The Weekly Journal - July 29 - August 4, 2020

Wednesday, July 29-August 4, 2020 - // no. 066

Puerto Rico and the Caribbean

www.theweeklyjournal.com

Better Second Quarter for Puerto Rico Banks P6-7 Congress Eyes Prepa-LUMA Deal P8 Hybrid Work Becomes the New Normal P9

The Resurgence of Tropical Architecture

as Virus Concerns Deepen AIA-PR president outlines the health benefits of this resilient design concept

A Giovanna Garofalo

Who Doesn’t Love Ice Cream? P13

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

s the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to riddle the world with uncertainty and interrupting day-to-day interactions, Puerto Rico’s architects are looking into tropical architecture as a means to safeguard public health -and business flow- in the event of another mass-scale health emergency.

Eugenio Ramírez, president of the Puerto Rico Chapter

of the American Institute of Architects (AIA-PR), told THE WEEKLY JOURNAL that tropical architecture — which focuses on creating ventilated spaces while integrating the climate and natural resources — could have a resurgence as a form of resilient design.

“We are seeing how [the pandemic] changes future developments, the impact that it will have regarding needs in future design… What lessons we can learn from this to improve how to design safe, hygienic environments where GO TO PAGE 4

The Weekly Journal > Wednesday, July 29, 2020 > 2

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a week in review FEMA Obligates $62 Million in Additional Funding for 89 Recovery Projects

>Brandon Cruz González

>Carlos Rivera Giusti

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced the obligation of nearly $62 million in additional funds for 89 projects related to the recovery and reconstruction of Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. The obligations include over $3.5 million for Los Baños de Coamo and $23 million for repairs to roads and bridges across the island. Pictured is Los Baños de Coamo.

Prasa Cancels Water Rationing Plan The Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (Prasa) announced that water rationing for 140,000 clients that receive water service from the Carraízo reservoir will end on July 27. Due to regular rainfall, the municipalities of Carolina, San Juan, Trujillo Alto and parts of Canóvanas will once again have water service on a regular basis. Water rationing started on July 2. Pictured is Carraízo reservoir on June 22, 2020.

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

Carnival Cancels San Juan Itinerary Until 2021 Carnival Cruise Line announced the cancellation of all Carnival Fascination itineraries from San Juan for 2020 and 2021, representing another setback to Puerto Rico’s tourism industry amid the coronavirus pandemic. Carnival said the decision was made at a time when the cruiseline is focused on returning its operations to U.S. markets.

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 people maintain physical distancing within the desire of collaborative work, which is the present model of production. Everything is collaborative or in teamwork. We are looking into what this will represent in terms of possible changes in design,” he said.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirmed that, combined with best practices endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other health agencies, increasing ventilation can protect people indoors from contaminants, such as the coronavirus.

“An important approach to lowering the concentrations of indoor air pollutants or contaminants including any viruses that may be in the air is to increase ventilation — the amount of outdoor air coming indoors. Ensuring proper ventilation with outside air can help reduce the concentration of airborne contaminants, including viruses, indoors,” the EPA informed.

According to the AIA-PR president, tropical architecture is intrinsically designed to fit those needs. “A space that ventilates and has good breeze is a space that is free of germs and that has been proven. We have to look again at those roots that we have of concepts of cross-ventilation, appropriate solar orientation to protect ourselves from the sun, with good shadows in these spaces, and look again at our architecture as a

Architect Eugenio Ramírez explained that AIA-PR members are evaluating how the coronavirus pandemic will impact architectural “needs” in future designs. >Courtesy

We have to look again at those roots that we have of concepts of cross-ventilation... and look again at our architecture as a tropical architecture.

Eugenio Ramírez, AIA-PR president

tropical architecture. The issue of looking at tropical architecture again is important and is part of the solution to the changes we have to make,” Ramírez said.

THE WEEKLY JOURNAL asked if the business interruption that affected his industry during the first months of the pandemic and the current health needs have already motivated architects to reconceptualize projects that were put on hold to fit with these design parameters.

“That’s a process that takes time, but I understand that

there have always been architects in Puerto Rico with traditions of maintaining this type of tropical architecture alive and strong, and we have noticed that it is not only a matter of style and aesthetics, but a health issue as well. Therefore, I cannot say that I am certain, but it is my understanding that there is a focus once more toward what is essential in terms of tropical design, and I hope that in upcoming years we will start seeing better examples of architecture designed for the tropics,” he replied.

Resilience Through Natural Resources

Beyond offering proper ventilation and assessing space needs during events such as the current health emergency, Ramírez highlighted that tropical design also optimizes the use of readily available resources to prevent the interruption of services that are pivotal amid health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, such as water and energy.

Up until Sunday, July 26, the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (Prasa) warned that clients in San Juan, Carolina, Canóvanas and Bayamón who receive their supply from the Carraízo reservoir would have service interruptions due to a drought. Although heavy rainfall experienced over the past week ended that interruption plan, an unsound water supply system is not defensible, given the island’s geography and pluvial climate.

The nonprofit Enterprise Community Partners (ECP) released the “Keep Safe Guide for Resilient Housing Design in Island Communities,” in which the entity explains that Puerto Rico has enough precipitation to supply uninterrupted water service, but is lacking in infrastructure.

“Puerto Rico has some of the most abundant water resources on earth, with 1,200 freshwater bodies irrigating it from mountain to coast, and an average of 30 to 170 inches of rainwater annually, depending on the area. However, there is not yet enough water treatment infrastructure to purify or distribute this water. This can leave homes and housing vulnerable to interruptions in potable water supply,” the ECP states.

To offset this discrepancy, Ramírez proposes regulations paired with a conscious architectural design that provides residential and commercial buildings the tools to collect their own rainwater, so that all residents can be assured that they will have that essential service available even during a drought such as the one experienced in recent months.

“Regularly harvesting rainwater makes your home resilient by reducing the dependency on the system, minimizing stormwater runoff, and preventing the septic system from overloading,” the ECP concurs, adding that the collected rainwater must be treated and filtered so that it meets local health regulations and codes.

Along this line, both Ramírez and the ECP urge harvesting natural energy, particularly considering the island’s deficient infrastructure and proneness to storms and other natural disasters that affect electric energy supply.

A building designed with the concepts of tropical architecture would also provide enough ventilation

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Both Ramírez and Enterprise Community Partners noted the benefits of collecting rainwater, particularly during natural disasters and health emergencies.

to alleviate high temperatures in the event of a power outage, like the islandwide blackout experienced for months after Hurricane Maria made landfall in September 2017.

Ramírez argued that tropical architecture combined with green architecture is an intelligent asset because, while initially more expensive, the reduced energy costs plus the resources reserved through rainwater containers and/or power batteries make for an “extraordinary” return on investment while providing resiliency. He added that this design mindset is trending among young architects, whom he said are more eco-conscious and interested in tropical architecture elements.

Investments Undeterred

With Puerto Rico being one of the U.S. jurisdictions with the strictest COVID-19 containment protocols, including temporary closures and reduced tourism, your correspondent inquired if these policies would have a negative effect on investments, but Ramírez assured that this is not the case at present.

The AIA-PR president said that the pandemic

would not have a long-term impact on the island’s desirability as an investment destination, thanks to benefits offered through commonwealth and federal legislation, such as Acts 20/22 and the Opportunity Zones laws, plus funds disbursed through the Community Development Block Grant for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR).

“It is possible that there are people who decided to postpone their investments as the situation goes back to normal, but I have been working personally in projects with foreign investors and the projects have continued,” he said.

However, more so than with the coronavirus emergency, Ramírez expressed concern over what he opined was an anti-tourism sentiment, particularly because a number of investors are interested in developing projects that are directly affected by the tourism industry’s performance.

“I do worry about what is happening now with a message that is being carried out that Puerto Rico is closed for business, closed for tourism. This does worry me because that message is being carried out clearer and stronger. It is one thing to say that we have limitations, and another thing to

say ‘do not come,’” he warned.

Just last Saturday, July 25, a group of protesters summoned by the Socialist Movement of Puerto Rico Workers (MSTPR by its Spanish initials) convened in the outskirts of the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) in Carolina to demand a closure on air travel.

Likewise, some social media users have expressed resentment toward tourists who refuse to follow government-issued measures to wear masks and curtail the spread of the virus, with some encounters between tourists and locals turning violent. Meanwhile, Gov. Wanda Vázquez stepped back on the official tourism reopening phase that began on July 15 and postponed it for August 15.

“I believe that we have to deliver the message that we are taking all necessary precautions and protocols, that we are being responsible with this, and that we are doing it safely to protect ourselves.

But I do not think that it is healthy from an economic and fiscal health point of view to carry a message that we are closed. I believe that is the wrong message,” Ramírez opined.

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>Brandon Cruz González

/ Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Banks Bounce Back in Second Quarter 2020

Popular, OFG Bancorp and First BanCorp report positive numbers

P Rosario Fajardo

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

uerto Rico’s three main banks reported better numbers for the second quarter (Q2) of 2020, as the island and the rest of the world continue to fight the novel coronavirus.

Popular Inc. reported net income of $127.6 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2020, compared to net income of $34.3 million for Q1 of 2020.

“We reported net income of $127.6 million for the quarter, notwithstanding the challenging economic environment resulting from the coronavirus pandemic and the historically low interest rate scenario. We continue to support the communities we serve during these difficult times by providing payment deferrals to more than 120,000 customers,” said Ignacio Álvarez, president and CEO of Popular.

“We are aware that there remains much “Nevertheless, economic activity was negatively uncertainty as to the future of the economy. impacted by the pandemic throughout the quarter, Economic performance will continue to be tied which in turn impacted our financial results. to developments on the health front, which are The recent regional resurgence in the spread very difficult to predict. If the health situation of the virus has also led to the reinstitution of deteriorates, leading to a new round of restrictions certain restrictive health and safety measures. on businesses, this will obviously hamper the For example, in July 16, 2020, as a result of the economic recovery. The strength of our balance resurgence of COVID-19 cases on the island, the sheet, levels of capital and liquidity place us in a Government of Puerto Rico scaled back measures strong position to continue to to reopen the economy, including serve our clients and weather the by further restricting nonessential challenges that may lie ahead,” he business establishments and added. public activities,” Popular Popular’s results for the explained. second quarter of 2020 reflect All three Other financial highlights the impact of the continued banks reported business disruption caused by the for Popular include: significant increases pandemic, he indicated.

As of June 30, Popular in net income for Certain measures imposed by had granted a loan payment the second quarter the governments of Puerto Rico, moratorium to 116,226 eligible of 2020. the U.S. mainland and U.S. Virgin retail customers with an Islands, including lockdowns, aggregate book value of $3.9 business closures, mandatory billion, and to 5,003 eligible curfews and limits to public commercial clients with an activities, were relaxed late in the aggregate book value of $4.1 second quarter of 2020 to allow for the gradual billion. reopening of the economy, Popular said in its As of June 30, Popular had also issued more earnings report. than $1.4 billion Small Business Administration

In fact,

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(SBA) loans to small and mid-size businesses under the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

Popular’s total assets increased by $10.0 billion during the quarter to $62.8 billion, primarily due to an increase in deposits of $9.0 billion, of which $4.2 billion were from the public sector, driven by federal and Puerto Rico government assistance programs related to the pandemic.

Total nonperforming loans held-in-portfolio also decreased by $8.5 million from March 31, 2020.

OFG Bancorp’s positive numbers

OFG Bancorp also reporter better numbers, posting net income available to common shareholders totaling $20.2 million in Q2 2020, compared with $173,000 in the first quarter.

“As other banks did, we faced a number of COVID-19 pandemic related challenges during the second quarter, but acting promptly and with foresight, we generated excellent results,” said José Rafael Fernández, president and CEO of OFG Bancorp.

“Governments in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands shut down their respective economies in mid-March. Restrictions eased in late May, but recent spikes in contagiousness have forced Puerto Rico to scale down the flexibility. Results were also impacted by the Federal Reserve Bank 150 bps rate cut in March. All of this followed the Puerto Rico earthquakes in January and occurred while we are in the process of integrating the Scotiabank acquisition,” he added.

Among the financial highlights for OFG Bancorp were: Loan production totaled more than $500 million, including $286 million in PPP loans to more than 4,000 small and mid-size businesses, exceeding the bank’s Puerto Rico market share, and “saving more than 50,000 jobs.” The PPP loans also enabled the bank to attract new accounts in this strategically important customer base,

Fernández indicated.

Total core revenues were $128.2 million compared to $131.3 million in Q1 2020 and $99.2 million in Q2 2019.

Total assets of $9.93 billion increased 7.5 percent from Q1 2020 primarily due to a $574.1 million increase in cash and a $198.1 million increase in loans.

Total nonperforming loans of $90.2 million declined $23.4 million compared to the same period last year and $8.4 million quarter-overquarter.

Fernández also said that he expects to complete the integration of Scotiabank operations as planned, by the end of the year.

For its part, First Bancorp reported net income of $21.3 million for the second quarter of 2020, compared to $2.3 million for Q1 2020.

The company noted merger and restructuring costs of $2.9 million for Q2 2020 associated with the pending acquisition of Banco Santander Puerto Rico, which has now received the required regulatory approval.

Nonperforming assets decreased by $14.0 million to $303.8 million as of June 30, 2020, compared to $317.8 million as of March 31, 2020.

“Deteriorating trends in economic forecasts required an additional reserve build of $29.1 million this quarter, which impacted our bottomline results. Pretax, preprovision income was $67 million in the second quarter,” said Aurelio Alemán, president and CEO of First BanCorp.

“While the gradual reopening efforts continue, which began late in the second quarter, we are seeing resilience in our customer base. Loan origination activity picked up in June, which represented approximately 60 percent of overall quarterly originations in both the consumer and the residential portfolios.

“Our focus this quarter has been maximizing assistance to our borrowers through the CARES Act. To date, we have supported more than 6,000 commercial clients with $390 million in approved and funded SBA PPP loans,” he added.

With regard to the Banco Santander acquisition, upon closing of the transaction, FirstBank expects to have approximately $18.8 billion in assets, a $12 billion loan portfolio, $15.4 billion of deposits and an estimated 650,000 customers. In addition, FirstBank expects to have 450 ATMs, 73 branches and more than 3,500 employees across the corporation.

“We have been preparing for a strategic transaction of this magnitude and have been working diligently on integration planning. The Santander team expands our talent bench in retail, commercial and business banking,” Alemán said.

>Archive

>Archive

First BanCorp’s strong numbers

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Prepa’s main offices in San Juan >Josian E. Bruno Gómez

U.S. House Scrutinizes Prepa’s P3 Deal on T&D System

estimated $100 million per year.

LUMA’s ‘People First, Safety Always’ culture. We will “Various critics of the transaction have argued leverage the expertise and knowledge of our parent that, notwithstanding the operational and technical companies, Quanta Services and ATCO, to provide savings that LUMA is able to generate, consumer world-class security training, with development rates will go up as a result of this contract. In opportunities and professional growth for LUMA response to this, it is important to underscore employees,” the company said. that LUMA is required to comply with all laws and LUMA also “clarified” a number of issues related to Rosario Fajardo rfajardo@wjournalpr.com @RosarioWJournal regulations applicable to its operation of the T&D Prepa workers: system, including those related to tariffs,” he added.

• First, LUMA urges all Prepa employees working in ebuilding the Puerto Rico Electric The Irrigation & Electrical transmission and distribution (T&D) Power Authority’s (Prepa) electric Workers Union (Utier by its Spanish or in services shared between T&D system and transforming the acronym) remained opposed to and the generation system, to work utility are paramount to the the LUMA agreement, arguing that with LUMA; for this we will need to island’s recovery after Hurricane it “represents 3,000 of the 6,000 hire several thousand employees.

Maria, and the public-private workers that Prepa will lay off due • Second, Prepa employees will The P3 deal with partnership (P3) agreement for to the Luma Energy contract.” receive priority in hiring before LUMA Energy is a the utility’s transmission and distribution (T&D) Utier President Ángel Figueroa others. $1.5 billion contract system is vital to success.

Jaramillo said: “Handing over all • Third, no Prepa employee will over a 15-year That was the message from Puerto Rico current Prepa functions to a private lose his/her job as a result of the period. government officials during a recent hearing by the operator is not a transformation. agreement. Those who do not join U.S. House Natural Resources Committee.

Luma Energy will do everything LUMA will have the option to stay Speaking before members of Congress, Prepa Prepa already does and charging with Prepa or transfer to other Executive Director José Ortiz and Fermín Fontanés, an additional $125 million in government agencies within Puerto executive director of the P3 Authority, defended public funds for it. A true transformation requires Rico. This is set forth in Law 120, and the Operation the agreement with a consortium of Canadian and investment and expert input.” and Maintenance Agreement “does not and cannot U.S. firms, which some sectors of the island have Still, he agreed that “Prepa needs to be attempt to change that law.” Those employees will rejected, calling it “privatization.” transformed.” also retain their rights and benefits in accordance “The agreement with LUMA marks the culmination The P3 deal is a $1.5 billion contract over a 15-year with the law. of a more than 18-month procurement process and period.

• Fourth, LUMA is not reducing employee represents a historic milestone in the Government compensation and benefits. Pursuant to Law 120 LUMA Responds of Puerto Rico’s objective of providing modern, and the rights acquired by employees, all LUMA LUMA representatives did not testify at the affordable, resilient, and reliable power to the employees will receive a compensation and benefits congressional hearing, but the company released island, which will help serve as a driver of economic package that is equal to or better than that provided a statement defending its work and the Prepa recovery and growth,” Fontanés said.

by Prepa. agreement.

Among the benefits he outlined include: LUMA • Fifth, LUMA does not take pensions away from “At LUMA, we are committed to ensuring that reducing operational costs by fiscal year 2026 by any employee. As part of the transition to LUMA, about 30 percent, as compared to Prepa’s 2019 fiscal every employee has the right training, skills and tools each employee will have the option to stay with their for the job. This is just our first step in establishing plan. This represents a net reduction in costs of an existing plan or transfer to a new plan with LUMA.

LUMA reiterates Prepa employees will not lose their jobs

R

In fact,

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Companies Embracing Hybrid Work Trend During Pandemic

Study: 52 percent of companies now combine office work with remote work

A Rosario Fajardo

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

hybrid model that combines office work and remote work is the predominant trend among companies in Puerto Rico during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey conducted this summer by Puerto Rican consulting firm Retention Strategies.

The results showed that only a third (32 percent) of the companies surveyed have managed to fully reopen their offices with staff, while 16 percent operate exclusively with remote work. The majority of companies (52 percent) now operate with a hybrid model, by combining in-office work with remote work.

Likewise, employee productivity levels seem to not be adversely affected by operational changes as 44 percent of participants indicated that the productivity of their workforce has increased in the pandemic, while 41 percent believed that productivity remained the same.

“The purpose of this survey was to examine the status of companies in terms of face-to-face work versus remote work, but we were also very curious to know what were the lessons learned, the challenges and how organizations worked to overcome them,” said Sandra Román, Human Resources consulting expert at Retention Strategies.

The survey, carried out between June and July, consulted 68 representatives of companies in Puerto Rico, from 16 industries, including those in the insurance, professional services and health sectors.

Román emphasized that the respondents shared concerns about various labor obstacles they are facing due to the pandemic, which include “the difficulty of maintaining social distancing in office settings and that workers with children are very concerned about the lack of child care centers, as well as the uncertainty of where they would leave their children if there is no reopening of schools in August.”

The situation is further complicated as, in many cases, the only family members available to watch over the children are the elderly, who are among

the groups at high risk of COVID-19 infection.

Regarding the return of employees to offices, 63 percent of the participants answered that their companies did not have a firm date for reopening.

Among those with planned dates to return, a third (33 percent) estimated it would be in August, and 13 percent said it would be in September.

“Of course, this was before new cases of COVID-19 emerged in July, which led the government of Puerto Rico to resume some of the previous measures, such as the closure of bars, cinemas and gyms and the restriction of 50 percent in restaurant capacity. This situation is likely to cause delays in returning to face-to-face work for many companies,” Román said.

Working remotely works, it brings efficiencies to the company, personnel is very committed to provide continuity to the business and this current technology era supports these efforts.

-One survey participant

Lessons Learned

During a web conference, Román indicated that the top lesson learned during the pandemic is that remote work is not only possible, but it can also be quite productive. “Working remotely works, it brings efficiencies to the company, personnel is very committed to provide continuity to the business and this current technology era supports these efforts,” said one survey participant.

Flexibility in the workplace is also key, during these times. “The world of labor has changed.

Spaces have been reduced and we need to find new models to manage the work force,” said another survey participant.

With this in mind, Wanda Fuentes, another HR consultant at Retention Strategies, said some companies stated that they will “stay remote for good” and no longer plan to have office spaces. In

these cases, economic factors for businesses are being balanced with the new reality.

Among the other lessons learned, the survey participants identified the importance of having access to adequate equipment and technology to be able to bring company work to their homes.

Two of the characteristics that companies identified as keys to the success of their transition during the pandemic are the creativity and flexibility of their work teams to work remotely, face-to-face or hybrid.

“A large part of the responses emphasized the importance of having a comprehensive medical plan, since the pandemic came to remind us all that the health of employees is one of the most valuable resources a company has,” Román noted.

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The New Normal Forces Schools to Stay Online

A case in point: Robinson School Enrique Muchacho Special to The Weekly Journal

W

ith the continuing increase of COVID-19 cases in Puerto Rico, the local Education Department has once again ordered public schools to go online, at least for the first month of the new school year, for the safety of students. The mandate also applies to private schools and is supported by the Private Schools Association of Puerto Rico.

Public and private schools will begin the new school year with online classes on Aug. 17 and then classroom teaching could begin on Sept. 17, following a hybrid model, and conditioned on the level of COVID-19 infections on the island.

One private school is Robinson School in Condado, which had made plans to reopen the school grounds starting in August. However, with the increase of cases in Puerto Rico and the actions taken by Education, the school has opted to put its backup plan in place, shut down the school and go to virtual learning once again.

On June 29, the Robinson School administration sent a letter to students and parents about their plans to reopen the campus doors in August.

The letter also included several health and safety regulations that the school was planning to enact when classes began. “The safety and well-being of all our students and staff are at the forefront of all our decisions during these uncertain times,” said Robinson. The school had also planned to go online should the need arise, and it has.

In a recent letter to parents, the school administration informed that “Robinson is prepared to receive students in the virtual modality in a program that is closely aligned with our oncampus program and routine.” While details have yet to be shared, officials promise to maintain the same high standards of academic excellence.

With Robinson School switching to virtual learning, parents are hoping for the best when it comes to the sudden change of how their children have been learning. “I would have loved for both my sons to have school in school and not via Zoom, but I feel more secure and confident that it’s the best decision during this pandemic that’s out of control,” said Ana Maria Matanzo, parent of an incoming 12th grader.

Students will have to wait at least until September to return to their classrooms. >Carlos Rivera Giusti

Many parents seem to agree with it since there is no other choice due to Education’s decision and the continuing increase in COVID-19 cases. “It has to be this way. Our health is in danger. Robinson did the right thing,” said Ayleen Cruz, parent of another incoming 12th grader.

Students also have their opinions about switching from being in school grounds to online learning. “About not being able to live out my senior year on campus, I feel frustrated and sad.

Even though I am sad that I will not be able to enjoy the experiences of my senior year with my classmates, I do understand that this is what is needed to be done to keep us and those around us safe during this global pandemic,” said Camila Cora, an incoming 12th grade student.

Pros and Cons of Online Teaching

When Puerto Rico’s lockdown first began in mid-March, students were forced to switch from taking classes in person to being online. There are some good things from online teaching, but many are saying that it’s not the best option. “In my opinion, I prefer normal class over online because we can’t really see our friends and joke around and socialize as well. It’s hard for me to concentrate in my house because of all the distractions I have at my disposal,” said Dylan Vélez, another incoming senior at Robinson.

While virtual learning may give students the advantage of managing their time and being able to work from home, it also holds disadvantages

that go beyond being surrounded by distractions.

The lack of contact between peers might also present negative effects on their mental health.

The decision to begin the school year through online classes at a time when we must maintain social distancing can bring negative effects on the mental health of students. According to Dr. Enrique Gelpi, a psychologist at the San Jorge Children’s Hospital, “as a health professional, we almost always put the physical health of the community in first place.”

When he was asked about the psychological effects of going back to school or continue taking virtual classes, Gelpi added that “depression, anxiety, sleeping disturbances, eating problems and family relation difficulties have been identified in the literature as direct results from the situation we are living. The intense feeling of uncertainty that this decision brings to students, caregivers, teachers and school administrators, add to the severe negative emotional manifestations.”

When putting the safety of people, the physical and mental health of the community must be placed on top, and in the situation we’re in, a lack of contact with people could result in negative effects, he indicated.

Whatever strategies Robinson uses to ensure that the school year is productive, the situation may never go back to normal. The lives of everyone around the world have already been rocked by this crisis, but with hope, people will adapt to the “new normal.”

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< The Weekly Journal > Wednesday, July 22, 2020

human beings during the year to come.

resolutions we are about to make.

Almost every dream we have as

their record, their honesty and their achievements. With primaries in

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country took over th defend its values and

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Therefore, I think it’s As we see in the first paragraph, Vicenty pharma’s industry leX this is simplyEdgardo not true. You might Founder of Los Cidrines Entrepreneurshould and Financial Analyst control of the narratX think these companies Entrepreneur & Founder of Los Cidrines 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.

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Hundreds against her by alleging it is who should take the the credit this country!” hit the streets to politically motivated.itThere for the protests, we should be Therefore, is not surprising of thousands is over 33 percent of our budget, thing that only indus of Act 154.

Lastdirect week, aworkers tourist acted protest what they perceived is ample that she of our reflecting on why we failed. that aevidence large portion employs 78,000 know.

But this hasn’t happened; both imprudently on a flight to be a corrupt governor and has tried to actively interfere The way I see it, the main population does not understand who earn on average $62,000 and I genuinely believ groups appear to have taken that was headed toward they forced him and his team to with the investigation, which reason we did not accomplish the importance of the spends $500 million annually in proactive communic Philadelphia, forcing the resign. an “ignore and pray nothing violates Puerto Rico’s laws, our goal of permanently capital expenditures inready its plants. pilot who was to take Manyhappens” celebrated mentality that victory andchanging butpharmaceutical once again, nothingand medical device Rico’s we can ch education, that the way Puerto return to the gate and happens. beginning for Puerto government operates, is that industries to our economy and as a new To put this off, intotoperspective, current narrative of is not acceptable. Hoping our ask all the passengers to of Rico. In this new era, corruption Edgardo, that weOur politicians’ we focused on ousting an society the as fact a whole. pharma represents 30 percent foreigners and get e government takes the lead in these get off the plane. Once off would not be tolerated and the continuously see corruption, individual and his team instead populist rhetoric has actually led Puerto Rico’s GDP, while tourism is understand that wha conversations is futile, we are in the plane, videos show how government would work on their disorder and crime and of fixing the institutions that just 7 percent. many to believe that these are evil, the all industry is good the middle of an election cycle, and other passengers started constituents’ behalf because nothing happens, just seems should have prevented the with the tourist and had witnessed first outrageous to me. But if take, take andpoliticians mismanagement from happening corporations that However,arguing for some inexplicable and vice versa. As Pu it is evident that our governor and fistfight broke out. people were we take want things change, the first place. whiletogiving nothing back hand what reason, ouragovernment has herthe opponents are morein worried we can’t allow for a r Had this happened in any we can’t just conform with capable of when they united. But The Department of Justice in to their communities and the spent decades without a coherent 936 debacle to happ campaigning thanPuerto actually other country, everybody nothingabout changed. being outraged. It’s time Rico is clearly broken. strategy to involved keep them investing island. might not survive it. preventing an economic crisis. in the incident We thought the protests had for us to take control of our We saw serious allegations

Manuel Cidre Cidre

By Manuel

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Watch Out! Don’t Threat the Workhorse of Puerto Rico’s Economy The Island Where Nothing Happens

would have at least spent the night in jail. But not in Puerto Rico; after the incident, the passengers got back on the plane and flew out.

This situation is no different from when we see Trump breaking laws, refusing to make public his financial records or pardoning a convict who lied to Congress and worked with Russians to influence the 2016 elections, and nothing happens.

It is also no different from the interview that was held with Raul and Rauli Maldonado on the anniversary of the release of Ricardo Rosselló’s chat and the protests that followed. In this interview, Rauli explained he has more information and evidence

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island’s future and demand change from our candidates for governor and the Legislature.

We need to ask them to explain thoroughly how they will depoliticize the Justice Department, the Comptroller’s Office and the Ethics Department in order to completely eliminate impunity for corrupt elected officials.

As Puerto Ricans, we need to demand respect from our elected officials; impunity and anarchy cannot be tolerated in our government. If we don’t change things soon, we run the risk of getting used to living in a country with no law and order, just like we got used to driving with potholes after Hurricane Maria.

been a success, but what we really demonstrated during the summer of 2019 was our inability to focus on the underlying problems and their solutions. As a country, we have historically focused on petty fights like statehood vs. independence, while ignoring complex problems like systematically eliminating corruption.

It’s been a year since we ousted Ricardo Rosselló, nothing has changed and we continue to make the same mistakes. This past week, Twitter erupted with insults towards media outlets that had portrayed influencer El Molusco and singers René and Ricky Martin as the leaders of the 2019 protests.

Maybe they were the catalyst that made these protests different from previous ones, maybe they weren’t, but honestly, who cares? The 2019 protests

against public officials in every administration of the past decade, but rarely if ever did the Justice Department investigate and then prosecute these officials. The lack of action from the Justice Department is clearly due to its politization.

The Secretary of Justice is chosen by the acting governor and responds directly to her, which means she is loyal to the governing party and can be fired if she steps out of line.

Solving this issue is simple, the people of Puerto Rico have to hit the streets once more (with social distancing) and protest until the Justice Department is completely separated from the government apparatus and the Secretary of Justice becomes an elected, non-political, public official. Until then, Puerto Rico will continue to be the island where nothing happens.

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/ Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Ice Cream Sales Up, Personal Grooming Products Down

Amid pandemic, consumer goods sales hold up at Unilever

continued to grow strongly.

Personal Care Items Hit

The flip side was that “consumers had fewer personal care occasions from going to work or socializing, and we saw a decline in our personal care business, except for hygiene products.”

The importance of hygiene in fighting the coronavirus led to increased demand for hand and home sanitizing products.

“Consumers eating and cleaning more at home, and focusing more on hand hygiene, led to underlying sales growth in North America of 9.5 percent in the second quarter, despite a negative impact of 3.7 percent from food solutions and Prestige channel closures,” the company said.

Following a review launched in January, Unilever said it will retain its tea businesses in India and Indonesia and separate the company’s remaining tea operations into a new business. The separation is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.

-The Associated Press contributed to this story.

C

The Weekly Journal Staff

onsumer products giant Unilever, whose brands include Ben & Jerry’s ice creams, Lipton tea and Dove soaps, reported that second-quarter sales were only slightly lower than the same period a year ago — beating expectations of a drop of around 4 percent — despite the lockdown measures triggered by the global fight against the coronavirus.

CEO Alan Jope said the Anglo-Dutch company had “unlocked new levels of agility in responding to unprecedented fluctuations in demand.”

The company’s shares jumped more than 8 percent on the news.

Unilever’s results provide a snapshot of how consumer behavior has been altered by the global pandemic — shoppers bought more food and drink to consume at home rather than visiting restaurants and cleaned their homes and hands more while spending less on personal grooming.

“The spread of COVID-19, combined with the lockdowns and restrictions that have been implemented in many countries, has led to significant changes in the operating environment in our markets. Consumer demand patterns have been impacted by channel closures [due to lockdowns], more time spent in the home and the critical importance of hygiene,” the company said in a statement.

“Lockdowns in our markets and reduced personal care occasions amid restricted living, led to lower demand for skin care, deodorants and hair care, which each saw volume and price decline,” the company said.

E-commerce grew 49 percent in the first half of the year as lockdowns and fear of the virus forced people to stay home and shop online. Puerto Rico was no exception, as the island started a strict lockdown and curfew in mid-March.

Second quarter underlying sales growth edged

Ice cream, an eternal comfort food, is “in.”

down 0.3 percent while turnover fell 3.1 percent compared to the second quarter in 2019 to $15.4 billion.

Food and Refreshment Sales

Unilever noted that overall sales of food, inhome consumption of ice cream and tea rose as people spent more time at home.

However, lockdowns in most markets led to the closure of out-of-home channels. “This, together with reduced tourism, led to a reduction in outof-home ice cream sales of nearly 30 percent.

Similarly, food service sales were down around 40 percent as hotels, restaurants, cafes and bars closed. At the same time, we saw double digit growth in our retail foods business with Knorr and Hellmann’s performing strongly,” the company said.

Sales of ice cream for consumption in-home increased by 15 percent in the first half and by 26 percent in the second quarter, significantly offsetting the declines in out-of-home channels.

The Magnum and Ben and Jerry’s brands have

Sales of soap and hand sanitizers have also jumped.

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/ Wednesday, July 29, 2020

>Eric Jamison/Invision/AP, File

In fact,

Visitante,

“Without Cabra there is no Visitante,” sings the 28-time Latin Grammy and Grammy winner from Puerto Rico in the newly released song, whose title — literally translated as “The Goat Pulls to the Mountain” — borrows from a Latin American saying about the return to one’s origins.

Half of Calle 13, is No More Meet Cabra

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The Associated Press

EW YORK (AP) — Calle 13’s Eduardo Cabra is shedding his Visitante persona in a graphic new video that serves as a launch for his solo career and

new record label.

The artist will now be known simply as Cabra. The debut is not without some bloodshed.

In “La Cabra Jala Pal Monte,” filmed prepandemic in Argentina and released recently, a man dressed in black from head to toe and with his face covered cuts Visitante’s throat before taking off his hood to reveal his identity: Cabra himself.

“Without Cabra there is no Visitante,” sings the 28-time Latin Grammy and Grammy winner from Puerto Rico in the newly released song, whose title

— literally translated as “The Goat Pulls to the Mountain” — borrows from a Latin American saying about the return to one’s origins.

“I don’t see it as a death,” the veteran producer told The Associated Press from his studio in San Juan. “I see it as Cabra was always there.”

Cabra achieved fame and critical acclaim in the early 2000s as part of Calle 13, a duo he formed with his brother René Pérez, aka Residente. While Pérez was the voice of the group, Cabra’s Visitante was its producer and musical director.

Throughout the years, Cabra has performed many other roles: producer Eduardo Cabra killed off his “Visitante” persona in the graphic new video “La Cabra Jala Pal Monte.” >Al Powers/Invision/ AP, File

of other artists, composer of original movie scores, creator of Trending Tropics (a duo with the Dominican singer-songwriter Vicente García). The idea of leaving behind his famous nickname, he said, was to consolidate all those sides of him.

“La Cabra Jala Pal Monte” is not only his first song as a main vocalist, but the first release of his new independent label La Casa del Sombrero, or The House of the Hat, based in San Juan. This, in fact, is what has him more excited: “The matter of independence in these times that we live in, when mainstream music has become like a single sound.”

His immediate plans for the label include working with Puerto Rican songwriter Sebastián Otero and researching the “jibara” music in order to create an “audiovisual document” about the folkloric genre from the island.

Getting in front of the microphone and the camera as the lead made Cabra feel “vulnerable and super insecure,” something he says has helped him to be more understanding as a producer.

“Maybe I’ll try to be a little more sensitive when I work with other people,” he said. “Now, when I see someone as a producer, I can understand what they are going through and I try to connect with that.”

Next month he will be releasing more music as Cabra the soloist, but he’s quick to state that he’s doing this “without any expectations.”

“I am doing this because I want to keep on doing what I do, which is producing, launching new projects, collaborating with people that I like,” he said. “This consolidates all the things that I do, but I do them now under the same hat.”

15

/ Wednesday, July 29, 2020

>Courtesy

Genesis Showroom to Open at Plaza

Sales of over 500 units projected in one year

A

Brenda A. Vázquez Colón

>bvazquez@elvocero.com

20,000-square-foot store, inside Plaza Las Américas mall, which will house the luxury vehicle brand Genesis, will open its doors the last week of July, after a three-month wait and an investment of

$4.5 million.

The space, named Genesis Mall Experience, and located in the space of the old Borders bookstore, will be completely transformed with a very modern, luxurious design and the latest technology, creating a VIP environment that promises to please the most demanding customer.

“We were eager to complete this great project that represents the reaffirmation of our company with Puerto Rico. They have been intense weeks, but we are satisfied with the progress so far and we are sure that the final result will be spectacular. The goal is to achieve the sale of 500 units in the first year of operation. We seek to reach 8 percent of luxury sales that will be part of the 75,000 units that are projected to be sold [globally] in the next 12 months, “explained Pablo Martínez, chief operations officer of Genesis Puerto Rico, on the premises that were scheduled to start operating in April, but had to

>Courtesy

be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2019, the car sales industry in Puerto Rico closed with 109,000 units sold, of which 6.4 percent corresponded to luxury brands. Of this percentage, German brands represent 43 percent of the segment, Japanese 36 percent and other brands 21.4 percent. The company’s goal is to obtain 6 percent of the Japanese brands sold, 2 percent of the German brands and 0.6 percent of the other brands in the luxury segment.

Exclusive Design and Services

The demolition and construction process of the new showroom has generated 35 direct jobs and will create about 18 new jobs to serve the sale of vehicles, parts and maintenance services.

“The store has mirrors and new lighting so that the client can see the brand’s models and their finishes from different angles. We have an area to select the color of the car and the interior leather, in addition to a waiting room where private sporting events will be held for our clients. There is a giant screen and some elements, such as

the furniture, come from Italy. We hope it will be successful and we understand that the coronavirus measures will not affect us, since it is an industry that can be attended to by appointments and with security protocols,” said the executive.

The establishment, which will be managed

by Ricardo Viera, recently appointed as general manager, will have a delivery area for new units where a specialist will be in charge of conducting a demonstration in the “Genesis Test Drive Room” so that the client can know each detail of the vehicle before conducting his/her test drive.

The venue will also have a modern 10,021-square-foot showroom with capacity for six vehicles, a workshop equipped with five mechanical lifts, a carwash area, coffee & beverage bar, valet parking and an exclusive event itinerary for owners of Genesis vehicles.

“The customer will have a different experience when buying their luxury car, which will be 10 percent lower in cost than other competing models. Our cars start at $49,000. We have a unique product and while clients wait for their vehicles, they can do their shopping or have lunch at the mall, since they will receive a text message when their cars are ready,” added Martínez.

Additional benefits to be offered include a 10year or 100,000-mile warranty, a free “home to home” service (includes maintenance and parts for a specified period), roadside assistance service and a loyalty program.

The three base G70 models, the G80 and G90, are already available and this year, the first SUV of the Genesis brand, the GV80, and later the SUV GV70, are expected to arrive in Puerto Rico.

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