The Weekly Journal - April 1, 2020

Puerto Rico and the Caribbean

Wednesday, April 1-7, 2020 / no. 049

www.theweeklyjournal.com

/ Wednesday, April 1, 2020

ález / EL VOCERO

DEC Unveils Platform $60M Available to PyMES to offset Virus effects on businesses P6

Request Economic Incentives to offset the negative impact of the emergency measures established to flatten the curve of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The $787 million plan includes $60 million to be distributed among the island’s PyMES by the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC by its Spanish acronym). DDEC Secretary Manuel Laboy said that business owners who meet the criteria can file a request to receive $1,500.

The portal, http://www.refuerzoeconomico.com, was launched on Monday, March 30 and became available on March 31.

“We established an easy and accessible process so that the applicant can complete the online form and include the merchant’s registration, along with other specific personal and business

Telemedicine, a Lifesaver for Patients with Chronic and Complex Conditions P8

y now submit their ns to receive $1,500 eposit ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

The Coronavirus Blues

>Archive

he government of Puerto Rico announced that small- and midsize businesses (PyMES by its Spanish acronym) will now be able to digitally request the incentives included in the local economic stimulus plan designed

information required, to request the disbursement of financial aid. Unlike the process established to incentivize southern PyMES, [after the seismic activities in January], this time the applicant will be able to complete the process online,” Laboy said.

THE WEEKLY JOURNAL asked how this money will be distributed, considering that postal office activity is expected to be limited, and the fact that the government is encouraging social distancing.

“The idea is for that money to arrive via direct deposit, which I believe is the fastest and most convenient way for that business owner to receive that money as soon as possible to… partially mitigate economic loss,” the secretary explained. The applicant must confirm the banking information of the account where the stimulus will be deposited.

Prepare for the worst, but hope for the best

T Rosario Fajardo

Victims of Hurricane Maria to be Honored in New York City P13

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

he World Bank has just reported that the coronavirus epidemic has caused a “global shock” and that “significant economic pain seems unavoidable in all countries.”

In Puerto Rico, the economic cost has already been seen in several sectors, as the number of unemployment claims has jumped in the past few weeks. Since March 16, the local

Labor Department has received more than 98,000 unemployment claims—an estimated 22,250 claims were filed between March 21 and 24.

The island is in the midst of a month-long lockdown and curfew. As a result, economic activity has ground to a virtual halt in Puerto Rico, as with many other jurisdictions. Passenger activity at the Luis Muñoz Marín (LMM) International Airport, the island’s main passenger terminal that is open during the coronavirus GO TO PAGE 4

The Weekly Journal > Wednesday, April 1, 2020 > 2

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/ Wednesday, April 1, 2020

a week in review CRIM offers a two-month moratorium on property tax payment The executive director of the Municipal Revenue Collection Center (CRIM, for its Spanish acronym), Reinaldo Paniagua Latimer, announced this week taxpayers will have until May 29 to make their property tax payments for the second half of the 2019-2020 economic year, without interest, surcharges or penalties.

Paniagua Latimer specified that, according to Administrative Order Number 2020-4, which was issued taking into consideration the COVID-19 emergency, “taxpayers will be able to make their property tax payments for the second semester (Jan. 2020), which expired March 31, until May 29.”

More businesses exempted from executive order The new executive order signed this week by Gov. Wanda Vázquez allows hardware stores to open on Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

According to the executive order, hardware stores may operate by appointment, which means establishing some method of contact to coordinate the sale and delivery of merchandise.

Likewise, the executive order states that companies which offer vehicle parts and repair services may operate and tend to emergencies on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. They are also required to coordinate appointments with their clients through the phone or via e-mail. These businesses should not be opened to the general public.

When will the money arrive?

That’s the urgent question for small business owners who have been devastated by the coronavirus outbreak. Gov. Wanda Vázquez announced last week a relief package granting $1,500 in aid to small and medium businesses and assured checks were to be sent starting last week. A week later, the Department of the Treasury announced the $500 relief checks for independent contractors would be available within the next week.

Entrepreneurs, contractors and tax payers in general are also awaiting the $2 trillion rescue package signed into law last week by President Donald Trump. With bills due, no end to business closings, and an economy that’s all but shut down, owners are worried about survival.

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

two weeks, but the restrictions have since been extended to one month. crisis, has seen a drop of more than 85 percent, It should be noted that the estimates by according to Aerostar, the company that Abexus Analytics also do not include the impact manages the airport. of the Puerto Rico government’s stimulus Many hotels, retailers, restaurants and other package and the $2.2. trillion coronavirus rescue small businesses have laid off their staff. Among package that was recently passed by the U.S. the big companies with a Congress and signed into law by presence in Puerto Rico that President Trump. have laid off or furloughed “The pause in the economy their employees are Marriott is strongly felt in the services International, the world’s largest sector, particularly, non-salaried hotel chain; Hyatt and Hilton workers and small and medium Tourism hotels; major retailers Macy’s businesses,” states the 10would suffer a and Gap; and restaurant chain page document. “Readers must “profound shock,” The Cheesecake Factory, to consider that the biggest hit with losses varying name a few. to the economy- right nowfrom $524 million to A local startup, Abexus is loss of income due to the $971 million under Analytics, has recently published artificially-created temporary scenario A, and $820 a study of the economic impact of layoffs, as a consequence of the million to $2.74 the novel coronavirus COVID-19 government’s countermeasures.” billion in losses under in Puerto Rico, providing two Although the current order is scenario B, according scenarios based on the islandwide only for two weeks, its economic to the study. lockdown and curfew imposed effects would extend for several by the central government. months, according to the study.

When the document, dubbed Without taking into account “Economic Impact of COVID-19 in the newly proposed stimulus Puerto Rico: A Chain Reaction that Ripples Through measures [by the Puerto Rico government], the the Business Community,” was being prepared, scenarios point to a total of $4 billion in economic the lockdown and curfew was supposed to last losses if the most acute effects were for one

In fact,

month, and almost $10 billion if they were for three months. This could represent a reduction of between -1.7 percent and -4.1 percent of Puerto Rico’s gross national product (GNP).

A business source of THE WEEKLY JOURNAL said the study’s numbers seemed “aggressive” and did not take into account the impact on consumption, along with the stimulus packages announced by the Puerto Rico and federal governments. The source also found it difficult to replicate the study’s methodology.

“The economic simulations were performed with the information available at the time of publication… We recognize that in the coming weeks, information will continue to emerge that will help us to be even more detailed in our assumptions. Therefore, we will be updating our impacts as new data emerge,” said Adrián Alós, an economist and CEO of Abexus Analytics.

Two scenarios at play

In scenario A, the local economy would receive a drastic shock during the first month of the lockdown and curfew, losing between $2.93 billion in the best-case scenario and $3.96 billion in the worst-case scenario. The extended impact on the local economy would be a medium-term effect of five months.

Under this scenario, the island’s GNP would drop by 1.7 percent during the six-month period.

Scenario B estimates an even bigger shock to Puerto Rico’s economy of between $3.68 billion and $10.14 billion during the first three months.

The extended impact on the local economy would be for a much longer period of one year.

Under this scenario, the island’s GNP would drop by 4.1 percent during the 12-month period.

“Part of our job, as a technology company, is to bridge the gap between information produced by companies and the economy in general, which is why our systems go beyond generic estimates, but seek to speak the language of the business world based on the science of data and not necessarily depend on the anecdotal opinion of specialists,” said Eduardo Burgos Suazo, chief operating official at Abexus Analytics.

Wage and tourism losses

Condado’s beaches are closed. >Josian E. Bruno Gómez

The report also highlights what wage losses could be for workers in Puerto Rico for each week of business interruption. In just a couple of weeks, such losses could increase to about $511.4 million. Wage losses would vary from $2.4 billion to $3 billion in scenario A and $5.9 billion to $7.4 billion in scenario B. Additionally, the report provides details on the estimated economic losses for the tourism industry, which has been severely affected by the coronavirus crisis.

Tourism would suffer a “profound shock,” with losses varying from $524 million to $971 million under scenario A, and $820 million to $2.74 billion in losses under scenario B. “We all know there are strong economic effects associated with the countermeasures taken to control the spread of the virus. The question right now is how long the effects are going to last. In

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quite evident in the tourism sector. If visitors are not coming, as evidenced by the steep drop in passenger arrivals at LMM Airport, hotels and small inns will be empty, affecting jobs. This is also true of other sectors. “For instance, if the main supplier of a pool cleaner closes, then the pool cleaner and most of its colleagues will also suffer a strong business interruption,” states the report.

“You will start to hear the words ‘supply-chain’ very so often, particularly due to China’s role in the global economy. Previous experiences have shown us that companies are able to find similar substitutes in the market, the question is, however, if such substitutes will be available this time,” adds the report.

Methodology used

Old San Juan’s Plaza de Armas. >Josian E. Bruno Gómez

businesses will not be able to recuperate or sustain the economic hardship.”

The domino impact is also a factor, which is

Abexus Analytics provides general information on its methodology, saying it used algorithms, economic theory and data analytic techniques to reach its conclusions. It also categorized the economy into 20 industries that include construction, manufacturing, retail trade and accommodation and food services.

“The results are then modeled with the typical inter-industry relationships (using the 2007 Planning Board Economic Multipliers). For example, if we assume a loss of 50 percent in construction wages during the first month, then we must look for which areas of the economy support such industry, since their inputs, as well as their expenditures, will suffer a downward effect,” states the report. “Once we have the aggregate results, the dollar value is deflated and compared with the rest of the economy.

The economic impact was estimated in nominal amounts and in terms of real GNP.”

The pause in the economy is strongly felt in the services sector, particularly, nonsalaried workers and small and medium businesses. Readers must consider that the biggest hit to the economy- right nowis loss of income due to the artificially-created temporary layoffs, as a consequence of the government’s countermeasures.

-Report by Abexus Analytics

the economy, this is usually called uncertainty.

Once uncertainty skyrockets, economic actors start to walk back as if they were performing MJ’s [Michael Jackson’s] moonwalk,” states the report.

“This causes both consumers and investors to hold up their investment or consumption decisions. Moreover, several small and large

Empty streets in the business sector of Hato Rey. >Josian E. Bruno Gómez

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Brandon Cruz González / EL VOCERO

DDEC Unveils Platform to Request Economic Incentives

PyMES may now submit their applications to receive $1,500 in direct deposit

T Giovanna Garofalo

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

he government of Puerto Rico announced that small- and midsize businesses (PyMES by its Spanish acronym) will now be able to digitally request the incentives included in the local economic stimulus plan designed

to offset the negative impact of the emergency measures established to flatten the curve of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The $787 million plan includes $60 million to be distributed among the island’s PyMES by the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC by its Spanish acronym). DDEC Secretary Manuel Laboy said that business owners who meet the criteria can file a request to receive $1,500.

The portal, http://www.refuerzoeconomico.com, was launched on Monday, March 30 and became available on March 31.

“We established an easy and accessible process so that the applicant can complete the online form and include the merchant’s registration, along with other specific personal and business

information required, to request the disbursement of financial aid. Unlike the process established to incentivize southern PyMES, [after the seismic activities in January], this time the applicant will be able to complete the process online,” Laboy said.

THE WEEKLY JOURNAL asked how this money will be distributed, considering that postal office activity is expected to be limited, and the fact that the government is encouraging social distancing.

“The idea is for that money to arrive via direct deposit, which I believe is the fastest and most convenient way for that business owner to receive that money as soon as possible to… partially mitigate economic loss,” the secretary explained. The applicant must confirm the banking information of the account where the stimulus will be deposited.

/ Wednesday, April 1, 2020

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We established an easy and accessible process so that the applicant can complete the online form and include the merchant’s registration -DDEC Secretary Manuel Laboy

According to the DDEC, there are 43,000 PyMES in Puerto Rico that can request those funds, as long as they have no more than 50 employees and generate up to $10 million annually in revenue.

To be able to submit the request, the business owner must be registered in the Department of Treasury’s Unified Internal Revenue System (SURI by its Spanish acronym), which is available at http://www.suri.hacienda.pr.gov/_/. They must have also had their Merchant’s Registration Certificate (Model SC 2918) valid by March 15 of the current year.

Business owners registered in SURI whose Merchant’s Registration Certificate expired by that date must get it renewed before requesting the incentive and certify that they have not ceased operations. Moreover, to receive this they cannot have requested the $500 incentive offered by the Department of Treasury to self-employed individuals who have been affected by the government’s emergency measures.

Other Incentives Available

Apart from the state-issued economic relief, Laboy said that Puerto Rican companies can now qualify for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

“Roughly, they can qualify for up to $2 million in loans and there are additional incentives. […]

There is additional assistance for other types of beneficiaries and… there are some very welldefined descriptions in the SBA’s digital platform,” he said.

The secretary stated that there are also other economic stimuli available through various other entities and organizations, such as the Puerto Rico Small Business and Technology Development Center and Colmena66, which are offering online tutorials for business owners. The DDEC’s website will also have tutorials and webinars on all the different types of economic assistance programs available.

“Everything will be focused on [helping] entrepreneurs find themselves in time and space and knowing what is available for them… That will greatly help entrepreneurs and small businesses

to get their bearings and know what needs to be done to see if they qualify for those programs that are already available at state and federal levels, and all the technical assistance offered, either directly with us or with our partners or third parties,” Laboy said.

Workers Might Receive Paid Leave

The federal government recently approved the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which requires certain employers to provide their workers with up to 80 hours of paid sick leave and/ or up to 10 weeks of paid expanded family and medical leave for reasons related to COVID-19.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, small businesses with fewer than 50 employees, such as the ones that qualify for the $1,500 incentive offered locally, may qualify for exemption from

the requirement to provide paid leave if this would jeopardize the viability of the business. However, this exemption might come as a letdown to the employees who are struggling to make ends meet.

THE WEEKLY JOURNAL asked Laboy if these businesses could use the money received from state and federal programs, such as the EIDL, to be able to comply with the FFCRA and assist employees who are also facing their own struggles because of the lockdown and curfew enacted by Governor Wanda Vázquez.

Laboy said that the P.R. Department of Labor is the agency in charge of implementing that law on the island and that each program establishes the terms and conditions to spend the money provided. As such, it remains unclear whether the FFCRA would have a tangible impact on Puerto Rico’s workers.

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/ Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Telemedicine’s Time Has Come $500,000 grant to start telemedicine and telehealth programs in remote communities

T Rosario Fajardo

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

elemedicine has been an option within the healthcare sector for years, but it has had a slow road to acceptance.

With the coronavirus epidemic, more and more patients are turning to telemedicine for minor health problems such as allergies and earaches rather than going to a doctor’s office.

Patients worried about the coronavirus also can get a quick cyber consultation with a doctor.

According to The Associated Press (AP), many telemedicine providers have designed computer programs that question patients in order to help gauge their health or their risk of virus exposure.

Researchers have long said that healthcare behavior is hard to change. In telemedicine’s case, patients may be especially reluctant to try something unfamiliar, especially if it doesn’t involve their regular doctor.

Awareness is another problem. People may hear about telemedicine from their employer or insurer and then forget about it when they need help a few months later.

According to a report by AP, benefits consultant Mercer, found that 88 percent of companies with 500 or more employees offered telemedicine as part of their health benefits last year. However, only about 9 percent of eligible employees used it.

“But people frequently become repeat customers after trying telemedicine,” said Dr. Jason Tibbels, an executive with telemedicine provider Teladoc Health. He thinks that the awareness created by the coronavirus will last long after the pandemic fades. “These are the moments that we were built for,” he said to AP. Telemedicine is the practice of medicine using technology to deliver care at a distance, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). For example, a physician in one location uses a telecommunications infrastructure to deliver clinical care to a patient at a distant site. In essence, telemedicine is a virtual appointment with your doctor, using your smartphone, tablet or computer. A link or an app is required for you have a telemedicine consultation with a doctor.

Meanwhile, telehealth refers broadly to electronic and telecommunications technologies and services used to provide non-clinical care

>Courtesy of Business Wire

In Puerto Rico, getting an appointment with a specialist can take more than three months. This time is critical for those people who suffer from multiple chronic and complex conditions, in which accurate diagnosis and proper treatment—on time—can save the patient’s life. A real solution to tackle and solve this problem is telemedicine.

- Dr. Jose F. Rodríguez Orengo, acting director of the Puerto Rico Public Health Trust

and services at-a-distance, according to the AAFP. Examples of telehealth include remote monitoring of vital signs, electrocardiograms (ECGs), blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

Patients receiving care need to have similar telecom equipment for these services, along with specialized equipment from their medical providers, depending on their health conditions.

Gov. Wanda Vázquez Garced recently signed a bill making the provisions of the Law for the Use of Telemedicine in Puerto Rico more flexible, in order to minimize the requirements for physicians to practice telemedicine in the face of the COVID-19 threat.

“Given the new reality facing Puerto Rico, it is a priority to take effective actions in relation to public health, to address the emergency decreed by the coronavirus pandemic. In this sense, I am signing the measure to authorize the doctors who practice medicine in Puerto Rico, on the use of telemedicine, telephone consultations or any other authorized means to evaluate their patients, as well as to follow up on corresponding treatment,” the governor said.

As part of the measure, physicians are authorized to send a prescription, referral or medical order by photo or any other electronic method to service providers, who must accept and dispatch them. Patients who receive medical attention through telemedicine will be exempt from the fixed amount they would normally pay for these services.

Providing telemedicine services to remote communities

The Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust and the Puerto Rico Public Health Trust have initiated a pilot project to establish telemedicine and telehealth programs in Puerto Rico. The project consists of purchasing specialized equipment that will allow remote health services to be offered in the municipalities of Florida, Rincón, Arroyo, Las Marías, Maricao, Culebra and the Castañer community of Lares.

/ Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Dr. Wendy Matos Negrón heads the Puerto Rico Public Health Trust’s telemedicine program. >Courtesy

Aligned with its mission and vision of improving the health of communities in Puerto Rico, the Public Health Trust’s telemedicine program has joined forces and established collaborations with providers, payers and health service administrators to offer medical services to people who live in remote communities and need specialized medical services.

Dr. Wendy Matos Negrón, who runs the Public Health Trust’s telemedicine program, told THE WEEKLY JOURNAL that 330 health centers federally certified in the aforementioned seven municipalities are participating in the project.

“Access to specialized services is a major problem in Puerto Rico, especially in remote areas,” she said in a telephone interview. “There has been resistance to telemedicine because it is new for everyone. This will never replace the personal relationships between doctors and their patients, but I believe that telemedicine is here to stay and will continue to grow as an option for patients and doctors, especially in these times,” she said to THE WEEKLY JOURNAL. The benefits to patients include promoting access because people in remote communities may not have a car. They also may be homebound and not able to move around easily.

Doctors also benefit because they are able to

>AP Photo/Mark Lennihan

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reach more patients, improve their workflow and expanding access to care.

The initiative is being developed with a USDA grant of approximately $500,000. Other entities involved in the project include the local Department of Health, the School of Medicine of the University of Puerto Rico and AARP Puerto Rico.

“After the hurricanes of 2017 in Puerto Rico, the fragility of the health system and the need for access to medical specialists were exposed,” said Dr. Jose F. Rodríguez Orengo, acting director of the Public Health Trust.

“In Puerto Rico, getting an appointment with a specialist can take more than three months.

This time is critical for those people who suffer from multiple chronic and complex conditions, in which accurate diagnosis and proper treatment—on time—can save the patient’s life.

A real solution to tackle and solve this problem is telemedicine,” he added.

Dr. Matos said her main objective will be to reduce the waiting time so that people can receive services by specialists on time. “The most important thing is that those people who do not have financial resources, medical plan and transportation can be treated remotely in their health service center, where they are usually treated,” she highlighted.

As part of the initiative, educational activities and interventions will also be carried out on 10 health subjects related to preventing diseases and promoting a healthy lifestyle in vulnerable communities through a telehealth program. The service will expand the knowledge and scope of health services in the schools, community centers, health facilities and local communities around the island. The telehealth program will also remotely train and educate groups of people on various topics on disease prevention, protection and health promotion.

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/ Wednesday, April 1, 2020

A Victory for the Textile Industry in Puerto Rico

Some of these companies are exempt from the islandwide lockdown rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

hile the Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association’s (PRMA) newly created task force is working on a proposal for the White House and Congress to bring more manufacturing production to the island, the entity has already achieved a victory of sorts as textile manufacturers producing personal protective equipment may now operate as part of exemptions granted to the islandwide lockdown.

In a circular letter dated March 25, Manuel Laboy, Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC by its Spanish acronym) secretary, granted a lockdown exemption to textile companies that manufacture uniforms, components and equipment for the Department of Defense and those that manufacture personal protective equipment (e.g. face masks, caps, lab coats, gloves and any other medical equipment for health protection).

“Given the exponential increase of the COVID-19 spread in different parts of the world, the supplies of certain essential equipment in the health and safety sectors have been affected. Our textile industry has the capacity to produce several of those articles that are so necessary for our health workers, as well as for those who work daily to ensure the safety of the citizens of the United States of America,” Laboy said in the document. “[I]t is imperative that government entities operating in the health and safety sectors, as well as medical-hospital entities, have priority in the acquisition of the products described above manufactured in Puerto Rico. Some cities have experience difficulty in acquiring the safety items needed to operate. In Puerto Rico, we have the opportunity to support the work and security of the health personnel, producing these equipment,” the DDEC chief added.

The PRMA said the exemptions were great news for the industry. “This circular [letter]… is a great achievement for our textile industry, which for the past few years has been recovering the position it once had on the island. After letters to the

>Carlos Rivera Giusti

W Rosario Fajardo

Our textile industry has the capacity to produce several of those articles that are so necessary for our health workers, as well as for those who work daily to ensure the safety of the citizens of the United States of America.

-DDEC Secretary Manuel Laboy

governor and multiple meetings with government leaders, today we find ourselves with these excellent news,” said PRMA President Carlos M. Rodríguez.

“We hope that this initiative, which demonstrates the commitment of our industry to reinvent itself to support the recovery from this global crisis, will serve to stop the exponential spread of this pandemic,” he added.

As reported by THE WEEKLY JOURNAL, in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic, the PRMA has established a task force to attract more manufacturing production to the island that is related to national security.

The principal objective is to “maximize” the strategic inclusion of Puerto Rico as a manufacturing hub in the federal initiative to attract critical manufacturing production on American soil, he said in a statement. The task force will be headed by the PRMA president and will include a team of experts in the areas of manufacturing, taxes and the economy.

Roughly 90 percent of the active ingredients used

by American biopharmaceutical manufacturers come from China, where COVID-19 originated earlier this year in the city of Wuhan. As a result, many Chinese factories have been closed, which means that pharmaceutical supplies in the United States are at risk—a situation that has reinvigorated the discussion of restoring Puerto Rico’s status as a leader in pharmaceutical production.

According to the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Co., 12 of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical companies have a presence on the island, whether for manufacturing and product development or distribution.

“Manufacturing operations in Puerto Rico are an integral and important part of supplying the world and, at times like this, we must demonstrate our leadership in the global health industry and be proactive in maintaining product flow,” Rodríguez said.

The PRMA has not given a timeline for when their federal proposal would be ready, but Rodríguez has said that “this opportunity has a very short window of time.”

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< The Weekly Journal > Wednesday, April 1, 2020

faced during the past year and the resolutions or promises to be better human 12 beings during the year to come.

decade of the 21st century, we must think hard and deep about the resolutions we are about to make.

Almost every dream we have as

Manuel Cidre Cidre

By Manuel

Entrepreneur Entrepreneur & Founder of Los Cidrines

O

Addressing the Threat Watch Out! Don’t COVID-19 Crisis in the Workhorse of Puerto Rico Puerto Rico’s Economy

n March (DE, by its Spanish acronym).

26, Puerto This initiative is not just Rico about giving tablets to Restaurant students and teachers, it in the island.

Instead, he Association requires training to adjust to our politicians refer to them as foreign, pharmaceutical (Asore, the new technology.

Is this for its really the best time embark when they are US companies, industry is Spanish acronym) President on this endeavor? We all and continuously attack them, undoubtedly Marisol Vega Couto estimated know it is not. workhorse to raise their taxes one that duringthe the next few days Inthreatening crises, the most way or another whenever there is a of Puerto Rico’s important only 20 percent of restaurants things are always would remain open. ThisIt pays addressed firstshortfall and, at this budget or some governor economy. restaurant and hospitality time, health and keeping $3 billion in annual taxes, which wants to spend more money. sector, which includes hotels, money in the pockets of the Therefore, it is not surprising is over 33beauty percent of our budget, people should salons, professional be prioritized. that a large portion of our employs offices, 78,000retail direct workers stores, shopping Wouldn’t it be wiser to population does not who earnmalls on average $62,000 and invest and entertainment these $487 million in understand centers, among many others, ventilators, medications or spends $500 million annually in the importance of the hires thousands of people Or perhaps preparing pharmaceutical and medical device capital expenditures in its plants. masks? that will have no choice the convention center and industries our economy and To put this perspective, butinto to join the ranks of the the Choliseo to beto used as society as a whole. Our politicians’ pharma represents unemployed. 30 percent of hospitals?

Upon reviewing the On the otherrhetoric hand, populist has actually led Puerto Rico’s GDP, while tourism is government’s incentive plan, it isn’t clear to me what that these are evil, just 7 percent. many to believe it’s easy to wonder if this is the [Financial Oversight corporationsBoard that take, take and However, for some inexplicable and Management] the right time to spend $240 giving nothing back reason, our government has million in tablets, pay $ 187 was take doing while at the press million in bonusesatocoherent police conference. moment I to theirFor communities and the spent decades without and healthcare workers thought that they were going strategy to keep them investing island. and give $60 million to to announce the release the local DMO and Invest of $1 billion from the fund PR. Let me just say that I that had been set aside, am not against it, but along with the $787 million these expenditures could meant to address the health, be postponed until the economic and educational emergency is over and angles of the crisis. I expected the country and economy no less than a statement stabilize. from José Carrión, president Take public health of the board, and Executive and safety personnel, for Director Natalie Jaresko about example. Even though releasing that money and they are exposed, they are investing it in Puerto Rico’s working and will receive economy. Unfortunately, the compensation. Why is it obligations to bondholders that, instead of a one-time seem to outweigh the health bonus, the government does and stability of the island. The not commit to a fair and government’s incentive dignified salary review? The package needs to be looked same with buying tablets for at and adjusted to the the Education Department situation we are living.

T

forget the lessons lea leaders. It is vital to evaluate each candidate, responsibly, based on the summer of 2019, country took over th their record, their honesty and their / Wednesday, April 1, 2020 defend its values and achievements. With primaries in

Therefore, I think it’s As we see in the first paragraph, Vicenty pharma’s industry le this is simplyEdgardo not true. You might Entrepreneurshould control of the narrat think these companies our government into contribute even more, but ignoring making the phaseou that they already are one of the election issue. most important contributors to The people need t our economy and society in terms understand what wil of job creation and paid taxes, is if the deductions pro completely absurd.

Act 154 are phased o I write this op-ed because this federal government. industry, which we’ve already he Puerto couple of weeks unless understand what op established plays a vital role in our Rican the government takes the table to help pha economy, is coming under attack, labor appropriate measures. in Puerto Rico and m for the second time in 20 years. force Sadly, like It you mention the sector’s contribu worries me tocould see a lackinof action your column, the lose up government has decided to Whether i economy. from our government and pharma to $7.4 politicize the incentive plan the industry’s tax str leaders. I fully expected that by billion in wages, according and only $2 out of every that Trump’s guilty t now, industry and government to Abexus. Although the $10 are meant toward apply, extending cur leaders would out the economy study doesn’t delve have into come stabilizing how jobs may be lost and preventing joballowing loss. plants to bu to many announce a joint workgroup over the coronavirus crisis, The government’s lack generation without i dedicated solely to solving the if one were to assume of appropriate action may from the AEE, or som issues generated by the phaseout that the average salary is permanently damage thing that only indus of Act 154. $27,000 a year, this would Puerto Rico’s economy. know. happened; both meanBut thatthis overhasn’t 274,000 However, it is not the jobs would be lost, which politician’s fault, they Iare genuinely believ groups appear to have taken accounts for half of all fullmerely doing what they proactive communic an “ignore and pray nothing time jobs in Puerto Rico. know to do, earn votes. It education, we can ch happens” mentality Manolo, a lot of people andisthat actually the employers’ narrative of isgoing not acceptable. our are to read these Hoping fault because theycurrent have numbers and think that the lead failedintothese let the people foreigners and get e government takes they are an exaggeration know how their understand that wha conversations is futile, we are in important and, sadly, they are not. work is. the industry is good the middle of an election cycle, and Statistics show that in In the U.S., both parties and it is evident that our governor and the first two weeks of have come together andvice versa. As Pu her opponents are morecreated worried we can’t allow for a r the lockdown alone, an incentive 65,000 people filed for plan meant to save jobsdebacle to happ 936 about campaigning than actually unemployment.

This and capitalize on the might not survive it. preventing an economic crisis.

T

Unemployment in Puerto Rico and the COVID-19 Crisis

number does not include the dozens of workers that used up their vacations and sick days. It also doesn’t account for the people who are selfemployed, and for this reason, cannot request unemployment benefits, or the thousands of restaurant workers that were still being employed, even though sales have decreased up to 70 percent, a detail that may force them to close up shop in the near future.

This all points to a soon to increase number of unemployed people in Puerto Rico over the next

industries that have lost billions of dollars over the coronavirus pandemic.

Of course, the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce is the main lobbying entity in Puerto Rico; it spends almost $100 million in its lobbying efforts so that in times like these legislators will assist them.

There is nothing worse than an opportunity missed. This is the time for entrepreneurs to engage in a conversation with the people and the government about the importance of the things they do.

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>Courtesy

/ Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Design for Memorial to Honor

Hurricane Maria’s Victims

Unveiled in New York City

Puerto Rican duo wins the honor

N Rosario Fajardo

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

ew York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has unveiled the design for New York’s Hurricane Maria Memorial, honoring the victims of Hurricane Maria that devastated Puerto Rico in Sept. 2017, and standing as a symbol of the resilience of the Puerto Rican community.

The design by Puerto Rico-based architect Segundo Cardona and artist Antonio Martorell will be located at Battery Park City in New York City and was recommended to the New York governor by the Hurricane Maria Memorial Commission.

“With this memorial on the shore of the Hudson River, New York State will honor our Puerto Rican brothers and sisters who were tragically lost during the devastation from Hurricane Maria,” Cuomo said during the announcement in the Big Apple. “New York stands with Puerto Rico today, tomorrow and always—and we are proud to celebrate and further strengthen the connection between the Empire State and Puerto Rico.”

The total cost of the memorial is approximately $700,000 and it will be completed and open by the first quarter of 2021.

According to Cuomo’s office, the selected design

is an ascending glass spiral, evocative of a hurricane as well as a shell, which is a symbol of protection for living organisms against a hostile environment such as extreme weather. The spiral is topped off by the upward rotating star of the Puerto Rican flag.

The glass panels, painted by Martorell, include the poem “Farewell from Welfare Island” by one of Puerto Rico’s most beloved poets, Julia de Burgos.

The poem, telling of the resiliency of the Puerto Rican people, was written by de Burgos when she was living in New York City and is the only work she ever wrote in English. Together, the piece grows from the site in Battery Park City, located on the southern tip of Manhattan, organically merging art, architecture and literature.

Cardona is a Puerto Rican architect and developer, whose prior work focuses on bringing the urban landscape, nature, architecture and art together to create accessible and impacting spaces.

Antonio Martorell, a well-known artist born in Santurce, keeps his workshop in La Playa de Ponce and has been artist-in-residence for more than 30 years at the University of Puerto Rico in Cayey. His work has been exhibited around the world. He is also a member of the Academia Puertorriqueña de la Lengua Española.

“We witnessed firsthand the terrible experience of Hurricane Maria and its aftermath. It was an honor to collaborate on the creation of our proposal for the memorial. Our idea was that the memorial needed to be visually strong, accessible and sensitive to the site,” said Cardona and Martorell in a statement. “We felt committed to

work hard to bring together architecture, art and literature into one single powerful message that we hope will engage and invoke reflection on the fate of the many victims.”

The Hurricane Maria Memorial Commission received 120 submissions for designs of the memorial pursuant to its search for architects issued in Aug. 2019.

Strong ties between New York and Puerto Rico

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 1.5 million Puerto Ricans live in the New York City metropolitan area, based on 2016 figures.

New York state has dedicated approximately $13 million to support the more than 11,000 displaced Hurricane Maria victims living in New York, reported Cuomo’s office. Part of this funding was directed to organizations who connect vulnerable Puerto Ricans to needed services such as employment, housing, benefits counseling and healthcare.

Cuomo’s administration has also committed up to $11 million in housing and workforce funding for displaced Puerto Ricans: a $1 million program to provide robust case management services to displaced Puerto Ricans, and up to $10 million in job training and placement.

As part of the post-Maria recovery efforts, 1,150 State University of New York and City University of New York volunteers sent to Puerto Rico in 2018 and 2019 logged 67,000 hours restoring and rebuilding 246 homes.

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/ Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Making the Most of the Lockdown

W Marimar Rosario

correccion@wjournalpr.com

@Mmar1212

ith the lockdown just extended, cabin fever is sure to be setting in! But fret not! THE WEEKLY JOURNAL has put together a list of activities that may be enjoyed from the comfort of your home.

FITNESS:

Zumba with Luisín With over 10 years of experience in the fitness industry, Adrián Luis, or Luisín as he is most commonly known, can certainly get anyone to enjoy working out. His contagious happy attitude will have you counting down the minutes to the next class. Luisín created the movement #BailandoencasaconelGranLuisin so he could keep promoting health and wellness even through these trying times.

Zumba with Luisín classes are held on the Zoom application twice a day on weekdays and once a day on Saturdays. For more information, please contact Luisín over Instagram @ElGranLuisin or on Zoom at #BailandoencasaconelGranLuisin.

Yoga, Fitness and Wellness Yoga master, wellness coach and personal trainer Megan Haligowski has an array of classes perfect to suit an array of tastes! Keep your body moving and achieve tranquility and peace with her HIIT classes, bootcamp and vino vinyasa yoga!

Classes are held over Facebook and may also be offered privately. Class schedule: Fitness and bootcamp at 8:30 a.m. on Monday and Wednesday; yoga at 6 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday; Partner Fitness at 8:30 a.m. on Friday and Vino Vinyasa on Friday at 5:30 p.m. For more information, call (954) 703-0892 or contact her via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ Sutrafitadventures/ Pilateros Online The renowned Pilates studio based in Guaynabo and Condado wants you to stay healthy of mind and body. Grab your mat and get ready to sweat with their classes.

Classes are held on the Zoom application. Class schedule: Mat Pilates, offered daily at 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. and Barre Workout offered daily at 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. For more information,

Chef Caroline Piket demonstrates how to make sushi.

Virtual lessons are available through El Tutor Coach. > Courtesy El Tutor Coach

Take a Zumba class on the Zoom app! > Courtesy

call (787) 221-7971 or find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pilaterospr/?tn-str=k*F

SELF-IMPROVEMENT:

El Tutor Coach This full-service business is all about helping you improve yourself whether it be by learning a new

skill, like conversational Spanish, or picking up new hobbies, like painting. Have kids that need help with school? El Tutor Coach can connect you with teachers that can assist your children in a wide array of subjects. For more information, call (646) 221-2085 or contact them through Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/eltutorcoach/ Some of the virtual classes available through this service are: Have Fun Cooking: Learn the Basics and Buen Provecho!

Audience: kids and adults Caroline Piket, a distinguished local chef and foodie, can turn even the most inexperienced of cooks into a home chef. During her class you will prep, cook and enjoy a delicious recipe. For more information, contact (646) 221-2085.

Art Class Audience: children and adults Express yourself through art! Sofia Arsuaga, a prolific artist with experience in printmaking sculpture, ceramics, paint and writing, will teach you techniques and skills to create your very own masterpiece. Choose your medium, be it canvas or clay! For more information, contact (646) 221-2085.

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/ Wednesday, April 1, 2020 Paint and Sip Audience: adults During these trying times, keeping in touch in creative ways is getting hard. How about a virtual paint and sip class with a few friends? Sofia Arsuaga will make sure you enjoy camaraderie through the internet. For more information, contact (646) 221-2085.

Conversational Spanish Audience: children and adults The lockdown provides plenty of time to invest in one’s development. Why not begin, continue, polish or advance your Spanish skills?

El Tutor Coach provides teachers that can teach individualized and group lessons, in person or over the internet. For more information, call (646) 221-2085.

Online Courses Some of the best universities in the U.S. are offering online courses. Yale University, for example, is offering their popular “happiness” course, The Science of Well-Being, for free. Peruse offerings at https://www.coursera.org and https:// www.edx.org/ Some of the participating universities are: Princeton University - Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies - Imagining Other Realms - Making Government Work in Hard Places Harvard University - The Opioid Crisis in America - Science & Cooking: From haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science - Improving Your Business Through a Culture of Health Columbia University - Financial Engineering and Risk Management Part I - The Age of Sustainable Development - Artificial Intelligence The Louvre Although this iconic museum is currently closed, it offers virtual tours of several of its current exhibits. Let your mind wander through the halls of one of the world’s greatest museums from the comfort of your home at https://www.louvre.fr/en/ visites-en-ligne “Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña” The Puerto Rico Institute of Culture has uploaded an array of magazines, recordings and movies that encompass Puerto Rican history and literature. Browse magazines from eras long gone, and listen to some of Puerto Rico’s true classics at their website, https://www.archivoicp.com

MUSIC:

Opera: Although the Metropolitan Opera House has cancelled its opera season and closed its doors for the time being, they will be offering free nightly streaming of performances like Bellini’s “Norma”, Verdi’s “Macbeth” and Johnn Adams’s “Nixon in China”. Log on to https://www.metopera.org for more information.

Live Streaming Around the Piano at The Cannon Club The Gallery Inn, a charming little hotel in Old San Juan, is famous for its piano bar, which will stream a live concert every night at 6 p.m. over Facebook Live. Find them on Facebook as Cannon Club or at this link, https://www.facebook.

Yoga master and personal trainer Megan Haligowski. > Courtesy

Paint and sip class arranged by El Tutor Coach. During these times, keep close to your friends by doing it online. > Courtesy

com/events/663791184393980/?event_time_ id=66379119106064

CHILDREN’S ENTERTAINMENT:

Zoos Several zoos and aquariums are offering live streaming of their animals and exhibits. These videos will surely keep children engaged and may even help them with their homeschooling. Some of these are: San Diego Zoo in California at https://zoo. sandiegozoo.org Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens at https://www.centralfloridazoo.org Shedd Aquarium in Chicago at https://www. sheddaquarium.org

Monterey Bay Aquarium in California at https:// www.montereybayaquarium.org Disney+ App The new kid on the block, Disney+, has recently announced that it will be offering “Frozen 2” (already available) and Pixar’s “Onward” (available April 2) for free streaming.

NASA With hopes of further advancing children’s education and love of science, NASA has put together a list of STEM activities for children from kindergarten to 4th grade. Get ready to make a marshmallow astronaut or construct a balloon powered rocket! Log on to https://www.nasa.gov/ stem-at-home-for-students-k-4.html and check out their options!