The Weekly Journal - Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Despite all the preparations -or the lack of- prior to the passage of Hurricane Fiona through the southwestern region of Puerto Rico, the truth is that the atmospheric phenomenon caused intense rains that, in turn, caused temporary flooding such as had not been seen for a long time.

The rains created the conditions –runoff waters, storm surges– for major damages in areas that had never been

considered flood zones. Those floods in turn caused landslides, road blocking and destruction of infrastructure.

For structural engineer

Antonio J. Jiménez, both hurricanes Maria and Fiona presented a series of differences between each other, with a cardinal similarity: both affected more severely the central mountainous part of the island.

“This situation [Fiona] was different from Hurricane Maria, because there was flooding in areas that were not considered flood areas

>Photo: Nahira Montcourt

Weekly Journal

a week in review

The Soap Chef offerS ‘food for The Skin’

Puerto Rican businesswoman

Isabel González Pérez, best known as the Soap Chef, is reinventing her line of skin food products. Her soaps are all handmade in an artisan kitchen that makes a wide variety of gourmet products using local ingredients. Since opening in 2018, the creations of the Soap Chef have had great success locally and in the US. The Soap Chef presents a full menu of bar soaps, moisturizing lotions, scrubs, massage oils, candles and masks to moisturize the skin under the “Mother Earth Soaps by Isabel,” brand. All of the Chef’s products are made with the best natural and organic ingredients. Her products are designed for everyone and can be found at the Madre Tierra boutique, in Bayamón.

new Seabourn CruiSe arriveS To San Juan

The Port of San Juan welcomed the Seabourn Venture luxury expedition cruise, an exclusive liner that made its maiden voyage last July. The exclusive luxury cruise has room for 264 passengers and 132 crew members, offering one of the highest proportions of space per guest in the industry. Amenities such as excellent service, suite cabins, and expeditions off the beaten path distinguish the Seabourn line. The cruise liner arrived in San Juan from the port of St. Johns in Canada after spending six days at sea. “The visit of the Seabourn Venture is further proof of Puerto Rico’s potential as a luxury cruise destination in the Caribbean. The increase in arrivals of new cruises and the inclusion of all Puerto Rican ports in more itineraries of recognized cruise lines, will boost the development of the tourism industry and create more jobs in various commercial sectors of the island,” said Carlos Mercado Santiago, executive director of the Tourism Company.

ManufaCTuring exCellenCe awardS

CelebraTe 11 puerTo riCan CoMpanieS

As part of the annual celebration of Manufacturing Day, 11 Puerto Rican companies were honored during the “Manufacturing Excellence Awards” ceremony at the Salón Moneró of the Centro de Bellas Artes. Manufacturing Day is celebrated on the first Friday of October each year, and it aims to boost innovation, increase interest in manufacturing, and providing expertise in key areas of the industry, among other objectives. In Puerto Rico, the manufacturing industry includes 1,814 companies, which contribute 48% of gross income to the food sector and generate 84,400 direct jobs. Puerto Rico Manufacturing Extension (PRIMEX) was in charge of selecting and awarding the awards to the manufacturing companies Air Master Group (Barceloneta), Caribbean Produce (Cataño), Carla’s Sweet (Bayamón), Despieces La Ceba (Corozal), El-Com Systems (Caguas), Frenda Corporation (Trujillo Alto), Green Windows (Bayamón), MS Produce LLC (Guánica), Print 1 (Las Piedras), Universal Solar Products (San Juan/Toa Baja), WAWI (Trujillo Alto).

Powered

Ponce de León 2nd floor

before… In both cases there were a considerable number of landslides, but Fiona brought an extraordinary amount of rain,” said Jiménez, while characterizing the record breaking rain as “an act of God.”

“It wasn’t whether we were prepared or not for this event, but that our designs did not consider that kind of event,” admitted a very surprised engineer. “Therefore, Puerto Rico’s infrastructure, despite being already compromised due to the lack of coordination and maintenance, was not prepared for that kind of event,” Jiménez argued.

In fact,

A Property Maintenance Code must be enacted to require specific “upgrades” to existing buildings and infrastructure.

The president of the Puerto Rico College of Engineers and Surveyors (CIAPR, for its Spanish acronym), Faustino González, anticipated on his part, that the organization will be recommending flooding area maps be updated, along with new construction codes, to better suit them for the effects of hurricanes and other atmospheric phenomena, which are becoming more frequent and devastating due to the effects of climate change.

Asked if the island is prepared for the worst case scenario known to Puerto Ricans, Jiménez said: “absolutely not.”

“Taking into consideration current construction costs, our construction codes require that we design and build for once in 100-year rains. But, current atmospheric events are increasing in both frequency and intensity, and winds and rain, due to climate change,” explained Jiménez. “We need to start revising our designs in terms of rain

recurrence and intensity, and possibly increase storm runoff [rates].”

Runoff water, or storm runoff, is rain that flows over surfaces (roofs, gutters, streets, the ground…) and could cause erosion or infiltration, which in turn may cause landslides depending how deep the water infiltrates into the ground, particularly on slopes.

In the case of urban areas, “urban flooding is the inundation of land or property in a built environment, particularly in more densely populated areas, caused by rainfall overwhelming the capacity of drainage systems.” Urban flooding is a condition, characterized by its “repetitive and systemic impacts on communities that can happen regardless of whether or not affected communities are located within designated floodplains or near any body of water.”

Infrastructure already built

Jiménez pointed out that, in the case of infrastructure already built, is not that it was originally built in the wrong place. “It could be that the development that occurred around said infrastructure –roads, schools, hospitals, government buildings– had affected the scope of the original design,” he argued.

Questioned about the future development

Antonio Jiménez, Structural Engineer

Puerto Rico’s infrastructure, despite being already compromised due to the lack of coordination and maintenance, was not prepared for that kind of event.

elements that need to be considered when designing and building public infrastructure, Jiménez did admit “the country is failing a lot in the planning processes.”

The structural engineer recalled that a plan to revise the island’s road infrastructure was designed after Hurricane Maria. “Part of the infrastructure has already been revised, and after Fiona it will have to be revised again.”

According to Jiménez, the CIAPR has already recommended a Property Maintenance Code be enacted to require specific “upgrades” to existing buildings and infrastructure to promote compliance with sustainability, energy efficiency and disaster resistance, without consideration to any grandfather clause. “Of course there would be updates that cannot be done because of excessive cost –the widening of a staircase, for example,” he said, while emphasizing there are still many improvements that can be done, like shoring up load bearing walls, or expanding storm drainage systems. A new construction code, including the updated requirements will apply to new construction projects.

At Greater Risk

According to Jiménez and engineer Hanna Rodríguez, chairperson of the CIAPR’s Disasters Commission, the island’s critical infrastructure include that dedicated to power generation, water purification, and transportation.

“These infrastructure have been recurrently identified as being at greater risk as a consequence of a natural disaster, particularly if they are located in coastal areas,” said Rodríguez, who recalled that in the past the effects of storm surges have impacted said infrastructure.

Jiménez, on his part recognized that the degree of damage would depend on the type of event affecting the island (hurricane, tsunami, earthquake…).

For the structural engineer any mitigation plan starts with a strong and consistent maintenance plan that would minimize the effects of any possible natural disaster.

“We are an island with great [geographical and topographical] diversity and high risk levels. We must design a multi-risk plan based on a thorough analysis of those risks in order to be able to identify our infrastructure priorities,” Rodríguez suggested.

Building For Disaster Resistance

For her, “many things have been happening all at once,” so plans must be adjusted.

To the consequences of recent natural disasters, Rodríguez added those stemming from the increasing number of “no impact” Environmental Impact Statements under “categorical exclusions.”

The engineer fell short of saying there was an increment in the number of exclusions requested and approved, but pointed out “many problems have come to light due to that kind of [environmental] statement.”

Antonio Jiménez, Structural Engineer

“It is not that we have now more categorical exclusions than in the 90s. I don’t have that data. But, unfortunately several cases have come up in which we have to be sure we are getting the services we require from professionals that make ethical evaluations of the projects being developed,” Rodríguez said. “When we continue to see professionals putting their licensing at risk by certifying projects as categorical exclusions, we need to be more proactive in educating on the ethical decision making process.”

“Building around high risk areas should be prohibited, and waste and debris need to be better managed,” said Rodríguez, who also anticipated the CIAPR will be presenting a series of recommendations to the administration with the necessary changes to avoid construction in flood zones and promote damage mitigation to existing infrastructure.

Rodríguez also emphasized the community is not exempt from complying with construction regulation. “From the community’s perspective, we must also recognize our limits and our responsibility as citizens and avoid illegal construction.”

Josian E. Bruno Gómez

Journal

We need to start revising our designs in terms of rain recurrence and intensity, and possibly increase storm runoff [rates].

Urban flooding can happen regardless of whether or not affected communities are located within designated floodplains or near any body of water.

In fact,

ExxonMobil enters the Puerto Rican market

The agreement converted Shell stations to Mobil

Madison Choudhry, Special to The Weekly Journal

Sol Puerto Rico Limited (Sol), which until recently operated a network of 177 Shell-branded gasoline stations around the island, formalized a licensing agreement with ExxonMobil to convert its Shell stations into the Mobil brand.

The agreement with ExxonMobil consists of the distribution of Mobil brand fuel products in Sol’s service station network. After an extensive process of evaluating alternatives, Sol decided not to renew the agreement to continue using the Shell brand for Sol’s service station network in Puerto Rico earlier this year, company officials explained.

Mobil-branded service stations will offer consumers fuels with Synergy™, Mobil Synergy Extra™ and Mobil Synergy Supreme+™ technology.

“Our commitment is to present the most relevant value propositions to our clients and consumers, through the highest quality products, services and facilities. We’re convinced that we have made the best alliance to achieve this,” said Mayra Blancovich, manager of Fuel Category and Programs at El Grupo Sol.

Mobil Synergy Supreme+™ fuel is the most advanced product of the line, which is prompted as, “offering the consumer Better Mileage and Better Performance, meeting the needs and preference of the local driver.”

consumers an innovative design with superior lighting and the confidence to offer fuels with Mobil’s unique and exclusive formula at each Mobil-branded station.

On September 1st. the Sol company reported that “in a 2-week period we have already completed 15 stations under the Mobil brand and are making rapid progress to completely transform our network of 177 stations over a 3-month period.”

In fact,

With the current state of Puerto Rico after Hurricane Fiona it is estimated that the re-branding of Mobil gasoline stations will be completed by year’s end.

Pierre Magnan, President of El Grupo Sol, explained that “this launch reaffirms our commitment to provide the best value proposition, with the highest quality fuels and services, at a competitive price. The arrival of Mobil is being led by the extraordinary Sol team and supported by our alliance with ExxonMobil.”

Magnan also announced an estimated $22.5 million investment in Puerto Rico for the product quality assurance program, infrastructure and brand transformation, geared at offering

With the current state of Puerto Rico after Hurricane Fiona it is estimated that the re-branding of Mobil gasoline stations will be completed by year’s end.

“We’re convinced that this important relationship with ExxonMobil, our corporate culture and commitment to the highest operational and safety standards, our strategic and proven marketing management, together with our retailers, will position Mobil as the leading fuel brand in Puerto Rico,” said Nanette Pagán-Soto, Communications and External Affairs manager at El Grupo Sol.

“Our goal is to offer Mobil brand high-quality fuels throughout the Island so that all of Puerto Rico may benefit,” Pagán explained.

“We’re excited that our experienced, passionate and dedicated team at Sol, with extensive

We look forward to positioning the Mobil brand as the leading brand and increase our network of Mobil-branded stations.

Nanette Pagán-Soto, communications manager at El Grupo Sol

experience in the market, will lead this powerful value proposition for our retailers and consumers,” stated Pagán. “We look forward to positioning the Mobil brand as the leading brand and increase our network of Mobil-branded stations to more than 200 in the next two years.”

“The change will be supported by a robust advertising, promotion and public relations campaign through an effective and abundant multi-channel investment,” Blancovich said.

“The campaign began with an anticipatory phase to generate an understanding of the products before the arrival of the Mobil brand to Puerto Rico. The second phase includes a technical presentation for retailers on the fuel’s quality and the plans to introduce the Mobil brand, and its high-quality products to consumers. An integrated communications and marketing plan will support the retailers’ network across the island and give visibility to each station.

In fact,

Retailers don’t expect big sales for the holidays

Smaller budgets translate to less sales volume

Zoe Landi Fontana, The Weekly Journal

There’s no way to escape retailers’ early onslaught of holiday cheer, but shallower pockets may mean trouble as inflation continues to negatively impact businesses.

Due to financial worries, shoppers will be thinking twice before making purchases.

This year, shoppers’ budgets may be smaller as a result of having to budget extra for everyday essentials due to inflation. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’s most recent report, the food index increased 11.4% over the last year, representing the largest 12-month increase since May 1979.

A Jungle Scout Consumer Trends Survey reported that 84% of respondents indicated that inflation has affected their spending, with over another half reporting unstable household income. With everyday goods and groceries taking an ever-increasing portion of household budgets, businesses should plan for selling less inventory in the last quarter of the year, albeit earlier than usual.

Spending Behaviors

To stretch holiday budgets, some people are hitting the shops earlier to start holiday shopping.

Creatopy, an ad creation platform, found that 29% of people plan to shop a month early and 20% plan on starting two months earlier.

For retailers in Puerto Rico, who are still experiencing the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the situation got even more complicated with the passage of Hurricane Fiona.

“Expectations for the Christmas season are not of economic bonanza, like in the past, even more so when we consider the spiraling inflation,” said Lourdes M. Aponte, president of the Puerto Rico United Retailers Center (CUD, for its Spanish acronym).

To the situations affecting retailers throughout the island–lack of power, lost inventory due to flooding…– Aponte highlighted the fact that consumers’ behavior and priorities, have changed. She admitted that an increasing number of consumers opt nowadays to do their shopping online.

“We have to consider the generational shift. People prefer now the convenience and speed of online shopping. That is one of the challenges affecting retailers today,” Aponte said. “We’ll have to see how this situation [the hurricane’s aftermath] develops from here to December. But I can anticipate sales will be the same as last year’s.”

People are adapting their spending habits to reduce the cost of their purchases. This year’s holiday shopper has a smaller budget and is less loyal to brands. Bankrate, a consumer financial service company, reported that shoppers will opt for coupons, discounts and sales, buy less, or opt for cheaper brands to save money.

Thrifting is another way to save. It’s a more

economical and sustainable way to shop, most popular amongst Gen Z and millennial consumers. A survey by Jungle Scout Consumer Trends showed that, of the survey’s 1,000 participants, 25% plan on purchasing a used item to give as a gift. The trend, which started prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, continues to increase in popularity.

Predictions For Holiday Sales

As a result of the economy’s slow down, holiday sales are expected to experience little growth this year. Deloitte predicts holiday sales in the U.S. will total $1.45 to $1.47 trillion from November to January –a 4% to 6% increase from last year–although inflation will raise dollar sales while retail sales see little increase in volume.

“As inflation weighs on consumer demand, we can expect consumers to continue to shift how they spend their holiday budget this upcoming season,” said Nick Handrinos, vice chair, Deloitte LLP, and US retail, wholesale and distribution and consumer products leader.

Online sales will grow as shoppers search for better deals to stretch their dollar further. Deloitte predicts e-commerce sales to grow by 12.8% to 14.3% year-over-year this holiday season.

“Retail sales are set to increase as a result of higher prices, and this dynamic has the potential to further drive e-commerce sales as consumers look for online deals to maximize their spending. Retailers across channels who remain aligned with consumer demand and offer convenient and affordable options can be well positioned for success this season,” explained Handrinos in a press release.

Holiday shoppers will opt for coupons, discounts and sales, buy less, or opt for cheaper brands to save money.

Puerto Rico is ready for tourists to return after hurricane Fiona

The island experienced a relatively quick rebound

Madison Choudhry, Special for The Weekly Journal

Hurricane Fiona, a Category 1 storm, hit Puerto Rico on Sept. 18 causing a domino effect of disruptions to the island. However, three weeks after the hurricane hit Puerto Rico the island is once again welcoming visitors.

Tourism entities, such the island’s destination management organization (DMO) Discover Puerto Rico, are standing in solidarity with those who were affected by the storm while simultaneously letting know the public that Hurricane Fiona was “a setback for us, but not a reset.”

Speaking on the lasting effects due to Hurricane Fiona, Discover Puerto Rico’s CEO Brad Dean stressed any conversation about tourism is secondary to a discussion about the human impact of Hurricane Fiona. However, Dean is anticipating a relatively quick rebound compared to Hurricane Maria, a category 5 hurricane which caused the longest blackout in U.S history.

“From the visitors’ standpoint, Puerto Rico’s beaches, restaurants, attractions and accommodations are ready to welcome all,” Dean said. “We are excited by the quick pace of this recovery.”

From January through July of this year, Puerto Rico’s visitor numbers were outpacing the first

halves of 2019 and 2021. Visitors were staying longer and spending more, according to Dean. The island was tracking toward a record year of tourism activity until Fiona.

Dean’s belief that Puerto Rico is “truly ready to welcome tourists back,” stems from the fact that a majority of tourists arrive and branch out from the San Juan metropolitan area on their trips.

“If you’re arriving into the San Juan metro area, you won’t even realize that we had a natural disaster weather event in the last few weeks.”

“There was a temporary disruption in San Juan from the hurricane, but less than 24 hours later the Luis Munoz Marin Airport reopened, followed by the airport in Ponce and the cruise ports the following day,” Dean explained.

Discover Puerto Rico reported they commissioned a series of studies measuring the travel intent and the perception left by Hurricane Fiona on tourist. The results indicated that future bookings in short-term rentals decreased during the first week after the hurricane compared to the week before. However, by the second week, they had rebounded and were above the levels before Hurricane Fiona.

The studies showed the week before and after the storm, bookings on short-term rentals fell by 2%. However, the second week after the hurricane they reached 11% above the pre-hurricane levels. The result also showed that future hotel bookings did not fall at all, but in fact increased during the

week following Hurricane Fiona.

José Suárez, chairman of Discover Puerto Rico’s board of directors stated, “While we recognize that many communities continue to face difficulties brought on by Hurricane Fiona, our island has come a long way in the recovery process. We believe it should be a priority to protect the 90,300 jobs generated by the tourism industry in Puerto Rico, which is dependent on us receiving a high level of visitors.”

A survey conducted by Destination Analysts shows promising outcome to the tourism industry. It indicates that after the hurricane, 65% of potential travelers still perceived Puerto Rico as a potential destination. This percentage is lower than what was recorded in March of this year (76%) but higher than the 58% recorded in April of 2021, which is the year the industry broke records in lodging income and room tax revenues.

“We trust that our Puerto Rican spirit, which we are all proud of and always celebrate, will continue to open the path toward normality and stability,” Dean explained. “It is up to agencies such as Discover Puerto Rico to redouble our efforts to boost tourism and retain the place we have earned among travelers.”

Speaking to individual hoping to help in efforts to assist Puerto Rico after Hurricane Fiona Dean stressed, “There’s no better way to help the people in Puerto Rico than to schedule or continue a vacation.”

Tourists disembarking at the tourism pier in San Juan. >Josian E. Bruno Gómez / The Weekly Journal

Future hotel bookings did not fall at all, but in fact increased during the week following Hurricane Fiona.

In fact,

Another month of solid U.S. hiring suggests more big Fed hikes

Job growth was likely too robust to satisfy inflation fighters

Paul Wiseman – The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — America’s employers slowed their hiring in September but still added 263,000 jobs, a solid figure that will likely keep the Federal Reserve on pace to keep raising interest rates aggressively to fight persistently high inflation.

Friday’s government report showed that hiring fell from 315,000 in August to the weakest monthly gain since April 2021. The unemployment rate dropped from 3.7% to 3.5%, matching a half-century low.

The Fed is hoping that a slower pace of hiring would eventually mean less pressure on employers to raise pay and pass those costs on to their customers through price increases — a recipe for high inflation. But September’s job growth was likely too robust to satisfy the central bank’s inflation fighters.

Last month, hourly wages rose 5% from a year earlier, the slowest year-over-year pace since December but still hotter than the Fed would want. The proportion of Americans who either have a job or are looking for one slipped slightly, a disappointment for those hoping that more people would enter the labor force and help ease worker shortages and upward pressure on wages.

The jobs report “was still likely too strong to allow (Fed) policymakers much breathing room,” said Matt Peron, director of research at Janus Henderson Investors.

political consequences as President Joe Biden’s Democratic Party struggles to maintain control of Congress in November’s midterm elections.

In its epic battle to rein in inflation, the Fed has raised its benchmark interest rate five times this year. It is aiming to slow economic growth enough to reduce annual price increases back toward its 2% target.

It has a long way to go. In August, one key measure of year-over-year inflation, the consumer price index, amounted to 8.3%. And for now, consumer spending — the primary driver of the U.S. economy — is showing resilience. In August, consumers spent a bit more than in July, a sign that the economy was holding up despite rising borrowing rates, violent swings in the stock market and inflated prices for food, rent and other essentials.

For now, consumer spending — the primary driver of the U.S. economy — is showing resilience. In August, consumers spent a bit more than in July.

Likewise, Rubeela Farooqi, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics, said she didn’t think September’s softer jobs and wage numbers would stop the Fed from raising its benchmark short-term rate in November by an unusually large threequarters of a point for a fourth consecutive time — and by an additional half-point in December.

The public anxiety that has arisen over high prices and the prospect of a recession is also carrying

Fed Chair Jerome Powell has warned bluntly that the inflation fight will “bring some pain,” notably in the form of layoffs and higher unemployment. Some economists remain hopeful that despite the persistent inflation pressures, the Fed will still manage to achieve a socalled soft landing: Slowing growth enough to tame inflation, without going so far as to tip the economy into recession.

It’s a notoriously difficult task. And the Fed is trying to accomplish it at a perilous time. The global economy, weakened by food shortages and

surging energy prices resulting from Russia’s war against Ukraine, may be on the brink of recession. Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, warned Thursday that the IMF is downgrading its estimates for world economic growth by $4 trillion through 2026 and that “things are more likely to get worse before it gets better.’’

Powell and his colleagues on the Fed’s policymaking committee want to see signs that the abundance of available jobs — there’s currently an average of 1.7 openings for every unemployed American — will steadily decline. Some encouraging news came this week, when the Labor Department reported that job openings fell by 1.1 million in August to 10.1 million, the fewest since June 2021.

“The U.S. labor market continues to decelerate, but there are no signs that it’s stalling out,’’ said Nick Bunker, head of economic research at the Indeed Hiring Lab. “Payroll growth is no longer at the jet speed we saw last year, but employment is still growing quickly.”

In fact,

Payroll growth is no longer at the jet speed we saw last year, but employment is still growing quickly.

Nick Bunker, researcher Indeed Hiring Lab

Kenneth Davison McClintock

Secretary of State of Puerto Rico

Kenneth Davison McClintock

22nd Secretary of State of Puerto Rico

King Charles’ role saving the planet

The Right to Life

Today I choose to write this op-ed, not as a former official of the government of Puerto Rico but as a native of London, England, and I address my words, not to the Puerto Rico Weekly Journal’s Puerto Rico-based readership but to His Majesty, King Charles III.

“T

It is a long-standing monarchical tradition that the King or Queen, in his mother’s case, refrain from expressing their views on political issues, respecting the role of their Prime Ministers as the head of government under their reign.

he Right to Life” is a phrase used in the national discourse only in the context of the beginning of life when discussing women’s right to choose or the end of life and euthanasia. However, at least once a person is born, he or she has an enduring right of survival throughout life. In designing several important federal programs since as far back as the nineteenth century, the Federal government has sought to help Americans prolong their lives.

There are also very rare and distinct exceptions to that rule, especially when the survival of the Monarchy or the nation is at stake.

During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln saw the need to create a system, now known as the Department of Veteran Affairs, to provide those who fought in America’s wars with medical services that would help them live and receive medical services. Few nations provide those who have served the level of health services as America.

For example, as much as the King’s mother loved her only sister, Princess Margaret, the Queen did not allow her to marry the man that she loved, her position giving continuance of the treatment her uncle, former King Edward, received years before regarding his relationship with Wallis Simpson. She assumed positions on what was, ultimately, a political issue, in order to protect the stability of the institution of the Monarchy.

During the Depression, as part of the New Deal, the federal government saw the need to help Americans who could not afford basic health services, and began to provide some assistance.

In the 1960s, President Lyndon Johnson spearheaded efforts to create Medicare for the elderly and the disabled and Medicaid for the medically indigent.

Unfortunately, federally subsidized medical assistance has not been made available to all Americans in a non-discriminatory fashion.

As for veterans, VA facilities are doled out, not strictly on the basis of need, but as a result of patronage or political influence. Partisan politics and seniority in Congress is factored in when it is determined where a new VA hospital or clinic will be located. In that case, a state-like jurisdiction that should have two voting senators and two voting representatives but doesn’t, ends up getting the short end of the stick.

The Prince of Wales should then attend, so that it is not interpreted that Great Britain is not dialing back its support of the United Kingdom’s commitment to Net Zero.

the federal treasury would be over $4 billion, and the federal share would be 83%.

While those benefits are automatic in a state, Puerto Rico’s non-voting representative Jenniffer González, Governor Pedro Pierluisi, and their predecessors for generations, have to devote a lot of time and lobbying efforts to plead with Congress and every President from LBJ on to seek the equality that would guarantee residents of Puerto Rico the “right to life” that is automatic on the mainland.

Likewise, the King’s grandfather, King George VI, strongly supported the Allies, of which Great Britain was an important part, throughout World War II, from 1939 to 1945, to a much greater extent than his predecessor, King Edward, would have. In doing so, he did so furthering the survival of the nation.

Regarding Medicare, that same state-like jurisdiction lacking voting representation in the national legislature as well as in the Electoral College that elects that jurisdiction’s president and vice president, Congress has built in mechanisms to extend Medicare services almost equally, but almost. When I turned 65 last month, I qualified for the Medicare coverage that I’d been paying premiums for 47 years. However, if I didn’t ask particularly for “Part B”, one of the most important benefits, I wouldn’t get it. Anywhere else in the nation I would get that benefit automatically. That discriminatory rule---“opt in” if in Puerto Rico, “opt out” if anywhere else--- was devised for Medicare to be less expensive for the federal government in Puerto Rico, only in Puerto Rico.

Concerning Medicaid, the program to provide

Since the 1960’s, King Charles III, in his previous role as Prince of Wales, has been Great Britain’s most prominent figure in the global debate regarding climate change. Now, having succeeded his mother, climate change has become the most important issue in the world and the survival of the planet depends on the aggressiveness that the principal nations, Great Britain included, address it. It is as controversial as allowing royals to marry divorcees was six decades ago, and as political as who you side with during a global war eight decades ago, but what is at stake today is as life-

threatening as a world war.

As Congress struggles to legislate and keep America fiscally stable past Friday, February 18, Puerto Ricans on the mainland as well as their representatives in Congress should make sure in the next few days to include language that will protect the Right to Life in Puerto Rico, providing equal benefits under Medicare and Medicaid to its citizens in our territory.

While the King should ratchet down his public expressions on the political aspects of climate change in keeping with his new role as the Monarch, he should not relinquish Great Britain’s nor his personal global leadership role on this worldwide struggle, just as his grandfather, King George VI did not relinquish his during World War II.

services to all the medically indigent throughout America, the cost in Puerto Rico is statutorily capped at less than $400 million and the federal share is limited to 55% of the total cost, requiring America’s poorest jurisdiction to cover 45% of the cost. In a state with demographics similar to the nation’s most populated territory, the total cost to

Climate change is one of those rare planetthreatening issues in which the Monarch cannot and should not keep entirely quiet. While it would be preferable that he attend the COP27 summit in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, should the Conservative government of Liz Truss insist on his absence, the Prince of Wales should then attend, so that it is not interpreted that Great Britain is not dialing back its support of the United Kingdom’s commitment to Net Zero. If at least the Prince of Wales attends, it would be much more difficult for the Prime

Minister to forgo attending.

There are many reasons why an absolute majority of Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico want statehood. According to multiple polls, over 75% of Puerto Ricans in Florida, over 60% of Puerto Ricans in New York and probably an absolute majority of the two thirds of America’s Puerto Ricans who have chosen to live in the states and not in discriminated Puerto Rico, also want statehood for the territory. However, because of the discrimination in extending federally financed health services to the island, it is also a life or death issue, a denial of the Right to Life.

Months ago, last November, Charles stood in as Prince of Wales for his then ailing mother in hosting the COP26 world summit in Glasgow, Scotland, accompanied by the then Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, William and Kate. A year later, the UK has to send a very high-level delegation to demonstrate that it remains a committed leader in combating climate change in, as he said then, a “war-like footing” that will “take trillions, not billions, of dollars” to resolve.

As Congress struggles to legislate and keep America fiscally stable past Friday, February 18, Puerto Ricans on the mainland as well as their representatives in Congress should make sure in the next few days to include language that will protect the Right to Life in Puerto Rico, providing equal benefits under Medicare and Medicaid to its citizens in our territory. That should be our urgent agenda for the next week, seeking the full extension of The Right to Life in Puerto Rico through equality and statehood.

Here in Puerto Rico, rather than looking at that issue from afar, we should focus on what steps we can take to shrink our own carbon footprint, making sure that our own statutorily-mandated renewable energy mandates are kept, the nearest deadline of which is a realistically-achievable 40 percent by 2025. It can be achieved if we, ironically and somewhat inappropriately, “step on the gas pedal” now.

King Charles III. >AP Photo/Martin Meissner, Pool, File

It's your moment to shine.

Cookbook looks back at dynamic Popeyes founder and his food

The book tries to capture the “real life and times of Al Copeland”

Chevel Johnson – The Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana is known for delivering food with big, bold flavor. The same can be said for the founder of the Popeyes fried chicken empire, who put spicy chicken, red beans and dirty rice on the national map and whose story is outlined in a new book, “Secrets of a Tastemaker: Al Copeland, The Cookbook.”

Copeland’s son Al Copeland Jr. said he and authors Chris Rose and Kit Wohl tried to capture the “real life and times of Al Copeland” in the book released last month.

The elder Copeland, who died in 2008, made his mark in business with his restaurants, but was also known for philanthropic endeavors — including “Secret Santa” missions to thousands of children in metro New Orleans and the extravagant Christmas light display at his home. For a time, he even had a successful offshore powerboat racing career.

those associated with Popeyes, his son said. Readers can get a glimpse, he said, into the kind of food Al Copeland used in Copeland’s, the casual dining restaurant chain venture he started in 1983.

The book includes dishes served at the Copeland family table, including corn and crab bisque, crawfish bread, ricochet catfish, crawfish eggplant au gratin, and pork tenderloin CP3, named for then-New Orleans Hornets star guard Chris Paul.

“What runs throughout the book... is the story of the American dream,” Copeland Jr. said. “This book is about a guy who didn’t have much of anything, not much of an education and he was living in a world that wouldn’t give him much of a shot.”

In fact,

By 1989, there were 700 Popeyes franchises in the United States and abroad, and Copeland leveraged those assets to buy the Church’s Fried Chicken chain. That move gave him control over 2,000 chicken restaurants. But the success was short-lived: A little more than two years later, the merged company had amassed more than $400 million in debt and, in 1991, Copeland filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for Al Copeland Enterprises.

“Some people thought he was flashy and flamboyant, and he was,” his son said in an interview with The Associated Press. “But what they didn’t know was that everything that was his was yours — whether that was a Lamborghini or just welcoming you into his home. He was very much a man who enjoyed seeing people happy.”

Copeland built — and eventually lost — the Popeyes fried chicken empire. His first restaurant opened 50 years ago, in 1972, in the New Orleans suburb of Arabi. The “Love That Chicken” jingle, still used in commercials today, debuted in 1980.

The book recounts Copeland’s boldness in cooking, and includes recipes — though not

In May 1992, the bankruptcy court awarded Copeland’s creditors total control of his chicken empire under a new name, America’s Favorite Chicken Company. Copeland did retain ownership of the Popeyes recipes and the manufacturing company that made the seasonings, according to the book.

“Although he was not operating Popeyes, the company could not operate — not even exist — without him,” the book reads. “That ruling reinforced Al’s longtime belief that he should always have a back door, an alternative plan for change.”

In 2017, Restaurant Brands International Inc. acquired Popeyes.

Liz Williams, founder of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans, said Copeland was known for being bold, in thought and business.

Some people thought he was flashy and flamboyant, and he was. But what they didn’t know was that everything that was his was yours…

Al Copeland Jr., restaurateur’s son

“He has done almost more than any other chef to get the city’s most authentic flavors to people everywhere,” she said. “I think of him as an ambassador for New Orleans ... because wherever there’s a Popeyes, then you have the chance to get a piece of New Orleans.”

The September book launch helped mark the 50th anniversary of Popeyes. Copeland Jr. said the fried chicken franchise was founded when he was 9 years old so he’s had a “chance to experience the whole ride from the poorer times to the exciting times.”

“This project is bringing back a lifetime of memories and it’s a way for my father’s legacy to live on,” he said.

Popeyes founder Al Copeland holds a piece of his fried chicken outside one of his 34 fast food outlets in New Orleans on June 20, 1979. >AP Photo, File

The book includes dishes served at the Copeland family table, including corn and crab bisque, crawfish bread, ricochet catfish, among others.

Oldest public library in the Americas has Catholic origins

The library owes its existence to a Catholic bishop

María Teresa Hernández – The Associated Press

PUEBLA, Mexico — It is, according to UNESCO, the oldest public library in the Americas, tucked away from the street front at a cultural center in the historic heart of this Mexican city. Those who enter the Palafoxiana Library for the first time — seeing the high, vaulted ceiling and gold-framed painting of the Virgin Mary — might think they’ve arrived at a chapel.

Indeed, the library owes its existence to one of Puebla’s early Catholic bishops, Juan de Palafox y Mendoza, who in 1646 donated his private library of 5,000 volumes to a local religious college — with the hope that anyone who knew how to read would have access to them.

In 1773, more than a century after Palafox’s death, the bishop of that era ordered the construction of a majestic library to house the collection. The walls were fitted with two tiers of wooden bookshelves; a third tier was added in the 19th century as donations flowed in from religious leaders and laypeople. There are now more than 45,000 volumes and manuscripts.

The books are organized according to principles of scholastic philosophy which held that the foundation of all knowledge is God and reason is subordinate to faith.

On the first floor, there are more than 11,000 Bibles, religious documents and theological texts. The second level is dedicated to the relationship between God and people — chronicles of religious orders and the lives of saints — and the third contains books on physics, mathematics, botany, language, architecture, even carpentry.

volumes by Galen and Vesalius, who are renowned for their contributions to the study of medicine.

In fact,

Inside the library there are no explanatory texts that reveal the enigmas of the Palafoxiana to its visitors, but at the entrance there are always volunteer guides who recount its history to whoever is interested. Fernández del Campo said access to the materials is often prioritized for researchers who show a clear justification for their request.

Among the library’s greatest treasures are volumes by Galen and Vesalius, who are renowned for their contributions to the study of medicine.

In effect, the overall collection navigates between two worlds — the word of God coexisting with the contributions of humankind.

“Everything that was imagined at that time is in the library,” said Juan Fernández del Campo, the library’s current manager.

Among the library’s greatest treasures are nine incunabula — books made between 1450 and 1500 with Gutenberg’s first printing techniques — and

Palafox’s passion for books is evident in a quote from him, written on a mosaic outside the library.

“He who finds himself without books finds himself in solitude without consolation,” it says.

Yet Fernández del Campo, from an office hidden behind the altar of the Virgin out of the eye of tourists, said those words from the bishop should interpreted within the context of his time.

“If you read what Palafox said and look back in the history of Mexico, you say: Wait a minute, no. This was not the time for Mexico to raise its wings toward freedom of thought,” the library manager said.

Indeed, the historical record suggests Palafox sought to assert the authority of Spain’s king and

the Catholic Church hierarchy, putting him at odds with religious orders such as the Jesuits who questioned the royal authority.

Amid that friction, Palafox was transferred to Spain in 1653. The Jesuits were expelled from the Spanish Empire a century later; many of their books were added to the Palafox collection when the order abandoned Puebla.

According to the World Monuments Fund, the added weight of the books stored on the library’s third tier made the bookshelves more susceptible to damage when earthquakes struck Puebla in 1999.

Following the quakes, the fund participated in an extensive restoration project. Cracks in the walls and vaults were repaired and the bookcases were restructured.

The library reopened in 2002; two years later it was added by UNESCO to its Memory of the World Register.

The interior of Palafoxiana library, the oldest public library in the Americas, in Puebla, Mexico.

>AP Photo/ Pablo Spencer

Everything that was imagined at that time is in the library.

Juan Fernández del Campo, library manager

Affordable Art Isn’t What It Sounds Like

Puerto Rican contemporary artist exhibits works at the

Zoe Landi Fontana, The Weekly Journal

The Affordable Art Fair (AAF) recently took place in New York City. Launched in 1999, the AAF has been visited by over 1.2 million people and over $275 million worth of art has been sold during the fair. The fair also takes place in Amsterdam, Bristol, Hong Kong, London, Milan, and beyond.

This year, over 300 diverse works of contemporary art were exhibited by more than 70 national and international exhibitors. Pieces ranged in price from $100 to $10,000, however it isn’t their sticker price that makes them affordable.

Du Champs”, a group of artists who traveled through Europe drawing and painting.

In New York, Santiago presented his collection “The Naked Eye: Evidence of the Matter by Transmuting the Form” at the AAF. The Naked Eye is a series of pieces that encourage the viewer to appreciate the ‘network of labyrinthine forms that are proposed as visual phenomena,’ as the artist describes it. Although not immediately informed by his upbringing in Puerto Rico, the artist’s home still finds its way into his work.

“My upbringing and experiences in Puerto Rico are present in each work of art I create. The island’s topography, culture, and colors infuse my creative process.

In fact,

Santiago joined “Les Rats Du Champs”, a group of artists who traveled through Europe drawing and painting.

“The concept of ‘affordable’ goes beyond price. When it comes to art, I feel that ‘affordable’ is tantamount to accessibility and the democratization of the enjoyment of art. Art, and culture for that matter, are not specific to a group. It [art] is meant to be appreciated by any and all, and the idea of affordability enables this experience,” said Carlos Santiago, a participating artist at the AAF.

Santiago was born in Peñuelas in 1978 and graduated from the Puerto Rico School of Plastic Arts in 2001. He was able to studied in Paris for a year through a scholarship awarded by the school. Later, Santiago joined “Les Rats

I also feel that my art has a poetic narrative that is universal. All the artists that are creating in Puerto Rico are in the affordable art market, which keeps on developing,” Santiago recounted in an interview with THE WEEKLY JOURNAL.

Affordable art isn’t a new concept for those from, or familiar with, Puerto Rico. “Our familiarity with affordable art, as a market, is rooted in our broad access to and enjoyment of cultural experiences, including the many festivals we celebrate on the island that help bring cinema, theater, art, and music to the masses,” described the artist.

The AAF is an opportunity for artists to share their work and network. “This event helps open the door of the art world to new audiences that otherwise wouldn’t have access. It also is an ideal platform for emerging and established artists to showcase their work and interact with a different audience and gain new perspectives,” Santiago said of the AAF.

The concept of ‘affordable’ goes beyond price. When it comes to art, I feel that ‘affordable’ is tantamount to accessibility and the democratization of the enjoyment of art.

Carlos Santiago, artist

New and ‘electrifying’ models at the Puerto Rico International Auto Show

Electric vehicles take center stage at Plaza Las Américas

Juan A. Hernández, The Weekly Journal

The 23rd edition of the Puerto Rico International Auto Show (PRIAS) is already underway, and showcasing an impressive collection of the latest models of all automakers with commercial operations in the island.

This year, electric vehicles (EVs) take center stage, with some 10 new models appearing either for the first time in Puerto Rico, or presenting new innovations.

Among the automakers participating of PRIAS

2022, is Mercedes Benz, which is also celebrating its 60th anniversary in Puerto Rico.

“We are aiming to become Puerto Rico’s leader in luxury electric vehicles,” said Francisco Pérez, general manager for Garage Isla Verde, the island’s exclusive representative for Mercedes Benz.

“Our EQS model outperforms the competition with a 300-mile battery range,” Pérez said.

Another participating brand is Toyota, which is presenting its new models line-up in the context of “a baby’s room.”

“Whenever we buy a new car, many of us, if not all, treat it as ‘our new baby.’ So, we get you, and we want to help you out in taking care of your ‘baby,’” said Víctor Aponte, Senior Manager at Toyota, Puerto Rico.

Aponte announced that all buyers of a new 2023 Toyota will benefit from the brand’s two-year maintenance program free of charge. The program includes oil and filter changes, tire rotation and roadside assistance, among other benefits.

Also present at PRIAS is FCA Caribbean, representative in

Puerto Rico of the Jeep vehicles.

“We are showcasing our new Grand Wagoneer, our top of the line luxury SVU; our redesigned Grand Cherokee L, now with a third seat; and the Wrangler 4XE, the first electric Jeep,” said FCA Caribbean executive Ivonne Martínez.

Other automakers participating in PRIAS include Acura, Audi, Chevrolet, Honda, Kia, Lexus, Lincoln, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Volkswagen and Volvo.

Swedish outdoor and transportation company

THULE is also participating for the first time in PRIAS. THULE exhibit includes a selection of its camping and cargo carrying accessories for the more adventurous driver.

Like in previous years, PRIAS “showroom” extends along Plaza Las Américas main hall and, aside from the bevy of new vehicles, visitors will have the opportunity to appreciate new accessories and products from all the brands represented and even an art exhibit from renown Puerto Rican Master Painter Rafael Tufiño.

PRIAS is open to the public free of charge until Sunday, October 23rd during Plaza Las Américas regular business schedule.

Whenever we buy a new car, many of us, if not all, treat it as ‘our new baby.’

Víctor Aponte, Senior Manager at Toyota PR

PRIAS “showroom” extends along Plaza Las Américas main hall and, aside from the bevy of new vehicles, visitors will have the opportunity to appreciate new accessories and products.

In fact,

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