DG register system for some months after the onslaught of the hurricanes, executive orders from the central government that allowed accelerated DG interconnection to manage the impact of

>Courtesy

these hurricanes—these DG were later registered as clients entered in the Net Measurement Programs—among others,” the official said.

Leaders of the solar energy and storage industry had affirmed to this paper that they had seen a noticeably larger demand after the hurricanes and the seismic activities that devastated the southern region of the island last January. Patrick J. Wilson, president of the Solar and Energy Storage Association of Puerto Rico (SESA), had stated that this growing tendency indicates that in 10

The solar panel market has seen an increase in customers after January’s seismic events. >Carlos Rivera Giusti

13 years roughly 100,000 homes would have their own energy generation systems. THE WEEKLY JOURNAL asked whether the public utility had made a similar study and if its numbers concur with Wilson’s.

“As part of the IRP, in July 2018, the Authority protected the number of clients with DGs… the variance of the projection of clients for the year 2019 compared to real clients was -10 percent, so we understand that Mr. Wilson’s number… can be optimistic, unless market conditions change, such as the access and cost of technology,” López said.

This projection was contemplated in Prepa’s restructuring support agreement (RSA), which has been filed before U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain, who is overseeing the island’s debt restructuring process under the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act (Promesa). The RSA contains a highly-debated “solar tax” that would burden clients with DG systems.

THE WEEKLY JOURNAL inquired as to whether this measure would discourage clients from choosing to generate their energy and, if not, if the Authority would be able to collect enough revenue to make up for a possible loss of customers.

“No. We believe that there will be several factors that will impact the consumer’s decision of installing their DG, including financial and environmental [reasons], access to capital, new technology, etc.

Prepa’s costs and benefits will rely largely on the energy demand projections included in the IRP estimates, which in turn consider the generation combination,” the official responded.

14

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Coffee Farmers Celebrate Judicial Order Federal judge Gustavo Gelpí granted an injunction that restrains the local Department of Agriculture from meddling in the importation of coffee seeds

A Cynthia López Cabán

clopez@wjournalpr.com

@cynthia_lope

fter adopting a recommendation from magistrate judge Bruce McGiverin, federal judge Gustavo Gelpí granted a permanent injunction banning the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture (PRDA) from interfering with coffee farmers that import seeds from foreign countries with a permit issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Puerto Rico Farm Bureau’s coffee sector celebrated the decision.

Despite the fact that Secretary of Agriculture Carlos Flores had announced to several media outlets his intention to challenge McGiverin’s recommendation, Gelpí stated in an order issued earlier this month that the recommendation “remains unopposed and it is hereby adopted in its entirety.”

On Oct. 17, 2018, Siembra Finca Carmen sued for declaratory and injunctive relief against Secretary Flores and the deputy secretary of Agriculture, Jesús Santiago, after the agency fined the company $5,000 for importing 280 kilograms of coffee seeds from Nicaragua without the agency’s authorization. In its motion seeking the preliminary injunction, attorney Liz Arelis Cruz Maisonave, from the law firm Pietrantoni Mendez & Alvarez, argued that the laws invoked by the officials to impose the fine were preempted by the Plant Protection Act (PPA), a federal regulation meant to prevent the introduction of plant pests into the United States.

Before importing the seeds, Siembra Finca Carmen obtained a “controlled import permit” from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the office under the U.S. Department of Agriculture in charge of promulgating and enforcing the PPA. It also initiated the process of obtaining a permit from the PRDA, but the agency requested information about planting and harvesting that the company could not provide at the time. During that back and

A federal judge granted a permanent injunction ordering the local Department of Agriculture to stop interfering in the process of importing coffee seeds. >Gabriel López Albarrán

Iris Jannette Rodríguez, president of the Puerto Rico Farm Bureau’s coffee sector, expressed satisfaction with the decision and condemned Flores’ alleged attempts to cripple the industry’s recuperation after Maria. >Josian E. Bruno Gómez

forth, the PRDA imposed the fine.

On its behalf, PRDA, represented by Idza Diaz-Rivera for the P.R. Department of Justice, responded that no such relief was merited because its actions were authorized by Puerto

Rico law, which had not been preempted. It was also argued that the federal regulation in dispute only regulated interstate commerce, as opposed to foreign commerce.

In a 13-page report, McGivern sided with Siembra Finca Carmen, a subsidiary of Puerto Rico Coffee Roasters, that over a year ago decided to import seeds to palliate the damage caused by Hurricane Maria. The storm destroyed 85 percent of coffee farm harvests when it impacted the island in Sept. 2017.

“In sum, the laws that authorized PRDA to require SFC (Siembra Finca Carmen) to obtain a permit prior to importing coffee seeds from foreign countries and to penalize SFC for its failure to do so, are expressly preempted by 7 U.S.C. § 7756(a),” stated McGiverin in his report.

This means that federal laws take precedence over state laws or, in the case of Puerto Rico, the territory.

The judge directly ordered the PRDA to restrain from requiring SFC to obtain a permit prior to the importation of coffee seeds for planting from foreign countries, and from levying sanctions against SFC for its failure to obtain a permit prior to the importation of coffee seeds, amongst other conduct.

Iris Jannette Rodríguez, president of the Puerto Rico Farm Bureau’s coffee sector and a second-generation farmer in Adjuntas, expressed satisfaction with the decision and condemned Flores’ alleged attempts to cripple the industry’s recuperation after Maria.

“We must remember that the secretary tried to intervene and block initiatives to plant new coffee trees. Just look at the handling of the 2 million seeds donated by Starbucks after the storm,” Rodríguez noted.

At the time, coffee farmers denounced Flores for creating a new protocol that stalled the planting of the donated seeds, hindering the recovery of a coffee industry that in 2017 had been expecting its best harvest in a decade.

“This confirms that the secretary tried to prevent coffee from being planted in Puerto Rico in a disappointing attempt to maintain the Department of Agriculture’s monopoly over the coffee supply on the island. The court’s decision also confirms that our claim was and still remains fair. The damage caused by the secretary’s actions is real, and we continue to feel its effect today with the slow recovery of our farms,” Rodríguez insisted.

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

15

Gov’t To Continue With Its Commercial Missions

A fuller agenda is scheduled for 2020

A Ileanexis Vera Rosado

ivera@elvocero.com

@iverarosado

lthough the 2019 earnings projected from the commercial missions abroad were 40 percent less than they were in 2018, this year is expected to see an increase in that number, thanks in part to the 11 destinations that are being targeted within Latin America, Europe, the United States and the Caribbean.

This year’s calendar of events will set off with a commercial mission to Tortola from March 16 to 18, followed by one to Portugal from March 30 to April 3, and another to Uruguay and Paraguay from April 20 to 24. During the summer, the missions will be to Madrid and Barcelona from May 17 to 22; the Dominican Republic from June 1 to 5; Peru from June

22 to 26; Ecuador from July 13 to 17; Costa Rica and Panama from Aug. 16 to 22; and Orlando from Sept.

7 to 11.

The Commerce and Exportation Company (CCE by its Spanish acronym) plans to continue investing in these commercial missions that promote and market local products and services. Since 2017, these missions have generated $83.2 million in sales, with 2017 generating $23.4, 2018 generating $37.4 million and 2019 generating $22.5 million.

According to the CCE, the most profitable markets so far have been Orlando, New York and Panama.

In 2017, they added Peru, Costa Rica and Chile to their list of targeted countries, and in 2018 they added Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Aruba and Curaçao. In 2019, they added Spain and Mexico.

The CCE has also brought in buyers, a move that generated $1.5 million in sales, and engaged in virtual commercial missions with the collaboration of Puerto Rico Emprende’s B2B Virtual Matchmaking, a move that generated over $1 million.

These missions have had a significant impact on an array of sectors, from the food and beverage

industry to technology and energy, and even within the service industry.

Manuel Laboy, secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce, has stated that “this new commercial agenda seeks to increase the presence of local goods and services in these markets, explore new niches and identify new growth opportunities.”

He went on to say that “aside from these commercial missions, we have identified other initiatives that may help locals understand foreign markets so that they can expand and grow. The CCE will be developing workshops in different international markets with the hopes of garnering more competitive, effective and prepared entrepreneurs that are ready and willing to help in the development of the local economy.”

This commercial agenda was made possible thanks in part to the Small Business Administration’s Federal State Trade and Export Promotion. The program’s mission is to increase the amount of small businesses that export their goods as well as to increase the value of the goods that are already being exported.

16

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Former President Clinton Highlights The Work Of Four NGOs In Puerto Rico

Does not endorse a Democratic presidential candidate

F Rosario Fajardo

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

ormer President Bill Clinton, in Puerto Rico for the next few days, spent Monday touring four nonprofit organizations (NGOs) in Corozal, Cataño, Caguas and San Juan, to highlight the impact they are having in their local

communities.

With the message that positive change happens at the community level, he said he is trying to show a different image of Puerto Rico, as the combination of three factors have not been positive for the island: the debt load of more than $72 billion, which led Puerto Rico to default in 2016 and have to undergo a bankruptcy process; the lack of confidence that this has generated; and the “political controversies,” such as the massive protests last July that led to the resignation of Ricardo Rosselló as governor.

“I’m trying to give people a different image of Puerto Rico, about what is really happening, how the people really are and their real potential,” he said. “It bothers me that we only hear about the problems and there are so many really extraordinary things happening here.”

Clinton indicated that if these same NGOs were doing their work in more prosperous areas of the United States, they would have been lauded for their success. Instead, they have received little public attention.

Clinton toured the Sagrada Familia Cooperativa in Corozal, which is providing microloans to small businesses and promoting entrepreneurship in the central mountain area, where many residents do not have easy access to traditional financial institutions.

He visited “Caras con Causa” in Cataño, which is providing mental health services throughout the island, through a collaboration with the University

As I often say, there can be a big difference between the headlines and the trend lines.

We mostly hear about the headlines – but the trend lines can tell us more about what is happening in most people’s lives.

-Former President Bill Clinton, as quoted in the Clinton Foundation’s website

of Puerto Rico. Graduate students studying postdisaster mental health are providing direct services to many people in need. The program also offers a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) program for seven public schools to supplement the “inadequate” science curriculum in the public school system.

While on site, Clinton announced that Expedia, one of the Clinton Foundation’s many partners,

was so impressed with the work that “Caras con Causa” is doing that the online travel company will donate $25,000 to the nonprofit.

Clinton also toured the Sanos Primary Health Center in Caguas, which provides services to patients regardless of their ability to pay. The federally qualified facility treats many people who are homeless or live in public housing. Sanos also has an opioid program to treat those with this addiction. Another nonprofit, Direct Relief, has donated naloxone—a medication used to treat an opioid overdose—and a mobile medical unit to Sanos.

Finally, he visited the “La Goyco” community center on calle Loíza in San Juan, located at a public school that has been closed for about 10 years. The facility was reopened a few years ago to provide a variety of services to the local community, many of whom are elderly and/or economically disadvantaged. Activities provided include health fairs, yoga, art, music and dance workshops.

No Formal Endorsement Announced

With Super Tuesday just a couple of weeks away on March 3, Clinton declined to endorse a presidential candidate for the Democratic Party.

“I have participated in three primaries in Puerto Rico. I had all the votes in 1992 and Hillary won by

Former President Bill Clinton watches as fifth grade students in Cataño conduct an experiment on the impact of pollution in the Caño Martín Peña. >Carlos Rivera Giusti

17

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

big margins in 2008 and 2016. I am very grateful for all that Puerto Rico has done for my family and we are trying to positively influence in favor of Puerto Rico, but I am not going to get involved in this primary. I don’t think it would be fair and I don’t think I should do it,” he said during an informal press conference.

On Tuesday, Former Sen. Hillary Clinton echoed these remarks, adding that she would support whoever winds the Democratic presidential primaries.

Besides the Clinton Foundation’s work in Puerto Rico, reporters asked about the “slow aid” that is coming from the federal government after two recent disasters: Hurricane Maria in Sept. 2017 and the recent earthquakes that originated in the south.

Clinton said he and former secretary of state and former Sen. Hillary Clinton had essentially done all they could to move the federal monies, but he acknowledged that he doesn’t exactly have any influence with the Trump administration.

Clinton and former Sen. Hillary Clinton are widely acknowledged to be the premier “power couple.” However, he demurred when asked about stateside reports that Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg, now rising in the polls, was eyeing Sen. Hillary Clinton as his running mate. Sen. Hillary Clinton reportedly “wants back in,” according to stateside reports.

President Clinton’s advice to those running in the Democratic presidential primaries is that they should focus on the race at hand before considering running mates.

Other Activities in Puerto Rico

On Wednesday and Thursday, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will convene members of the Clinton Global Initiative Action Network in San Juan, for the fifth meeting since 2018. >Carlos Rivera Giusti

“I don’t know where that came from. I don’t know anything about that. But I do know one thing, I have been out of politics much longer than she has. If they want to ask about her future, they should ask her,” he said.

For her part, the former Secretary of State also indicated Tuesday that she was not interested in running for the vice presidency as part of a possible Bloomberg ticket.

On Tuesday, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was scheduled to tour Solar Libre at Centro MAM in Carolina, where she met with clinicians, midwives and new and expectant moms who are served by the clinic. The Clinton Foundation is partnering with the clinic through its early childhood initiative, Too Small to Fail, to provide resources and training on early brain and language development.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will convene members of the Clinton Global Initiative Action Network in San Juan, for the fifth meeting since 2018.

The Action Network brings together leaders from business, government and civil society to make commitments that accelerate recovery from natural disasters and promote resiliency in the Caribbean region.

The San Juan meeting includes special sessions on recovery in the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian; supporting marginalized communities on the front lines of the fight against climate change; and investing in high-tech, high skilled jobs in the Caribbean.

18

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Are Local Banks Penalized for Operating in Puerto Rico?

O

V2A Consulting

riental Bank, FirstBank and Banco Popular have been the survivors of a long consolidation period in Puerto Rico. They have shown tremendous resilience during a difficult economic period and have maintained a solid financial performance during the past two years.

Banco Popular has increased its return on equity from 5.6 percent in the 2010-2014 period to 15.8 percent in 2018 and 15.2 percent in 2019, surpassing the profitability reached by the U.S. banking sector benchmark. Likewise, FirstBank has made a remarkable improvement in terms of profitability and, Oriental Bank, despite showing more stable results, has also experienced an improvement.

Banks have increased their profitability while maintaining very high capitalization levels. Despite the challenging economic conditions, the three banks increased their loan portfolio in 2019, even before factoring in their most recent bank acquisitions.The performance of local banks has

translated into significant stock price increases in the past two years. While the S&P 500 Banks composite has remained stable, the Banco Popular, FirstBank and Oriental Bank stock prices have increased by ~67 percent, ~98 percent and ~135 percent, respectively, since Jan. 2018.

Contrary to Santander P.R. and Scotiabank P.R., the operations of the bank holding companies are mostly on the island. This limited geographic market diversification, and the fact that Puerto Rico has been immersed in a long economic crisis, could result in their stock prices being penalized by market investors.

The price to book (P/B) and price to revenue (P/R) ratios are excellent valuation multiples to understand whether local publicly traded banks carry a “market risk premium”. Companies in the same sector and with assets similar in size should show comparable P/B and P/R ratios. We have selected 10 U.S. banks with assets similar in size to Banco Popular’s and have calculated their P/B and P/R ratios on a consolidated basis. We have done the same for Oriental Bank and FirstBank.

Banco Popular has consistently shown lower P/B and P/R ratios when compared with the U.S. benchmark. Given its solid profitability and risk adjusted capital levels, the market factor is a

plausible reason behind its lower valuation. The valuation gap reduced significantly in Q4 of 2008 and has remained stable since.

When we look at Oriental Bank and FirstBank, we do observe lower P/B and P/R ratios when compared to their U.S. counterparts during the 2015-2018 period. However, starting in Q4 2018, the gap seems to have narrowed or disappeared, suggesting a market valuation more in line with the U.S. counterparts.

Overall, we see a very solid banking sector in Puerto Rico after a long period of market restructuring. As investors realize that Puerto Rico is again on a path of economic stability, any potential risk premium related to the banks’ operations being heavily concentrated in Puerto Rico should also disappear.

Notes: 1The benchmark used is the category “US Commercial Banks with Total Assets between $10B and $250B” as per the FDIC categorization Sources: V2A Banking Indicators Portal (http://prbankindicators.v-2-a.com/) Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Comparison Reports (https://www5.fdic.gov/sdi/main.asp?formname=compare) Yahoo Finance (https://finance.yahoo.com)

19

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

By Waleska Rivera

By Luis Pomales

Entrepreneur & CEO Danosa Caribbean Inc

T

Lessons from “La SanSe”

housands defied fear and went up and down the cobblestoned streets of Old San Juan, shaking off disbelief of the shattering earthquake and aftershocks that continue to affect the southern part of our island.

Amongst conflict and controversy, the government clashed on deciding if the traditional “Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastian” should take place while the earth continued to rumble.

The impact on the economy was the main reason for San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz to stand her ground and give it the go-ahead, while the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture would have preferred to delay the artisan’s festival unto the end of February. These are tough decisions in trying times. We hope these decisions were made with precaution, safety and economic development in mind, setting political differences aside.

Growth usually happens after tough times, and we must learn from the lessons of “La SanSe 2020.” The the success of the 50th anniversary of this grand festival has proven that culture is a powerhouse when it comes to our economy.

The economic trickle-down effect of artists, musicians, restaurants, bars, suppliers and many others was stronger than fear. Even though thousands flooded the streets of the old city, attendance was not at its highest point. Nonetheless, carrying on with the event saved us from yet another blow to our fragile economy, specifically that of Old San Juan.

The Tourism Company estimated that over 40,000 cruise ship passengers arrived during

that weekend alone. Videos of tourists dancing “perreo” to the rhythm of urban reggaeton music down in the barrio of La Perla helped the “SanSe” retain its status as the most important January festival on the planet, as established by the National Geographic magazine in 2013.

Conservative estimates establish that the economic impact of tourist that flee from the harshness of winter to dance on our historic streets during that weekend is close to $5 million.

This figure does not take into account the locals that come from different towns to stay in area hotels, eat, drink and dance, helping move the economy even further.

Even though the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture formally postponed its artisan’s festival, traditionally celebrated within “La SanSe”, artists managed to sneak into corners of the event to sell the goods they had been working on throughout the year. We must not see this postponement as a scheme to dilute “La SanSe,” but as a precaution and an opportunity to celebrate yet another festival that will assist in moving the economy of the battered old city.

Culture is one of our greatest assets. The recent news that the National Council for the Arts is celebrating its annual meeting in Puerto Rico in October, is very encouraging. We must give our utmost support to cultural events.

During the weekend of Feb. 27 to March 1, we have the opportunity to give the economy another breather. Let the music, art and culture strengthen our economy and bring us together.

God bless our resiliency and ability to smile and enjoy ourselves even in the toughest of times!

MBA, MSS COL (R), LG US Army

A

A Look at Japan’s 2011 Earthquake

famous military strategist once said, “During battle, plans are useless, but planning is essential”.

After the earthquake of 2011, Japan, one of the top economies in the world, wrestled and continued to battle with recovery efforts. Disaster and recovery operations are complex, lengthy and require innovative solutions.

Puerto Rico, going through similar events at a lesser scale, lacks the resources, proper planning and decision-making skills that would enable our government to transition from emergency operations to recovery work.

Nine years after the earthquake, Japan has moved forward while still being resourceful. Puerto Rico needs to move forward by providing for the affected population.

Background On March 11, 2011, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake occurred 231 miles northeast of Tokyo and within 30 minutes a 132feet high tsunami struck. These two events led to the release of radioactive material from the Fukushima Nuclear Plant. At least 20,000 people died,18,000 from the tsunami alone, another 2,500 went missing, and over 465,000 people were displaced.

The disaster also destroyed 138,000 buildings and caused an estimated $360 billion in damages. These catastrophic events became known as the “Triple Disaster”.

Recovery Efforts Forty-four minutes after the earthquake, the government of Japan activated the emergency operations center and in less than 24 hours over 10,000 military troops were on their way to Miyagi and Fukushima in Japan. Within a week of the nuclear emergency, 95 percent of people living within the nuclear zone were evacuated, 95 percent of power was restored and all 14 ports were opened to receive relief goods.

The total expenses for reconstruction work is estimated to cost over $284 billion dollars through fiscal 2020, and the Japan Reconstruction Agency will

continue to service the affected areas for 10 more years.

Based on a survey in March 2019, manufacturing, agriculture and other key economic sectors have returned to predisasters levels. Agriculture and fisheries are at 90 percent of their pre-disasters levels. As of March 2019 there were 54,000 displaced personnel still living in temporary lodging facilities and all public housing was expected to be completed by the end of 2019.

Economic Impact As a result of the events, Japan’s economy was devastated in four ways.

Firstly, the destruction cost more than the $250 billion cost estimate for Hurricane Katrina.The earthquake hit a region that was responsible for 6 percent to 8 percent of the country’s total production.

It crippled Japan’s nuclear industry; by May 2012, the government had closed the 50 nuclear plants responsible for energy production in the country. As a result, Japan had to import oil, causing record trade deficits.

The Bank of Japan provided market liquidity to ensure the stability of financial markets, but the long-term impact was harmful to the country’s struggling economy. Rebuilding improved the economy a bit, but the increase in national debt outweighed rendered the improvement futile.

Lastly, Japan’s economy had just started to recover from 20 years of deflation and recession.After the earthquake’s impact, Japan faced rising commodity prices and an aging labor pool.

Lessons Learned In 2014, a panel of experts gathered at Brookings to discuss Japan’s experience in order to be better prepared for the future and mitigate the loss of lives.

Some of the lessons learned were in the areas of movement and integration of non-governmental organizations, rehearsals and drills of realistic scenarios versus canned mega scenarios, laws and regulations in support of disaster relief operations and solutions like effective sirens.

The biggest lesson of all was that for relief personnel to operate within a nuclear hazard environment they need to be equipped and prepared.

20

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Lilliam Nieves:

A Provocative Depiction of Self With a series of self-portraits, videos and installations, this versatile artist is conquering the world

L

Cynthia López Cabán

clopez@wjournalpr.com

I had to experience the death of the Barbie in me.

-Lilliam Nieves, artist

@cynthia_lope

illiam Nieves doesn’t fit into a mold.

She’s a sculptor, writer, performer, painter, photographer, videographer, media artist and educator. But, above all things, she’s a provocateur and a “Barbie

killer.”

Early in her career, the girl whose notebooks were crammed with drawings, decided to confront the harmful thoughts about body image that haunted her and use that creative energy and anger to generate a critical dialogue around the female body, gender politics and colonialism.

In the process, this prolific artist has chiseled a radically original series of self-portraits carved in wood, videos and installations, leaving an imprint on the local art scene, while gaining praise and recognition across the Atlantic.

A few months ago, the University of Oregon’s Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art acquired two of her pieces, making Nieves the first female artist from Puerto Rico to be a part of their prestigious collection.

Now, she’s going after another record.

At the end of February, Nieves will travel to Ecuador to participate in another art residency program. She is the only Puerto Rican, and woman, among the 11 artists selected, to explore the intersection between the contours of the body, art and creativity.

During a recent visit to her studio, this restless woman with an amazing sense of humor and deep understanding of the artistic language, spoke to THE WEEKLY JOURNAL about the journey to (re) claim her body and the essence of her distinctive creative expression.

“All that shi* works and it screws you up. I decided to face and accept myself. I began to criticize myself so that you could understand that

For Lilliam Nieves, self-portraiture was a matter of necessity and a vehicle to explore her uncertainties.

This piece is part of her “Beauty Queen” collection. >Carlos Rivera Giusti

the same thing happens to you when you look at the fuc* mirror and don’t understand what’s happening to you,” Nieves explained.

“What a better way to trigger a conversation than by illustrating the unexamined assumptions that underpin our concept of beauty and femininity,” she added.

To rebel against the beauty myth, Nieves embraced her body without inhibitions and turned it into a canvas. Not only does she have eight tattoos, but her appearance, internal battles, insecurities and anxieties also became the fabric to weave her biting political and cultural commentaries. She alters her figure, removes body hair, applies sunblock to transform the color of her skin in an effort to shatter idealizations of the female form and claim control over her body.

“I had to experience the death of the Barbie in me,” Nieves stated of the ideal of beauty promoted by the popular doll. “My mom wanted me to be a Barbie, cute and delicate, not ordinary and clumsy like I am. At one point, I had to tell her that it was her dream, not mine.”

Barbie debuted in 1959. For a long time, feminists have chastised the typically blonde, big busted and thin plastic doll for perpetuating unrealistic and damaging beauty standards.

That rupture with the traditional beauty system and the rejection of patriarchal ideology runs throughout Nieves’ work. With unapologetic and sheer audacity, she deconstructs beauty rituals “of excessive and incomprehensible nature” to uncover what they are not overtly saying.

For this reason, she calls attention to the concept of perfection, especially in beauty pageants. “All those women fighting for a crown, and when you look at them they all look the same, like Siamese cats. Perfection doesn’t exist,” she argued without qualms.

“In my work, the crown is a metaphor for the heavy weight society thrusts on women. My crowns are heavy. When you try them on, you feel

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

The University of Oregon’s Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art acquired two of her pieces, making Lilliam Nieves the first female artist from Puerto Rico to become a part of the institution’s collection. >Carlos Rivera Giusti

they can almost break your neck because that is how the power of social pressure and patriarchy makes us (women) feel. As part of the exhibit, I invite men to wear them so they can feel the weight.”

One of her first (re)creations was a crown made of tampons. Then, in 2015, the sculptor and performer unveiled “Iron Maiden”, a series of iron crowns that showcase how these devices represent sexism and the commercialization and commodification of women’s bodies.

“I have another piece where I ask for money for liposuction because I want to be a Barbie,” Nieves stated in her iconic piece “A little help for my lipo!”

(2009).

For this critique, she uses a simple can with a label that has an image of herself in black underwear, holding a hand over her protruding

>Carlos Rivera Giusti

21

Lilliam Nieves created this crown with beer tabs collected during the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. >Carlos Rivera Giusti

belly. The jar also has an inscription that reads: “Lilliam needs liposuction urgently so she can finally quit her addiction to Photoshop.”

The excessive use of Photoshop, a picture editing software, is a recurring theme in her body of work. One example is the “Beauty Queen” series, a collection of self-portraits carved in wood where she stands on top of the world in underwear while holding a drill as if it were a weapon.

For “Beauty Queen III”, Nieves used Photoshop to make herself look thinner in a self-portrait, whereas, in “Beauty Queen II”, she conquers the world in her full-figured self. The computer mouse’s arrow -symbolizing editing- appears on her thigh.

For the piece commissioned by the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, “Beauty Queen IV”, the arrow was placed on her belly. “Since I crossed over to create that piece in Oregon, I decided to

leave my right leg floating to exemplify how we don’t learn from the lessons of the Old World and that’s why everything in America is upside down,” Nieves explained. “It is a piece of empowerment. I show my body with my imperfections.”

“Beauty Queen IV” is currently on display at the museum through Feb. 23, in the group exhibition “Resistance as Power: A Curatorial Response to Under the Feet of Jesus”. “Corona I” and a selection of the artist’s videos also became part of the museum’s collection last fall.

Her craft has been greatly influenced by the work of French artist Orlan, who delves into carnal art and has even altered her body for the sake of art. Nieves gets her creative juices flowing by perusing through the book “A Little Feminist History of Art” by Charlotte Mullins, a gift she cherishes like a treasure.

“I am not trying to be a role model. If I am, cool, but that isn’t my goal. My point is to engage in a conversation, maybe in that dialogue, so you can gain some insight and be a better person. Art is also a language for me to express my thoughts and deal with uncertainties so I won’t get frustrated.”

Out of that discomfort zone, “51 Miles” was born. It’s a video, where you only see her feet in heels walking on a treadmill in front of a white wall. She also explored colonialism and the political situation on the island during her residency at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in 2018. In the 14 minute video, “To be a disaster, to be diaspora, to be a state, to be an island, to be Puerto Rican”, you can see her wearing a bikini top resembling, on one side, the U.S flag, and, on the other, the Puerto Rican flag. She plays with her hair, presses her breasts together and applies sunscreen SPF 50, an allegory to the 50 states and in an attempt to turn her skin white but, in the end, she wipes the lotion off her body as if rejecting the impositions of the metropole.

“You try to leave a legacy and raise some awareness,” Nieves concluded.

22

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Águeda López

Aside from being a mother and model, López is also an entrepreneur

Balances A

Family and Work

>All photos by Manuel Vélez, Hair & Makeup by Jomar Meléndez, Fashion by Eclíptica. Stylist: Arnaldo Rivera

Melissa M. Cruz

mcruz@elvocero.com

@mmcruzrios

lthough “the price I had to pay to accomplish my dreams was to be away from my family”, Spanish model Águeda López says that 2019 was “incredible”. López, who is married to Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi, and has two children, Mikaela and Rocco, who are 8 and 3 years old respectively, says that last year was her busiest ever, having modeled in London, Paris, Milan and New York, among other cities.

Aside from strutting down the catwalks of fashion’s most important cities during 2019, she also spent a lot of time in Puerto Rico, for business and pleasure. She modeled for some of Puerto Rico’s biggest designers and had commitments as Kérastase’s brand ambassador. Taking time out of her busy schedule, she sat down to talk to THE WEEKLY JOURNAL about her plans for 2020 and her secret to a happy life.

“I am incredibly happy. It’s always an honor and privilege to be in Puerto Rico, it’s like my second home. I wish we could come more often because I never tire of being here,” said López.

“I was here three times in 2019, and every time I come I learn something new. This time, “El Yunque” really impressed me, I cannot believe what I had been missing out on! There’s a lot of talk about Puerto Rico’s beaches, which are beautiful, but I would have never imagined that “El Yunque” would be so spectacular. I’m in love! It has such a special vibe,” she continued. She fell so in love with the rainforest that she went on to say that “I’m going to get everyone to visit Puerto Rico and its beaches, but especially, El Yunque.”

When asked about the clothing line she is launching with fellow Spanish model Joana Sanz, López is quick to point out that they are still in the early stages of registering the brand and making an official launch. She hopes that the brand goes global.

“I am very excited and anxious over being able to present this new project we’ve been working on. I like to say it’s a luxurious project, but I don’t mean it cost-wise, I am referring to the design. The products are down to earth, very accessible. Things have been running smoothly, the factories are working on the designs. The only thing we have left to do is for me and Joana to introduce the designer, so that people get to know him,” she stated.

This is not the first time that the Miss Toledo 2000 embarks on a clothing line. In 2013, and inspired by daughter Mikaela, she launched a children’s line named Mikaboo. However, because she was in charge of everything from designing to supervising, she was having trouble with her other commitments. This time around she feels more confident.

“This time I am doing everything in a more

23

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

organized way, more professionally, with a partner whose passion for fashion is like mine, and working with an excellent designer who has a great vision.

The clothing line will be launched online because we want it to be international,” she added.

López also mentioned that they have already presented some of their items to the world, albeit it, by being worn by celebrities like Maluma, Luis Fonsi and soccer players Neymar da Silva Santos and Dani Alves.

“We wanted to launch sneakers first because we think they’re fun. However, the line is going to have more shoe styles, dresses, ready-to wear. We even want to dabble in beauty. We want our brand to be global, limitless. We have a very good feeling about it because we have had many celebrities interested,” she said.

The line will initially be available online only, although she’s open to the idea of having an establishment at which they could be sold.

“Because the sneakers have already been worn by celebrities, we’ve already had people approach us about selling them in Brazil, Puerto Rico and even Miami. However, we are concentrating now on the official launch and spreading word of the brand through Instagram and over the internet. We will figure out additional distribution strategies later on,” added Águeda.

Fashion and Philanthropy

A clothing line is not all that Águeda has in mind for 2020, as she hopes to continue receiving invitations to model and engage in different projects around the world.

“I’ve received a few acting offers which I have declined because I do not feel I’m ready for that. I know about fashion, it’s what I like and it’s where I want to stay. If I eventually end up as a fashion contributor on television, then, great. I have to think long and hard about the offers I get because I don’t want anything to take away from my career as a model and further developing my brand,” she stated.

López enjoys designing and strives to find ways in which to satisfy that desire. This past December, she joined forces with Puerto Rican designer Damarys Caro and worked on the design of a bracelet named “Vida” for Caro’s line, Karola & Co. She describes this project as “beautiful” because the proceeds from the sale of the bracelet went to the Luis Fonsi Foundation, an entity that has been working on the reconstruction of La Perla in Old San Juan, where her husband shot the video for his and Daddy Yankee’s 2017 hit, Despacito, starring Zuleyka

Rivera, Miss Universe 2006.

“That project took me a bit outside of my comfort zone but it was really exciting. Designing a bracelet isn’t just any random thing. This bracelet represents the development of projects that are needed in Puerto Rico. Even though people think we are only working with La Perla, we are also focusing our efforts in identifying other communities which need assistance,” she continued.

Aside from the foundation, the Fonsi López family continually supports other international nonprofits.

“Fonsi has been very involved with other nonprofits, as is the case with St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. On my part, I devote time to the “Querer” Foundation in Madrid, which helps children who need special education after having suffered neurological conditions. I have had the chance to sit with some of these parents and hear their stories, they really do hit you hard when you are a parent yourself. I feel for things that affect children, like hunger in Venezuela…,” added Águeda.

“Being able to help is a blessing from God, we cannot let it go to waste. We are in this world to help others. If God has blessed me with the opportunity to make a positive impact in this world I am going to seize the opportunity to do it. Solidarity is something that you engage in as a family. It is very important to me to have my 8-year-old daughter see how I help and worry about other children,” she said.

Family Life

López describes herself as very family-oriented, although she is quick to point out that being away from her parents has been the ultimate price she’s had to pay in order to accomplish her goals. She went on to add that one of her biggest dreams was to have a family. She enjoys spending as much time as she can with them, and is always grateful that she’s able to keep a roof over their heads.

“I don’t take anything for granted and try to thank God every day. I love when Mikaela is done with homework and we sing and dance on the bed while she tells me about her day. Rocco, on the other hand, tries to talk to me in this half language that I still can’t identify as Spanish, English or Russian…

These are the moments when I realize how lucky I am,” said Águeda.

As a mother, wife, model and entrepreneur, López has many responsibilities. However, she strives to enjoy every aspect of her life. When she’s modeling, she gives that her all but, when she’s with her children, it’s all about them and she trades in the glam life of high heels and haute couture dresses for her favorite uniform of sneakers, shorts, a tee and a ponytail so that she can enjoy the biggest adventure of her life: motherhood.

The secret to doing it all: balance.

“As an individual and as a woman it is great to be able to realize one’s dreams, but I don’t accept every job I am offered. I pick and choose my projects because I know my kids need to grow up with their parents. It’s complicated, but doable,” she said.

Fortunately for her, technology makes life easier.

“Fonsi and I Facetime a few times a day, both before he goes on stage and after he gets off it.

Facetime also helps me study with my daughter when I am away,” she concluded.

24

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

The mac and cheese with pork belly, the camel nachos and the corned beef croquettes with an “amarillitos” chutney and fried egg. >All photos by Josian Bruno Gómez

SODA Estudio de Cocina Takes Comfort Food to Another Level Chef Héctor Rosa describes SODA Estudio de Cocina as a creative comfort food restaurant with accessible prices Yennifer Álvarez Jaimes

yalvarez@wjournalpr.com

@yalvarezjaimes

S

ODA Estudio de Cocina is in a new space where its chef, Héctor Rosa, studies and experiments with food and all its possibilities.

Although there are staples, like his classic mac and cheese and the delicious chicken wings, surprising combinations is the name of the game for SODA Estudio de Cocina, with a unique menu that includes camel nachos, wild boar chops or deer tartare, among others.

Lets start with the nachos. They are made with thinly cut camel meat, sweet Asian sauce, guacamole and “pico de gallo.” How does that sound?

I tell you, do not be afraid to try this if you are a meat-eater; the taste and texture of the camel meat is very soft, as opposed to lamb meat, for example. The nachos are made with rice flour and the flavorful combination is really delicious. The portion is generous, so you can easily split the dish with someone else.

25

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

The mac and cheese are made with a perfect mix of gouda and cheddar cheese and a little bit of truffle oil. As a food lover, I was impressed with the tasty flavor of this classic dish, which was served with a chunk of pork belly perfectly cooked, juicy inside and toasted on the outside.

There’s also the option to add bacon, carnitas, chorizo, corn beef, lobster, mushrooms, caramelized onions, broccoli, onion rings or “amarillitos” (sweet fried plantains) to the mac and cheese.

Another the menu favorite is the corned beef rice croquette over an “amarillitos” chutney, served with a fried egg.

Chef Rosa describes SODA Estudio de Cocina as a creative comfort food restaurant with accessible prices.

“We want to compete against and overcome chain restaurants. We have better ingredients, we are locals and we want to move the island’s economy” he said. “I want a restaurant that is accessible to everyone. I don’t want people to stop coming because they think this is an expensive place. It’s the last thing that I want them to say about my restaurant,” he added.

Chef Héctor Rosa and his sister Amanda are betting on the vibrant Santurce area to develop a kind of gastronomic lab inside the former Viera Discos locale.

Rosa and his sister, Amanda, opened SODA Estudio de Cocina eight years ago in Miramar.

Now, they are betting on the vibrant Santurce area to develop a unique kind of a gastronomic lab inside the legendary Viera Discos locale; a place that in the 60s was known as “the mecca” of the music scene in Puerto Rico.

With its exterior painted all in black, the restaurant stands out on the Ponce de León avenue and, once you walk in, you can tell right away that it has a special charm.

The decoration is appealing and with beautiful details. There’s a love lock wall — the modern tradition whereby sweethearts write their names on a padlock, attach it to a public structure and throw away the key, permanently “sealing” their love.

The new place’s has ambiance is in honor of the famous Argentinian band Soda Stereo. A mural of their debut album welcomes guests as they walk into the space.

The friendly siblings sat down with THE WEEKLY JOURNAL and happily reminisced about how music from the legendary band was playing during the construction of their previous spot and how Soda Stereo’s music is a must whenever they are experimenting in the kitchen.

“We wanted a catchy name. Soda was genius because it is short, and we added Estudio de Cocina to make it clear that we are a restaurant,” said Amanda, who manages the restaurant,

handles the marketing and sometimes assists in the kitchen.

The young duo started Soda Estudio de Cocina as their first business at the ages 25 and 22, respectively, with the economic help of their father. The restaurant has been so successful that the siblings will be opening another Soda Estudio de Cocina in Bayamón. They dream of owning a local restaurant chain that offers great quality and prices.

As he prepares for the big opening, the chef highlights the ease of doing business in Bayamón, just 10 minutes away from the capital city.

The siblings also have plans to open a creative pizza place on the second floor of Soda Estudio de Cocina in Santurce.

If you’re a food lover, you really need to try SODA’s eclectic menu, while listening to a carefully crafted music playlist that adds to its laid-back and unique atmosphere.

SODA Estudio de Cocina serves brunch on Sundays starting at 11 a.m., and hosts special dinners on holidays. During the week, the restaurant has dining specials: on Tuesday’s it’s mac and cheese with a Mojito for only $10, and on Wednesdays it’s a taco and margarita for only $5, among others that you should check in its social media accounts.

Soda Estudio de Cocina is located at 909 Fernández Juncos Ave. in San Juan. (787) 940-2653.

The new place’s decor is in honor of the famous Argentinian band Soda Stereo, the rock band inspired the restaurant’s name.

26

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Exhibit at The Met Explores Early Caribbean Civilizations Taíno culture prominently featured

I

Rosario Fajardo

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

f you plan on going to New York City in the coming year, take time to see a new exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art highlighting the artistic achievements of early Caribbean civilizations.

Showcasing more than 40 works drawn primarily from The

Met collection and augmented by select loans from public and private collections in the United States, “Arte del mar: Artistic Exchange in the Caribbean,” presents an impressive narrative of creativity from the ancestral cultures of the Caribbean Sea in the millennia before European colonization.

The exhibition focuses on the artistic exchange that took place among the Taíno civilizations of the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Puerto Rico) and the coastal societies of present-day countries such as Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica and Honduras before the 16th century.

Highlights includes rarely seen sculptures created in ancient Puerto Rico, according to The Met. “Early Caribbean civilizations developed a rich cultural legacy that was fueled by the interplay of ideas and influences across the region,” said Max Hollein, the director of The Met. “This exhibition

The Arte del Mar exhibit will be available until Jan. 10, 2021. >Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

celebrates the artistic traditions of these ancestral communities while honoring the enduring power of the objects.”

Organized into three primary sections focused on ritual knowledge, ceremonial performance and political power, “Arte del mar,” (meaning art of/from the sea) highlights the sculptural achievements of the diverse island societies of the Taínos.

Featured works on view include four rare wooden sculptures, such as the 10th- to 11thcentury deity figure, or “cemí”, from The Met collection, a masterpiece that intertwines spirituality, ceremony and politics.

Another spectacular wooden figure from the 14th century, on

27

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

in the Ulúa Valley, Honduras.

Objects created from luxury materials including greenstone, shell, gold and marble underscore the range of trade connections between Caribbean peoples.

In a fourth section, the exhibition explores the ancestral legacies into the 20th century and today by incorporating “Rumblings of the Earth” (“Rumor de la tierra”), 1950, by Cuban painter Wifredo Lam, on loan from the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

The exhibition will run until Jan. 10, 2021.

The Taíno civilization

>Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Taíno culture is still very much with us today, thanks to our adoption of the Taíno words canoe, hammock, barbecue, tobacco and, of course, hurricane, according to the Smithsonian Magazine.

loan from the Saint Louis Art Museum, illustrates how special trees inspired sculptors to reveal specific deity or ancestor forms in collaboration with leaders and ritual specialists.

An exceptional group of three-pointed stones, “trigonolitos”, on loan from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, also showcases the extraordinary range of materials and imagery used by Taíno sculptors to create spiritually charged ritual objects.

Alongside works of art created by their betterknown Taíno peers, the exhibition presents objects created by the artists of the Tairona in northern Colombia, the diverse kingdoms in the Isthmus of Panama and Costa Rica, and the networks of sculptor communities

“Their world, which had its origins among the Arawak tribes of the Orinoco Delta, gradually spread from Venezuela across the Antilles in waves of voyaging and settlement begun around 400 B.C. Mingling with people already established in the Caribbean, they developed self-sufficient communities on the island of Hispaniola, in what is now Haiti and the Dominican Republic; in Jamaica and eastern Cuba; in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the Bahamas,” the Smithsonian said.

“They cultivated “yuca”, sweet potatoes, maize, beans and other crops as their culture flourished, reaching its peak by the time of European contact… Although the Taínos never developed a written language, they made exquisite pottery, wove intricate belts from dyed cotton and carved enigmatic images from wood, stone, shell and bone,” the Smithsonian said.

Before the arrival of Columbus, some scholars estimate there were as many as three million Taínos on the island of Hispaniola alone.

>Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

>Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

28

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Roberto Clemente is one the most important Puerto Rican icons.>Archive

Exclusive Roberto Clemente Memorabilia To Be Displayed For The First Time In Puerto Rico

Roberto Clemente’s memorabilia will be on display at the Puerto Rico Sports Museum in Guaynabo from Feb. 21 to April 30

F

Inter News Service

or the first time in history, several artefacts from the Roberto Clemente Museum in Pittsburgh will be brought to Puerto Rico.

Baseball fans will be able to enjoy and relive the glory of the Carolina native who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and made it all the way to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The memorabilia will be displayed from Feb.21 until April 30 at the Puerto Rico Sports Museum in Guaynabo.

Amongst the articles that will be on display will be the contract that Roberto Clemente signed with the San Juan “Senadores” in 1967, the Golden Glove Award he received in 1966 and the last uniform he wore while playing with the “Senadores” in 1972.

Fans will also be able to enjoy looking at the MVP award he won after beating the Baltimore Orioles in the 1971 World Series.

As part of the exhibit, attendees will be able to look at photographs and videos of Clemente in action. There will also be a tribute to his late wife, Vera Cristina Zabala.

“The purpose of this is to bring to Puerto Rico objects that were important throughout Roberto Clemente’s life and career so that his people, his fans and tourists can celebrate his legacy in the land where he was born,” said Ralph Paniagua, the event’s organizer and publicist of http://www. latinobaseball.com.

This historic event was made possible thanks to Luis Clemente, Roberto Clemente’s son; his family; the Roberto Clemente Foundation; Duane Rieder, the founder of the Robert Clemente Museum in Pittsburgh; and the mayor of Guaynabo, Ángel Pérez Otero.

Clemente is one the most important Puerto Rican icons. He played in the Major Leagues for 18 years, having played with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1955 to 1972.

Clemente was considered a “five tool player” and an All-Star player for 12 seasons, having had 3,000 hits in his career and batting an average of .317. He was batting champion four times, won 12 Golden Glove Awards, won the World Series twice, in 1960 and 1971, and an MVP title in 1966.

Clemente passed away in an airplane crash on Dec. 31, 1972 at 38 years old while taking relief aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame after a special election in 1973, the same year that the Pittsburgh Pirates retired his uniform number.

29

20TH ANNIVERSARY GRAND GALA

MUSEO DE ARTE DE PUERTO RICO COMITÉ ORGANIZADOR ORGANIZING COMMITTEE Presidentes / Presidents Glendaliz Acevedo y Fahad Ghaffar Verónica Viso y Antoine de Marsily Viviana Mercado

Benefactores / Benefactors Bruni Lorenzo Claudia & James Lee Francine Arocho Guillermo Paz Josean Díaz Brugueras Lara Mercado y Armando Valdés Lilly y José Alcover Mónica Ponce y Ricardo de Varona Silvia Burt Rojas y Alejandro J. García Carballo Sylvette Brugueras y José A. Díaz Walter Otero Zulma Licha y René de la Cruz Vila Junta de Síndicos / Board of Trustees Arturo J. García-Solá Presidente/President Juan Antonio Larrea French Vicepresidente/Vice President

sábado, 28 de marzo de 2020 Saturday, March 28, 2020 8:00 pm Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino Información de auspicios y boletos Sponsorship and ticket information 787 977-4449, 787 376-4317 mperez@mapr.org de Puerto Rico

www.elvocero.com

AUSPICIADOR DIAMANTE

AUSPICIADOR PLATINO

Vocero elVocero el

de Puerto Rico

www.elvocero.com

AUSPICIADOR ORO de Puerto Rico www.elvocero.com

AUSPICIADOR BRONCE

AUSPICIADOR AMIGO Multi-Clean Services Inc.

José Domingo Pérez Tesorero/Treasurer Bertita J. Martínez César Reyes Eduardo R. Emanuelli Fernando L. Batlle Gilberto Marxuach Gloria Benítez Guillermo Paz Héctor Feliciano John T. Belk III Marcos Rodríguez-Ema Melba I. Acosta Febo Teruca Rullán Verónica Viso Directora Ejecutiva / Executive Director Marta Mabel Pérez

Vocero

el

Diego R. Figueroa Secretario/Secretary

AUSPICIADOR PLATA

< The Weekly Journal > Wednesday, Febuary 19, 2020

GRAN GALA DEL 20 ANIVERSARIO

30

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Bee Festival

Held in the town of Hatillo, the “Festival de la Abeja” celebrates everything honey while educating attendees on the importance of bees. During the festivities, there will be food vendors specialized in an array of honey products.

When: Thursday, Feb. 20 to Sunday, Feb. 23 Where: Town square, Hatillo

PR ICON Puerto Rico Investors Conference

The Puerto Rico ICON is a different kind of investors conference. Firstly, it’s a business, finance and thought leadership forum showcasing Puerto Rico’s unique tax incentives, competitive advantages and investment opportunities. It’s also a platform to promote business collaboration and economic transformation within Latin America and beyond. The goal is to connect capital with development opportunities in the private and public sectors. The platform will bring together key industry stakeholders, creating a powerful economic driver for Puerto Rico’s transformation and fostering collaboration in the LATAM region.

When: Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 9 a.m.

Where: La Concha Resort, Condado

Festival de la Bomba y Plena

The mission of the “Festival de Bomba y Plena” is to share Puerto Rico’s traditional dances and music rhythms. The festival had its start 25 years ago, and since then it’s become the island’s premier festival dedicated exclusively to Puerto Rico’s traditional Afro-Caribbean music.

When: Sunday, Feb. 23 at 10 a.m.

Where: Boulevard Eudaldo Báez García, Mayagüez

31

/ Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Festival Claridad Breathwork and Sound Healing

This multi-day festival has been going strong for almost half a century.

Claridad showcase indie artists, as well as salsa, bomba and plena groups.

A workshop for deep release, relaxation and new intention setting. Join Andrea and Lisa for a special collaboration where you will utilize breathwork techniques and sound healing to nourish yourself. Breathwork is a powerful process of healing and transformation that deeply supports the clearing away of old energies, patterns, conditioning, negative thoughts and emotions while opening the doors for new life and greater consciousness. It releases trauma and helps soothe stress and anxiety.

When: Sunday, Feb. 23 at 6 p.m.

Where: Ashtanga Yoga Puerto Rico, 1950 McLeary St., San Juan

When: Thursday, Feb. 20 to Sunday, Feb. 23 Where: Hiram Birthorn Stadium, San Juan

Plein Air Watercolor Workshop Learn the age old tradition of “Plein air watercolor” painting from Marcelo Daldoce. Learn how to paint and record original images of the world utilizing a portable palette, paints, brushes, a pad of paper and a packable easel. Dalcoce is a Brazilian artist living in New York. He will be in Puerto Rico from March 12 to 15 conducting an out door workshop. For more information, please e-mail mdaldoce@gmail.com Where: San Juan

Rincón Art Walk Puerto Rico Open The Rincón Art Walk is held every Thursday at Rincón’s main town square— making it a must-stop for anyone exploring this quintessential beach town. There will be numerous local artisans and live music.

Once you’re done checking out the art, be sure to venture into one of the many local restaurants that surround the square.

Known as the most fun and tropical tournament in the PGA TOUR, the Puerto Rico Open has been celebrated in the Championship Course at Coco Beach since 2008. It combines great golf, a beautiful beachfront setting, live entertainment and the signature warm hospitality that distinguishes Puerto Ricans.

When: Thursday, Feb. 20 at 5 p.m.

Where: Rincón town square, Rincón

When: Thursday, Feb. 20 to Sunday, Feb. 23 Where: Coco Beach Golf Club, Río Grande

La Parguera 10K Enjoy the stunning scenery of Lajas, while getting your exercise on at La Parguera’s annual 10K run. Competition numbers will be given out on Saturday, Feb. 22 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Plaza San Pedro.

Racers will meet at 6 a.m. on the day of the race in order to start at 7 a.m.

When: Sunday, Feb. 23 at 7 a.m.

Where: Town square, Lajas

Humberto Ramírez Jazz Concert

A night of romantic jazz.

When: Saturday Feb. 22 at 9 p.m.

Where: Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center, San Juan