The Weekly Journal - Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Puerto Rico and the Caribbean

www.theweeklyjournal.com

>Josian E. Bruno Gómez

Wednesday, October 6-12, 2021 - // no. 128

Devastating Report on PREPA P6 Puerto Rico Gets Medicaid Funds P7 Warnings on Complacency on Economy P8

>Courtesy of the PRTC

Growing Demand for

Agritourism in Puerto Rico Important niche market for the tourism and travel sector

T

>Courtesy

Giovanna Garofalo

Puerto Rican Surrealist Art on Show P13

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

he Puerto Rico Tourism Co. (PRTC) recently certified eight locally-owned companies within the public agency’s Agritourism Program, whose goal is to reevaluate the role of agriculture in Puerto Rico and promote it within a framework of sustainability.

With the entry of these eight companies to the bank of agritourism companies certified by the PRTC, the program has increased to reach a total of 32 certified

projects, which helps to strengthen the tourism industry and contribute to the economic development of Puerto Rico. The agritourism niche represents an additional source of income for existing agricultural activity on the island. The PRTC created an advisory committee made up of members of state and federal agencies, as well as academic institutions to develop the Agritourism Guides. The program includes two categories: basic and ecological. The guides establish general GO TO PAGE 4

The Weekly Journal > Wednesday, October 6, 2021 > 2

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/ Wednesday, October 6, 2021

a week in review PREB Declines Request to Raise Energy Rate

>Courtesy of the Sheraton Old San Juan Hotel

The Puerto Rico Energy Bureau (PREB) rejected the energy rate adjustment requested

by LUMA Energy and the P.R. Electric Power Authority for the last quarter of 2021. PREB authorized only an adjustment of $0.007, equivalent to less than one cent per kilowatt-hour (kWh). “The precarious financial and operational situation of the Authority has been the result of prolonged inefficiency. The Authority’s repeated practice of indiscriminately passing unwise spending to consumers has resulted in an inability to lower rates and improve service quality... It is essential to tackle the inefficiency of the Authority and for it to move towards financial and operational discipline,” PREB said.

Driftwood Capital Acquires Sheraton Old San Juan Hotel Driftwood Capital, a commercial real-estate investment, development and lending platform specializing in hospitality, acquired the Sheraton Old San Juan, a 240-room hotel and 27,500-square-foot retail complex.

Driftwood intends to fully renovate the property and convert it to a Tribute

By Marriott. It will be managed by Driftwood Capital’s sister company, Driftwood Hospitality Management, a national hotel operator with over 20 years of expertise. Financial terms were not disclosed.

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

President Salvador Hasbún shasbun@elvocero.com Vp of Marketing and Business Operations Michelle Pérez Miperez@elvocero.com

Over $83M Disbursed to Workers in the Private Sector The Puerto Rico Treasury Department that it has disbursed $83.5 million in 41,785 payments under the Premium Pay program for eligible employees in the private sector that are providing essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Food manufacturing and distribution have also been added to the Premium Pay program, representing 7,000 additional employers. The Premium Pay payment is worth $2,000 and comes from a $200 million fund allocated by Gov. Pedro Pierluisi for additional compensation payments, as part of the State and Local Coronavirus Fiscal Recovery Fund of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

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

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

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

VP of Production Eligio Dekony edekony@elvocero.com

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

Multi-Plataform Digital Director María Arce marce@elvocero.com

Customer Service: 787-622-7480

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 requirements for all types of projects and their criteria are based on the type of agricultural activity or business and eco-lodges.

The eight certified companies are Hacienda Chocolat in Fajardo, Hacienda Verde Tahiti in Cabo Rojo, Finca Gaia in Dorado, Martinez Dairy in Vega Baja, Te Invito a un Tour de Café in Orocovis, Hatillo Dairy and Fábrica de Quesos y Yogures De la Crema in Hatillo, El Paraíso Agrícola de Aguas Buenas, and Puerto Rico Paradise Farm in San Germán. All of these SMEs are featured on www. voyturisteando.com, a platform by the PRTC that encourages domestic tourism and exposes locals to “hidden gems.” THE WEEKLY JOURNAL spoke with two of these establishments to discuss their offer and goals, now that they are recognized by the Tourism Company.

These [agritourism projects] broaden and maximize the diversity of Puerto Rico’s offer as a tourist destination and enable new sources of jobs and businesses that result in greater progress and economic development for the island.

- Carlos Mercado Santiago, the executive director of the PRTC

El Paraíso Agrícola de Aguas Buenas

Managed by Omar Rivera and Heydi Sepúlveda, El Paraíso Agrícola de Aguas Buenas (El Paraíso) located in the municipality of Aguas Buenas - has been a family-led farm for roughly 14 years. Rivera himself was born and raised on the farm, which is specialized in growing primarily guavas and pineapple.

As with many other farms islandwide, due to the onslaught caused by Hurricane Maria in Sept.

2017, all crops were lost, forcing Rivera to start anew from the ground up. Out of that time of need rose the idea to incorporate the tourism element to reap greater revenues, a process that began in 2018 with Rivera working a “regular” job during the day and laboring the field at night to be able to finance the project.

More so than obtaining the proper permits, which is a common complaint regarding the ease of doing business in Puerto Rico, Rivera said that the reason it took him years to achieve the certification was that he was working on the farm by himself initially. “I was doing the work of four to five people on my own,” he explained, a lively rooster crowing in the background as he spoke.

Now, El Paraíso offers a basic visitor’s tour, which includes a tour of the farm’s main areas.

tour, visitors are shown and taught the farm’s However, he will add two additional tours within spaces and practices and they may work on the “two or three months,” he said. One of these land themselves, akin to some wine tours in is the Guava Tour, whose intent “is to provide Italy or France. Another is more concerned with more thorough insight on how to grow” the fruit. conservation and educates guests on preserving The second will be a nocturnal tour, for which a endemic flora and fauna. In fact, last year Finca camping area is under development.

Gaia, in collaboration with Para la Naturaleza, THE WEEKLY JOURNAL asked Rivera to planted 200 native trees. elaborate on the opportunities represented by Regarding future plans, Báez hopes to receive his business certification within the Agritourism more clients, thanks to this new Program. “One of the things in exposure so that he may hire which it will help me is to develop and train guides to offer tours the educational area - receive every day of the week. Currently, more people, show them what these are offered from Tuesdays it is like on the farm and, above to Thursdays and Saturdays from all, to look at the view, since All of these 9 a.m. to noon. we have a very privileged view. newly certified “At the Tourism Company, I understand that it is a good agritourism and in keeping with the public promotion and a good catapult businesses are policy of Gov. Pedro R. Pierluisi, so that people know [our farm] featured on www. we remain firm in our purpose better and get to know a little voyturisteando. of developing and promoting more about Aguas Buenas, since com, a platform a green economy. For this Aguas Buenas has a lot to offer,” by the PRTC reason, we are very pleased to he affirmed. that encourages welcome these eight Puerto domestic tourism Rican companies that provide Finca Gaia and exposes locals greater diversification to our Finca Gaia is the first to “hidden gems.”

Agritourism Certification agritourism company from Program. In addition, this allows Dorado to be certified by the us to become a facilitating agent PRTC. One of its owners, Manuel to provide them with the best Báez, said that the land has been tools that can optimize their in his family for decades, “but capabilities,” said Carlos Mercado Santiago, the we began to grow on it some seven or eight years executive director of the PRTC. ago.” Their main crops, which are 100 percent organic, are fruit trees, especially exotic types, and aromatic spices, tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce, A Growing Niche Market which they sell to local restaurants.

The continued certification of agribusinesses “Recently, in this last year, I have been trying is backed by global trends and forecasts to organize mostly educational tours on how surrounding this industry, especially when 82 we grow our crops,” he said. On one type of percent of people reported that they want to travel

In fact,

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Representatives of some of the eight newly certified agritourism businesses in Puerto Rico >Courtesy of the PRTC

sustainably, according to a 2021 study by Virtuoso, a travel company. Likewise, 72 percent said that said tourism activities should support local communities and economies, preserve the cultural heritage of travel destinations, and protect their respective wildlife and ecosystems.

Moreover, a report by Fortune Business Insights indicates that the global agritourism market size was valued at $69.24 billion in 2019, and is projected to reach $117.37 billion by 2027, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7.42 percent during the forecast period. “High revenue generation associated with tourism and recreational activities is significantly driving the market. Farm-owners are getting increasingly inclined towards developing their properties into agriculture tourism destinations to achieve higher revenues,” the report said.

Meanwhile, Mercado Santiago informed that the incorporation of these small and midsize enterprises (SMEs) into this program, five new municipalities now have certified agritourism projects, these being: Cabo Rojo, Dorado, Fajardo, Orocovis and San Germán. “These broaden and maximize the diversity of Puerto Rico’s offer as a tourist destination and enable new sources of jobs and businesses that result in greater progress and economic development for the island,” the official added.

Along with the certifications, the companies also received from the PRTC an economic incentive in the amount of $3,000 each. The objective of this incentive, in accordance with the provisions of Resolution 21-016, is to expand the agritourism offers in Puerto Rico and the existing tourist offer under the agency’s Agritourism Program.

In addition, this economic boost is intended to encourage the expansion of agritourism offerings and help foster job creation. The resolution establishes that the permitted uses for the use of funds are varied, among which the following

stand out: uniforms for employees and related to the tourist offer; training for tours such as a certification for environmental interpreters; equipment directly related to the tours such as microphones for interpreters, baskets for collecting fruits and materials for interactive

>Courtesy of Discover Puerto Rico

workshops. Other permitted uses also include marketing efforts; improvements to facilities of endorsed experiences; educational material about the experience; among others that are evaluated and approved by the PRTC. On the other hand, this event to deliver the certification and the economic incentive offered members of the Agritourism Certification Program of the PRTC’s business training focused on digital marketing, branding and how to optimize the use of the tools and platforms provided by the Tourism Company. These resources were Gío Camacho, a publicist for the PRTC; Imaris Arocho, Chief Sales and Marketing officer of the PRTC, and Nildamarie Díaz, supervisor of the entity’s Sustainable Tourism Program. These workshops have the purpose of offering up-to-date digital tools and optimizing the content that they can use for the better development of their companies Several of the newly-integrated businesses fall under the “agrifood tourism” segment, which according to the market assessment by Fortune Business Insight - is one of the most profitable within this economic sector.

“Agrifood tourism is getting rapid recognition across several communities and is expanding at a significant pace. Agrifood tourism has a great potential to augment the earnings and profitability of agritourism farm owners, along with promoting their regional or local cuisines. In agrifood tourism, visitors are allowed to tour across rural areas and farms and taste specialty food produced or prepared by the locals of the place. Agrifood tourism promotes agritourism farms to display their history, culture and landscape through local cuisines, food and drinks, and agriculture products. Furthermore, agritourism enables producers, artisans and farmers to improve their skills and develop their brand and products among the local visitors, as well as tourists coming from overseas,” the report stated.

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PREPA’s Aguirre powerplant >Nahira Montcourt

New PREPA Director Gives Devastating Report on the State of Power plants More than five generating units do not work, two of these for seven years

T

Maricarmen Rivera

mrivera@elvocero.com

he Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), Josué Colón, presented Gov. Pedro Pierluisi with a report that describes in black and white the fragile situation of the energy system, which has been operating with several units out of service for years and others that require milliondollar repairs.

The report details that there are more than five generating units that are not working. Two of these have not been operational for at least seven years.

There are reportedly eight units at Central San Juan with significant breakdowns and half require what Colón classified as “major repairs.”

In San Juan, Unit 10 experienced a low pressure turbine failure and has not been in operation since 2015. Repairing this unit would cost $15 million and would take six months. In total, the estimated repairs for the San Juan units are around $100 million.

At Palo Seco in Toa Baja, there are three units out of service. Unit 1 has been out of service since 2014, while Unit 2 is not working because the

generator is broken. Unit 4 was “forced” out of service, according to the report, due to an oil leak in the wiring.

At Aguirre in Salinas, there are two units with significant problems. Unit 1 is scheduled for repairs in 2022. Replacing the turbine rotors will cost $18 million. Another unit has a problem with a water control valve.

At Costa Sur in Guayanilla, Units 5 and 6 are damaged and the expectation is that at least one Unit 5 - will resume operations today (Wednesday).

The estimated cost of these repairs is $20 million.

In response, the governor reiterated his support for the new PREPA director and stated that the report “confirms that the problem is largely a lack of maintenance.”

“I have asked the director to review the maintenance plan and determine if the allocated amount is adequate and I have told him that the lack of funds is not going to be a justification for not doing the required maintenance,” Pierluisi said.

“We are going to look for resources where we have to look for them to maintain the plants. There are federal regulations that regulate the use of plants for emissions. Sometimes the plants cannot operate precisely because the regulations prevent it or because the generation would cause fines, but they are very technical aspects,” he added.

Regarding the acquisition of three turbines for Palo Seco under consideration by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, he pointed out that he leaves the matter “in the hands of the executive director with his consultants because they are technical aspects that must be addressed in the authority.”

They Were Warned

Ángel Figueroa Jaramillo, president of the Union of Industry Workers Electrical and Irrigation (Utier by its Spanish acronym), stated that for years, the failures detailed by Colón have been denounced by PREPA union members.

The situation, he pointed out, was aggravated by the dismissal of workers who know the most about the operation of the plants and the subcontracting of private companies.

He indicated that Aguirre’s Unit 2 that reported a boiler leak had been repaired by a private company that had a turnover of about $18 million. It is estimated that it must be taken out of operations for five days to repair it again.

“The governor has said something fundamental.

The Authority’s problem is not one of the public model. It is a management problem. And, within that management problem, there is the lack of knowledge that we have had because we have lost those colleagues who know how the authority operates,” he expressed.

The union leader applauded the intention to bring back more than 100 employees who were removed from their positions with the arrival of the private company LUMA Energy.

“The director presented the reality, this is not that he discovered America. These are indications that we have made for years and we have reaffirmed that there has been abandonment and a lack of maintenance,” Figueroa added. “This call to bring comrades who were displaced seems important to me. What this shows is that they should not have been displaced and that the crisis responds to the displacement of that technical knowledge, “he said.

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Puerto Rico ‘Mi Salud’ Gets Funds Extension Until Next Year V2A report: Challenges remain ahead

O Rosario Fajardo

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

nce again, Puerto Rico’s much feared Medicaid fiscal cliff will not occur. As expected, the Puerto Rico Health Department has received the requested allocation of $2.9 billion for the island’s Medicaid plan known as “Mi Salud” in Spanish for the medically indigent.

“For Puerto Rico, this allocation is extremely important because it will allow us to continue offering the health services received by the over 1.5 million people in Puerto Rico through Medicaid and the Vital Plan, especially in times of the health emergency caused by COVID-19,” said Gov. Pedro R. Pierluisi.

The allocation from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) went into effect on Oct. 1. technological projects, process optimizations and and will be extended through 2022. avoidance of fraud and waste of public funds. An “We want all Medicaid and Vital Plan increase in Medicaid expenditures per beneficiary beneficiaries to be reassured that their services does not entail greater access or services through will not be affected. These new funds will have a positive impact on the services we offer and that is its manage care programs as it aims to fill gaps and not exceed them,” said the good news because it is about report, authored by Guillermo guaranteeing the right that we Guasp, senior associate, all have to health,” said Health and Griselle Bigio, senior Secretary Carlos Mellado. engagement manager, both at Regardless of the good V2A. news, a report by V2A The authors point out Consulting points to continuing The funding issue must that currently, legislation challenges ahead. “All things be addressed, the V2A includes implementing a set considered; Congress acted report points out, as of checks and balances to to secure funding in the near almost half of Puerto address concerns from the short-term outlook but opted Rico’s population get Federal Government over for not making this funding their healthcare coverage inferences of misuse of federal permanent and extensive for through the Medicaid funds.

“Even though such Puerto Rico. Furthermore, it program and [they] are checks and balances could postponed the discussion of part of the indigent pose short-term obstacles, appropriating equal funding in population with fewer the program’s stakeholders comparison with other States. purchasing power to could benefit from focusing Yet, the current proposal acquire individual health on the underlying longdoesn’t consider system and coverage.” term challenges that remain infrastructure changes needed unaddressed. A solid to provide greater access and partnership between Puerto quality of care for program Rico’s government and the Health Sector is vital recipients. to continue supporting ongoing lobbying efforts “On numerous occasions the Federal and provide a long-term solution to these funding Government has called upon Puerto Rico to gaps as well as allocate resources to renovate the transform its infrastructure through special

In fact,

island’s health infrastructure,” they wrote.

The V2A report points out that under federal law, Medicaid funds assigned to Puerto Rico are allocated through a yearly statute, which does not include special appropriations approved by Congress to account for increase in Medicaid funding needs. “Usually, these increases in Medicaid funding needs create a funding gap that forces Puerto Rico to request larger amounts each year to cover 1) increases in program beneficiaries and 2) higher utilization rates or service costs.”

The authors also note that Puerto Rico would be eligible for a higher share of federal funds to cover an increase in services and eligible population if it were treated as a state. “However, Puerto Rico as a territory of the United States has a capped annual allotment, which represented $366.7 million dollars in FY2019. This means that regardless of the number of beneficiaries, or any increase in services provided to the island’s indigent community, expected funding appropriations remain untouched. This allotment represented 14 percent of the total appropriated federal funds to cover Medicaid costs in said year.”

The funding issue must be addressed, they pointed out, as almost half of Puerto Rico’s population get their healthcare coverage through the Medicaid program and [they] are part of the indigent population with fewer purchasing power to acquire individual health coverage.”

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CNE: Alert on ‘False Sense of Complacency’ on the Economy As pace of Hurricane Maria reconstruction funds increase

E Rosario Fajardo

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

ditor’s note: The second article in a two-part series While it’s no secret that the pace of federal disbursements on recovery funds for Puerto Rico related to Hurricane Maria, which hit the island more than four years ago, has been slow, especially during the Trump administration, the island should see a noticeable increase in the coming years.

However, the “delayed disbursement schedule” presents several risks for Puerto Rico, according to Sergio Marxuach, Center for a New Economy’s (CNE) Policy director and editor of the think tank’s publication: The CNE Review.

In the analysis released by the specialized newsletter, Marxuach cites the Financial Oversight and Management Board’s (FOMB) Certified Fiscal Plan for Puerto Rico – April 23, 2021 on the expected federal disbursements in the next couple of years.

According to the FOMB, expects disaster recovery expenditures to amount to $3.95 billion, $5.31 billion and $4.68 billion for each of fiscal years 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively. “That would be equivalent to 5.6 percent, 7.5 percent and 6.6 percent of nominal GNP [gross national product] in 2020. We note, though, that the bulk of recovery funding, some $47.44 billion, is scheduled

CNE’s Sergio Marxuach >Courtesy

to be disbursed during the ten-year period between 2025 and 2035,” Marxuach writes in “The Threefold Challenge in the Puerto Rican Economy.”

The island is facing several risks in this regard.

For example, Congress may reprogram funding allocated for disaster recovery in the island, while the economic impact during any given year is diluted as funds are spent over 15 years, CNE indicates. “Conversely, the extended timeline may allow Puerto Rico to properly implement procurement regulations, auditing controls and other compliance mechanisms required by the federal government and to avoid a foreseeable shortage of the skilled labor required for some of these large infrastructure projects.

Dependence on Federal Transfers

“In the end, however, the main risk regarding the Hurricane Maria reconstruction could be the creation of a false sense of complacency as the economy begins to grow when the federal money starts to flow. It would be a mistake to believe that our economic problems will be over once the disbursement of federal reconstruction funding begins in earnest for at least two reasons,” as per the report.

Marxuach notes that foremost, all that economic activity will be financed with federal funds transferred to Puerto Rico’s government instead of locally generated resources. “It may be easy to forget that once the good times are rolling and erroneously believe the reconstruction is driven by the strengthening of the Puerto Rican economy, when in fact it is powered by

Congressional largesse.

“Second, the reconstruction process, by its nature, is designed to rebuild and repair what was damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Maria. In that sense, its main objective is to restore Puerto Rico’s capital endowment to its pre-hurricane state. The reconstruction of damaged or lost assets does not constitute a net addition to the island’s long-term productive capacity.”

According to CNE, four years after Maria wreaked havoc in Puerto Rico and generated some $90 billion in damages, the pace of reconstruction remains slow — while Congress has allocated $64 billion for disaster relief and recovery operations on the island, as of June 30, 2021, only $18.6 billion, or approximately 29 percent, had been spent. “Furthermore, some of the most important work — refurbishing and modernizing the electric grid; rebuilding schools, housing, roads, bridges, and healthcare facilities; and undertaking mitigation activities to increase resiliency and reduce the risk exposure of vulnerable populations — has not yet begun,” the report states.

Marxuach believes it is worrisome that economic growth in the short term depends mostly on the receipt of federal transfers that “we do not control. We worry that these expenditures will have a temporary positive impact on the economy that may set back efforts to develop a medium/long-term economic strategy or plan for Puerto Rico. Let’s avoid that trap and keep focused on addressing the structural factors that are the root cause of Puerto Rico’s long-term economic stagnation,” he added.

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Focus on Improving the Local Business Environment An Executive Profile: Invest Puerto Rico’s COO outlines her goals

E Giovanna Garofalo

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

lla Woger-Nieves knew from an early age that she wanted to contribute to Puerto Rico’s economic development. After more than 20 years of experience working with multinationals on the island and the United States, Woger was appointed as the Chief Operations Officer (COO) of Invest Puerto Rico (Invest PR), where she continuously works toward improving the local business environment.

Born in Puerto Rico, Woger pursued a bachelor’s degree in Economics at the University of Pennsylvania. “When I was in college, I took an economics class and it was fascinating to me how different economic factors can really shape the global context of a country. I decided that I really wanted to better understand the context of what was happening in the world and how economics really affected the sociopolitical landscape of different countries, and be able to apply that when I got back to Puerto Rico. This was one of the reasons why I really wanted to focus on economics and being able to really use that,” she told THE WEEKLY JOURNAL. Rather than pursuing a career in the U.S. mainland, Woger returned to her island to apply that knowledge. Her first gig was at Ernst & Young LLP in San Juan - a professional services company - where she worked for five years providing strategic-marketing advisory services. During this time, she worked directly with companies, helping them develop their strategic planning initiatives. Afterward, she worked at Johnson & Johnson’s offices in Caguas in the marketing department - a move that allowed her insight into the biopharmaceutical industry, currently a hot topic among politicians and investors who want to reshore pharmaceuticals to Puerto Rico.

From there, she switched back to her selfproclaimed “management consulting hat” and went to a local strategic management consulting firm called Vision-to-Action, or V2A, where she worked for six or seven years. “I grew there as a professional and I worked among many different

types of industries,” Woger said. However, during that period she moved to Miami, Fla. to continue her work at V2A. “Then I was offered a unique opportunity to work in [Washington] D.C. at a company called Collage Group, and the mission of that company was to help companies navigate and market to the fastest-growing of influential consumers in the U.S. I did a marketing strategy and consulting for a variety of clients in different industries, from financial services to consumer products,” she added.

With so many work experiences, Woger was eager to accept a new position for Invest Puerto Rico, a nonprofit organization designed to market the island as an attractive investment destination.

“It’s such a unique opportunity because we were in a unique moment in time to be able to contribute to the economic development of the island,” she said, alluding to the devastating 2017 hurricanes and the influx of federal funding that came along with them, plus the island’s robust tax incentives encompassed in Acts 20 and 22 of 2012, now Act 60. “I decided to pack my bags and come back here after six years in the States. I came here in 2018.”

Moreover, she underscored her goal at Invest PR to help decrease outmigration and attract Puerto Ricans from the diaspora. “Just like I came back to Puerto Rico, I was part of the diaspora and I came here for an opportunity. I believe that Invest PR can be a mechanism to create job opportunities - bring back companies that will generate jobs. We are going to have a greater employment tool and

>Courtesy

we are going to be able to bring back the diaspora that is seeking these good opportunities and bring them back to the island to really contribute to the economic development of the island,” Woger affirmed.

She added that this is “a personal motivation for me because I think it’s important that we create a bright Puerto Rico where economic development is sustainable and for it to be lasting. We are not looking for short-term solutions here; we want to work to create sustainable, long-term economic development together with our partners, and I think that is a very critical part of our mission here.”

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Liberty unveils a new logo and ad campaign. >Courtesy of Liberty Puerto Rico

Liberty Puerto Rico Offering New Speeds, New Services Invested $85 million in network and infrastructure improvements

L Giovanna Garofalo

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

iberty Puerto Rico has announced a diversified offer for its individual and commercial clients as part of the telecommunications company’s new corporate identity.

Since completing the acquisition of AT&T’s assets in Puerto Rico nearly one year ago, Liberty became a more pliable entity by adding mobile services to its internet and cable products, the company said. As such, Liberty unveiled a new corporate identity to reflect its broader impact on the island’s telecommunications industry. Waldo Hooker, VP of Products and Customer Experience at Liberty, said that “we are super proud, and when we talk about the new Liberty now with the three services - mobile, internet and television - we are able to offer more benefits for our clients by having all their services with us.

“Liberty has always been a company that when you have more services with us, you save more, and we provide more value for your money.

So, we are introducing new speeds and new

services for customers who have both internet and mobile. As you can see, the new initial speed becomes 300 mega, which is a super-fast speed for an excellent price, for $87.99 - which includes first-rate Spanish television, including landline telephone services. In addition to that, if you are a mobile customer, you receive double the speed for free,” Hooker said.

For his part, Naji Khoury, the president and CEO of Liberty, said that “for us at Liberty, every connection counts. By integrating mobile services into our product offering, Liberty is now the most comprehensive communications, technology and entertainment company, offering consumers a better way to live and connect with what matters most to them, no matter where they are, from any device, and better than any other company.”

Khoury said the company has invested $85 million in network and infrastructure improvements during the first half of 2021, representing an increase of 160 percent compared to the same period last year. Because of this, Liberty today has nearly 8,000 miles of fiber between fixed and mobile networks, allowing for greater network velocities.

In terms of capacity, Khoury mentioned that the fixed network now has twice the capacity and that the company has carried out over 500 extensions of mobile network capacity.

Additionally, he said that 5G coverage has continued to increase since the AT&T acquisition last October, and now covers 95 percent of the population in Puerto Rico, Culebra, Vieques and

the U.S. Virgin Islands. “We will continue to invest to improve and expand both networks in terms of coverage, capacity, and reliability,” the CEO said. “Liberty is building and adding more fiber to expand our coverage area and burying our fiber to protect it from natural disasters.”

As for making services more accessible, Khoury explained that Liberty customers will have more than 100 points of sales and services throughout the island before the end of the year to obtain broadband, television and mobile services under one roof, more value in products and combined offers, efficient digital channels, consistency in service across touchpoints.

Customer service options will remain the same for both landline and mobile customers.

Khoury noted that calls from postpaid mobile and Liberty Business clients are handled 100 percent in Puerto Rico, while calls for fixed service are handled in Aguadilla and Luquillo, as well as off-island centers. Liberty has added customer service channels such as WhatsApp and Lila, the company’s virtual assistant, which customers can contact by sending a text message via WhatsApp using the same customer service number for landline services: 787-355-3535.

“The most important part for us, not just as Liberty employees but as people who live on the island, is a new beginning... We are people with a lot of optimism for the future. We believe that Puerto Rico will continue forward; we believe that our technology... will help the island grow,” Khoury affirmed.

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Eduardo Hilera, M.P.S.,

Emergency Management and Homeland Security Expert

Who has the Power?

P

uerto Rico’s power grid needs to be strengthened.

Puerto Ricans need reliable electric service, and Puerto Rico’s government needs the flexibility to complete both missions without mandates that delay both and accomplish neither.

Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in September 2017, but Puerto Rico’s power grid was weak before Hurricane Maria. Puerto Ricans continue to face a grim reality—the power grid in Puerto Rico is not reliable for many reasons, from its aging infrastructure to federal requirements placed upon its reconstruction and the processes by which funding for its restoration are administered. Puerto Rico needs a sustained grid, while it moves on to a sustainable one.

FEMA defines recovery in terms that include “rebuilding damaged structures…,” “reducing vulnerability…,” and “preventing stress-related illness and excessive financial burdens…”

These recovery positions, however, stand in contrast with federal policies that look to force Puerto Rico to modernize its power generation at the same time as it has to stabilize it, and leaves initial financing to the island, until it can prove that it has spent the money in a way that is acceptable to the federal government.

How can Puerto Rico and the federal government arrive at a compromise on what sustainable recovery looks like, while also ensuring that the Puerto Rican people have the service they need in the immediate term?

An advanced, modern, sustainable power grid is important, but a power grid that allows Puerto Rico to continue its path towards recovery is just as important.

Since the summer of 2021, Puerto Rico’s power grid and power generation capacity failed

consistently, with power outages that have left over one million residents in the dark at certain times. The power outages continue, and explanations are scarce.

Throughout the island’s history, Puerto Rico’s government policies have been discussed in Washington, D.C. with the island’s leaders and residents on the sidelines, fighting to be heard while Washington insiders debate what Puerto Rico must do to recover. These conversations ignore Puerto Rico’s territorial status, its cultural complexities and its difficulties in moving policy agendas that are focused on national hotbutton issues and not necessarily with Puerto Rico’s best interests at heart.

In the past 18 months, the world

has seen a pandemic that has tested every country, every state, every city and every town on the planet.

Puerto Rico has also been hit by historically destructive hurricanes and earthquakes. Puerto Rico’s emergency management capabilities have been tested and tested again.

Along with the challenges that all these situations have presented, Puerto Rico has been faced with a failing electric grid. The current administration in Puerto Rico inherited a contract signed by the previous governor and the responsibility of working to set in motion a management agreement that has gotten off on the wrong foot.

Just this week, new leadership was appointed and has taken over Puerto Rico’s power authority, in hopes that

it will turn this ship around and work to improve a situation that has many Puerto Ricans constantly aggravated, worried and understandably impatient.

The most important step that this new leadership can take is to ensure that the electric grid on the island is restored to a strong reinforced state that allows the power authority to provide reliable energy and makes it feasible for the current or any other administrative service contractor to provide the grid with the necessary care, for the people of Puerto Rico to receive the service they deserve.

In the meantime, the shapers of policy and public opinion in Washington should look to the needs of the people of Puerto Rico, above all to policy changes they favor.

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/ Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Puerto Rican Surrealism Art Heading to New York, London ‘Surrealism Beyond Borders’ opens in Oct. at the MET and moves in Feb. to the Tate Modern Museum

E

Jorge Rodriguez

jrodriguez@elvocero.com

ver since José Correa Vigier decided to mount the exhibition “En el camino al Mirador Azul” at the Art Gallery of Sacred Heart University in 2014 when he was a student, following the guidelines of his thesis on surrealism in Puerto Rico, his commitment to this movement has been so thorough that the Metropolitan Museum of New York (MET) invited him to integrate his Puerto Rican studies on this art movement with their own.

“I received an invitation in August 2019 from the MET to present my research on surrealism in Puerto Rico and ‘Mirador Azul.’ The [work] began to take shape around what was going to be exhibited in New York. I gave them my research, photos, documents, catalogs, the selection of surrealist pieces on the island, and after a while they evaluated my research and decided to include it in the catalog of the ‘Surrealism Beyond Borders’ exhibition, which opens on Oct. 11 at the [MET], and in Feb. 2022 at the Tate Modern Museum in London,” he told THE WEEKLY JOURNAL. The exhibition is under the direction of Stephanie D’Alessandro, curator of Modern Art at the MET, and Matthew Gale, head of Exhibitions at the Tate Modern in London.

There was very little information about

“Barrio bohemio,” oil on canvas,1950, by Luis Maisonet Crespo

José Correa Vigier with Cossette Zeno’s work, “Steppin Out,” from 2009 >All photos are courtesy

surrealism in Puerto Rico. There was no bibliography and the paintings did not appear, either. For this reason, Correa decided to research the subject and assumed the responsibility to highlight artists committed to a new contemporaneity.

“My attention was drawn to the artistic activity that took place in San Juan with the arrival of Spanish exile Eugenio Fernández Granell in 1950 when he developed a surrealist and modernist school at the University of Puerto Rico and with the ‘Mirador Azul’ workshop off-campus. The subject of surrealism in Puerto Rico was practically a memory in the historiography of national art and had not been studied. However, Granell stands out as a traveling artist, who took the genius of surrealism to different places,” the researcher said.

“The theme dedicated to Puerto Rico in the Sacred Heart gallery caught D’Alessandro and Gale’s attention, so they decided to integrate it into the exhibition. We started working on my writing and it took a long time to write, edit and finish,” he said.

Puerto Rico will have a space in the international exhibition, which recognizes the importance of Puerto Rican surrealist artists and the artistic collective “El Mirador Azul.” Four Puerto Rican artists will exhibit their works together with Eugenio Fernández Granell, Luis Maisonet Crespo, Frances del Valle, Rafael Ferrer and Cossette Zeno.

Throughout this journey, Correa found other local surrealists, such as Roberto Alberti “El Boquio,” José María Lima, Myrna Espada, Juan Cossio, Nydiana Font, Gustavo López, Jorge “Lopito” López, Octavia “Tavin” Maldonado, Miguel Ángel Ríos, Julio Rosado Del Valle, Ernesto Ruiz de la Mata and Víctor Sánchez - candidates to study.

“The New York and London exhibitions will go beyond a surrealist-centric narrative created in

“Ciertas vagas criaturas” by Rafael Ferrer

“Los limones voladores” by Eugenio Fernández Granell

Paris, to shed light on the importance and legacy of international surrealism. In doing so, it will offer new perspectives on how surrealism was useful for the free expression of artists in various countries.

Puerto Rico will occupy an important place among the countries that are part of this exhibition such as Colombia, Iran, Egypt, Japan, Mexico, Romania, Syria, Thailand and Turkey,” Correa said.

14

Freshly roasted coffee, ready to be ground

/ Wednesday, October 6, 2021

The Rebirth of Puerto Rican Coffee Harvesting coffee at Hacienda Juanita

M Nahira Montcourt

nmontcourt@elvocero.com

ARICAO - Crossing the mountains between mist and a few rays of sun, a journey begins that since the beginning of our history has fought for its permanence: the harvest and picking of the precious bean known as coffee.

For years, Puerto Rico has positioned itself as one of the countries that has grown the best coffee, in addition to being one of the largest coffee producers in the Americas.

Four years after Hurricane Maria in Sept. 2017, Puerto Rico is now celebrating the first great coffee harvest since that destructive event. The number of local coffee farms numbers to more than 2,000 and many coffee plantations in the central mountain area have been renovated, showing the industry’s rebirth.

Hacienda Juanita is one of these coffee plantations, with 23 acres of land and 8,000 coffee trees. They are focused on specialty coffee whereby the harvesting, pulping, fermentation, drying and roasting processes are integrated.

“Actually, this is going to be the first harvest that we are doing that is 100 percent sustainable.

We have made our adjustments and currently, we have new fermentation techniques with which we think and hope to put Puerto Rico on the map,” said Jorge Contreras, owner of Hacienda Juanita.

“The labor force is very scarce and it is not very productive. Additionally, this is a kind of employee who requires a lot of supervision. Thank God, we have a small group of human capital who are the ones who really maintain the farm and give their 100 percent,” he added.

Several members of the hacienda’s team of pickers have dedicated their lives to coffee and agriculture. This is the case of Enrique Morales,

The drying process seeks to reduce the water in the coffee beans that have been previously washed and pulped. >All photos by Nahira Montcourt

Enrique Morales has been dedicated to the coffee industry and agriculture for more than eight years.

Coffee pulping is the first stage of the wet processing.

who in his more than eight years doing this work, has had the opportunity to work on several farms in Maricao. “Coffee is very important because it is what we drink every morning to recharge our spirits; we need more pickers,” he pointed out.

For his part, Manuel Vega Barrera, said that he has been picking coffee all his life. “Since I can remember, my parents and grandparents taught me to pick coffee beans. Here and there

I learned how to pick coffee. I like agriculture, I like the whole process, from picking (the beans), drying, grinding them and then — the best thing — drinking it,” he explained.

Hacienda Juanita, founded in 1834, is an agritourism company that combines learning about the coffee industry with tourism, through a hotel with 34 rooms, a restaurant and coffee shop.

They also offer nature appreciation tours.

15

>All photos are courtesy

/ Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Save the Date for the Latest Wine Dinner Series Event

Catalan flavors to be highlighted at the Condado Vanderbilt Hotel THE WEEKLY JOURNAL Staff

T

he Wine Dinner Series of the 1919 Restaurant at the Condado Vanderbilt Hotel is back and will be on Oct. 22. This regularly scheduled event, popular among those with sophisticated palates, will be inspired by the Spanish region of Catalonia.

For the occasion, Juan José Cuevas, executive chef at the Condado Vanderbilt, together with his kitchen team, designed an impeccable tasting menu featuring some of the most emblematic flavors of Catalan cuisine.

The gastronomic journey to Catalonia will begin with a selection of canapés paired with Torello, 225, Brut Nature, Corpinnat, Penedes, Spain, 2016.

The first course will be turbot with roasted local peppers, Iberian ham and “jus de piperada,” accompanied by Planets De Nin, Vi Blanc De Varietats Antigues, Priorat, Spain, 2019, followed by grilled lamb with caramelized aubergines, miso and yuzu paired with Planets De Nin, Garnatxes En Amfora, Priorat, Spain, 2019.

A first-class cut of venison accompanied by Bomba rice, sofrito, blood sausage and snails will be the third course, served in a pairing with the

following wines: vinos NIT De Nin, Porrera, Mas D’En Cacador, Priorat, Spain, 2018 and NIT De Nin Ortiz, Porrera, Coma D’En Romeu, Priorat, Spain, 2018.

The finishing touch of the gastronomic evening will be the fourth dish that will feature artisan cheese with tropical fruit jam and criollo bread flavored with bacon; and chocolate with olive oil and Maldon salt, with a glass of Torello, Gran Crisalys, Penedes, Spain, 2018.

The Catalan dinner includes food and wine at a cost of $259 per person, plus tips and taxes. Valet parking is included. For more details, call the 1919 Restaurant at 787-721-5500.

Remember that as part of the COVID-19 prevention measures in Puerto Rico, all guests must present upon arrival evidence of their vaccinations or a negative test for COVID-19, and must follow other requirements such as wearing masks indoors.

The 1919 Restaurant is open for dinner, Tuesdays through Saturdays, from 6 p.m. to 11

p.m. For reservations and additional information, you can also visit: www.1919restaurant.com and https://www.opentable.com/1919- restaurant.

The Condado Vanderbilt Hotel is located at 1055 Ashford Avenue, in the Condado area of San Juan.

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