The Weekly Journal - Wednesday, October 14 - 20, 2020

Wednesday, October 14-20, 2020 - // no. 077

Puerto Rico and the Caribbean

www.theweeklyjournal.com

Honey Bees Inspiring New Agro Leaders P6 Simpler PPP Loan Forgiveness for Small Businesses P7 Kevane Grant Thornton on Exit Strategies P8

Emerging Trend: Working Remotely—From Paradise Can Puerto Rico catch the wave?

W Rosario Fajardo

New Food Trends During COVID Times P13

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

ith so many people working from home these days, due to the coronavirus epidemic, destinations have had to rethink their tourism offerings, as the visitor’s economy and the hospitality sectors have been among the most impacted by the health crisis.

The good news for many workers is that by working remotely, they can be based almost anywhere. Barbados

and Anguilla were among the first Caribbean destinations trying to tempt these professionals to come and work in paradise. Barbados offers a “Welcome Stamp” permit that allows visitors to live and work on the island for one year. The application cost is $2,000 per individual or $3,000 for a family.

As of mid-September, Barbados had earned over $1 million from the Welcome Stamp program, which was launched in late June.

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a week in review FEMA Announces Lost Wages Grant for Puerto Rico

>AP Photo/Alex Brandon

>Josian E. Bruno Gómez

FEMA approved Puerto Rico for a federal grant under the Lost Wages Assistance program, part of continuing efforts to help those affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

FEMA’s funding will allow Puerto Rico to provide $300 per week — on top of their regular unemployment benefit — to those unemployed due to COVID-19. The program establishes a maximum time period of six weeks.

Trump Appoints New Oversight Board Member

DDEC Supports Expansion of Food and Textiles Manufacturers

The White House announced that President Donald Trump appointed Justin M. Peterson, of the District of Columbia, to be a member of the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico. The news came one day after it was revealed that Board member David A. Skeel, Jr. would be the federally established entity’s new chairman, following the departure of José Carrión III. >AP Photo/Alex Brandon

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

Economic Development and Commerce Secretary Manuel A. Laboy announced the public agency’s financial support of seven companies in the food and textiles production sector, to help them expand and create more jobs. The investments total $3.1 million and has an impact of more than 700 jobs.

President Salvador Hasbún shasbun@elvocero.com

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

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

Comptroller Félix A. Rosa frosa@elvocero.com

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

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

Production Director Eligio Dekony edekony@elvocero.com

Editorial Director Juan Miguel Muñiz Guzmán jmuniz@elvocero.com

Assistant Editor/ Reporter Rosario Fajardo rfajardo@wjournal.com

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

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “We have been seeing active engagement on our social media sites in excess of 8 million hits, and we have already hit the $1 million mark in terms of those persons who are actually now beginning to have payments processed into Barbados. That will translate into individuals and companies and so on. So, we are climbing and we are now putting measures in place to roll out the second wave of the Welcome Stamp initiative,” said Tourism Minister Lisa Cummins, during a webinar with the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

Anguilla is offering a similar program, giving visitors and accompanying family members the option of living and working on the British Overseas Territory for three months to one year.

The cost varies, depending on the time period. For three months, the fee is $1,000 for individuals and $1,500 for a family of four. For up to one year, the fee is $2,000 per individual and $3,000 for a family of four.

Puerto Rico’s Turn

Puerto Rico is now hoping to catch this new wave by extolling the island’s virtues as a remotework hot spot.

As current events continue to shape the present and future of the workplace, Puerto Rico continues to hedge its idyllic location and business ecosystem to attract remote workers. In its latest endeavor, Invest Puerto Rico, the island’s economic development public-private partnership,

Working remotely means you can work anywhere.

[Remote workers] drive innovation and demand for better tools, faster Internet and more comfortable public workspaces, like libraries and cafes. Puerto Rico has room for growth in all these areas and remote workers play an important role in modernizing the local ecosystem.

-Rodrick Miller, CEO of Invest Puerto Rico

The flexibility of working remotely

hosted a virtual roundtable with entrepreneurs currently living and working from the island.

The kickoff event was meant to highlight the new program designed to attract remote workers who have recently shifted to work from home due to COVID-19, and the so-called digital nomads who work from anywhere in the world, but given the pandemic, may be more inclined to staying closer to the U.S. mainland.

Rodrick Miller, CEO of Invest Puerto Rico, noted that the initiative is important to promoting the island’s remote-worker value proposition. “With the insights of our speakers, all of whom are entrepreneurs living and working from Puerto Rico, participants benefitted from firsthand accounts of what it’s really like to do business here and why it’s worthwhile.

“Among the many subjects that were explored, what stood out were Puerto Rico’s core assets for remote workers, specifically the island’s

high quality of life; strong community networks, particularly for tech innovators, entrepreneurs and high-net-worth individuals; strong information and communications technology infrastructure and shared workspaces; and attractive tax incentives and benefits from relocating,” Miller said.

He noted that the initiative is aimed at leveraging Puerto Rico’s strengths, especially in the current climate of COVID-19, in which many are realizing the ease and ability to work remotely from anywhere and are eager to leave major metropolitan areas across the continental U.S. According to business thought leadership website Business 2 Community, 43 percent of U.S. employees were already working remotely before the COVID crisis and that number had grown by 44 percent over the past five years. The trend is expected to increase dramatically in light of the pandemic.

Among the speakers featured in the event were Kurt Pfluger from Celeres Capital, a corporate advisory firm based in San Juan; Giovanni Méndez of GEO Tax, a tax attorney and financial compliance specialist; Samantha McGue, Client Experience manager at HigherMe, a firm that helps employers recruit top talent; and serial entrepreneur Matt Kirk, founder of Spece, a coworking space in San Juan. Through each of the speakers’ testimonials, a clearer picture of Puerto Rico’s remote worker value proposition was made, one that is tailor-made to address the needs of companies, entrepreneurs and professionals in the sector.

Kirk actually moved to Puerto Rico five years ago with his family and at that time, he was already a remote worker, he said. At Spece, the coworking space, Kirk said he sees “many different kinds of remote workers in Puerto Rico. One individual, for example, comes to the island seasonally. In terms of permanent remote workers, he noted that they range from “exercise fitness gurus who are doing online personal training to independent sales representatives.”

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For all remote workers, reliable Internet and electricity connections are of vital importance, he said. From a personal viewpoint, Kirk said he and his family have enjoyed learning about Puerto Rico’s culture and people, as well as its food and entertainment options.

Puerto Rico: Primed for Remote Work

Remote working strongly relies on video conferencing; high-tech web platforms to connect with clients, provide services and track relationships; and high-speed Internet connections to access, share and react to information from anywhere. Companies and individuals in Puerto Rico already benefit from high speed Internet, 5G rollouts, 600 MHz and LTE services from top providers, Miller indicated. Plus, in 2019, the FCC allocated $500 million over 10 years for fixed broadband support and $250 million over three years for mobile broadband support. This funding is on top of $150 million for Universal Service Fund support that was given immediately after Hurricane Maria.

In addition, lower relative commercial and residential real estate costs in Puerto Rico make the island an attractive place to start and scale a business; attract and retain talent, particularly low and middle level positions; and have unorthodox,

Working remotely from paradise beckons.

flexible work arrangements. This is reinforced by and discount rates at many of the island’s the even lower relative real estate costs outside accommodation offerings, including hotel chains Puerto Rico’s metropolitan areas, giving companies and rental homes. and workforces geographic Bermuda offers a one year flexibility and greater control to Residential Certification program, employees over their relative take with an application fee of $263. home pay.

Besides remote workers, the Invest Puerto Rico is aware program is also available for bona that remote workers support and fide college students.

As of diversify the local economy, buy In Jamaica, visitors can mid-September, and rent homes and improve extend the normal 30-day visa Barbados had local skills, Miller said. “They also to six months. In Mexico, the earned over $1 drive innovation and demand regular tourist visa is good for million from its for better tools, faster Internet six months, which can bow be Welcome Stamp and more comfortable public extended for up to one year. work-permit workspaces, like libraries and Hotel chains are also getting program, which cafes. Puerto Rico has room in on the new trend. Hyatt has was launched in for growth in all these areas expanded its “work From Hyatt” late June. and remote workers play an remote work program to more important role in modernizing the hotels in the wider Caribbean local ecosystem.” region, this company announced.

The program includes discounts and a range of perks for longer-term Various Options in the Caribbean stays. Hyatt has added the program to properties Besides Barbados and Anguilla, the Dutch including the Park Hyatt St Kitts, Andaz Mayakoba, island of Aruba has a “One Happy Workation” Thompson Playa del Carmen and the Hyatt program, which allows remote workers to live and Regency Aruba. The latter is also part of Aruba’s work in Aruba for up to 90 days. The program launched workation program. includes many deals, such as all-inclusive meals,

In fact,

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‘Honey Bee Challenge’

The coordinators of the program hope that students will get a fresh perspective on pollinators and the importance of agriculture as a health issue and economic gear. >Courtesy

to Inspire New Generation of Agricultural Leaders Exposes youth to the labor market of agricultural sciences

J

Giovanna Garofalo

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

uventud y Clubes 4-H announced the “Honey Bee Challenge,” an educational experience for Puerto Rico’s children and youth that teaches them about this insect’s pivotal role in the island’s ecosystems, as well as the agricultural industry.

University of Puerto Rico (UPR) Professor Judith Conde Pacheco, Program Area Leader for 4-H, explained to THE WEEKLY JOURNAL that the initiative was developed under “Reto Agrícola” (Agricultural Challenge), a program that introduces students to the expansive spectrum that comprises agriculture, including STEM fields. Meanwhile, 4-H is a branch of the Agricultural Extension Service of the UPR’s Mayagüez Campus. “[The Honey Bee Challenge] is a new opportunity that we are going to offer to Puerto Rican children and youth; not only to those who participate in 4-H, but this time it is open to all children who want to register to participate in this Agricultural Challenge, which basically consists of educating our youth about the importance of pollinators. In particular, we are going to focus on bees and the role they play in agriculture and the role they play for food production in the country,” Conde Pacheco said.

Edda Martínez, an entomologist, added that she aims to demystify the negative perception that

We need a generational takeover [in agriculture]; that is one of our goals: Consolidating through youth a new voice that can believe in agriculture and make it grow.

-Judith Conde Pacheco, Program Area Leader for 4-H

students may have on insects. “In this particular project that we are working on... we want to teach students that 75 percent of plants depend on pollinators and that most of the food that we consume depend on the results of the labor of these pollinators,” she said.

Moreover, the coordinators of this challenge affirmed that by introducing students to these concepts and offering a different perspective on agriculture, they aim to foster a new generation of scientists, farmers and leaders in the industry.

As previously reported by THE WEEKLY JOURNAL, Agriculture contributed only 0.78 percent of Puerto Rico’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018. According to the May 2019 data compiled by the Occupational Employment Statistics of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median hourly salary for this sector in its totality was $10.38, while the annual median salary was $21,600. However, unlike other U.S. jurisdictions, Puerto Rico doesn’t break down

the industry into sectors, thus offering limited insight. For instance, the Economic Research Institute states that the average annual salary for an entomologist in Puerto Rico, adjusted to the reality of COVID-19, is estimated at $54,422, with the potential to increase to $60,057 by 2025 (10 percent growth).

“What we are doing is exposing youth to the labor market of agricultural sciences, which is a world of opportunities,” agronomist Alberto Maldonado stated, adding that some students who have participated in 4-H initiatives are now doing their university studies in marine biology, horticulture and other disciplines that are valued in the industry.

Conde Pacheco explained that this program, as well as other 4-H initiatives, seeks to inspire a “generational takeover” on agriculture. “We need a generational takeover; that is one of our goals: Consolidating through youth a new voice that can believe in agriculture and make it grow... We know that this is tied to the important issue of food security in the country. This challenge gives us the opportunity to discuss several topics with participants and their mentors; we want them to spread the word,” she added.

The Honey Bee Challenge is made possible by a collaboration with Corteva Agriscience.

4-H is accepting up to 200 students from K-12 to university levels, with hopes of eventually extending the program and reaching even more students. The website to register, disclosed on 4-H’s Facebook page, will be available to applicants until Oct. 23 or until vacancies are filled. The program itself is scheduled for Dec. 18, subject to changes.

For more information about 4-H, visit https:// www.uprm.edu/sea/4h/.

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SBA and Treasury Announce Simpler PPP Forgiveness for Loans of $50K or Less

Funds an essential lifeline for small businesses

T Rosario Fajardo

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

he U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), in consultation with the U.S. Treasury Department, has released a simpler loan forgiveness application for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans of $50,000 or less, aimed at helping small businesses around the nation weather the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

This action streamlines the PPP forgiveness process to provide financial and administrative relief to the United States’ smallest businesses while also ensuring sound stewardship of taxpayer dollars.

“The PPP has provided 5.2 million loans worth $525 billion to American small businesses, providing critical economic relief and supporting more than 51 million jobs,” said U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. “[The] action streamlines the forgiveness process for PPP borrowers with loans of $50,000 or less and thousands of PPP lenders who worked around the clock to process loans quickly. We

Calle Loíza in Santurce is home to many small businesses. >Josian E. Bruno Gómez

are committed to making the PPP forgiveness process as simple as possible while also protecting against fraud and misuse of funds. We continue to favor additional legislation to further simplify the forgiveness process,” he said in a statement.

“The Paycheck Protection Program has been an overwhelming success and served as a historic lifeline to America’s hurting small businesses and tens of millions of workers. The new [one-page] form… demonstrates our relentless commitment to using every tool in our toolbelt to help small businesses and the banks that have participated in this program,” said SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza. “We are continuing to ensure that small businesses are supported as they recover.”

The federal government said the SBA and U.S. Treasury have also eased the burden on PPP lenders by allowing lenders to process forgiveness applications more swiftly. The SBA began approving PPP forgiveness applications and remitting forgiveness payments to PPP lenders for PPP borrowers on Oct. 2, 2020.

The federal government’s announcement came as the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce (CoC) asked the central government to relax PPP requirements, as many small businesses on the island have yet to receive the much-needed financial assistance, due to the alleged “slow pace” of disbursements.

According to a report cited by the entity, as of Oct. 2, only $44 million of the $350 million PPP funds managed by the commonwealth government, had been disbursed to some 5,325 small businesses islandwide. This represents 12.5 percent of the total allocate to the central government.

“Businesses, particularly small ones, continue to suffer from the economic hardships that the pandemic has brought… Today, more than six months after the first order of closure [by the government], business operations have not been able to resume normally,” said Juan Carlos Agosto, president of the CoC. He noted that all the PPP funds must be disbursed by Dec. 30, otherwise Puerto Rico could “lose” the allocation.

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Importance of Cash Management During Turbulent Times

Contemplating an exit strategy

I

Kevane Grant Thornton

s it time to sell? Should I retire? Should I keep trying? These are some of the questions businessowners could be asking themselves, especially in these difficult times because of the coronavirus pandemic. But prior to thinking about selling the business, the appropriate question is‌is my business ready to be sold?

Before contemplating an exit strategy, there are several factors that should be considered and evaluated.

Reasons to sell

There can many reasons for wanting an exit from a business; acknowledging and understanding the reasons is the first step in this process. The reason one might have to want to sell could be many. They could be personal (burnout, new opportunities, age, financial reasons, lifestyle changes, lack of succession), organizational (shareholder disputes, declining revenues), or inspired by market or industry changes (industry, economy or regulatory). These factors can influence the timing for the sale and expected return in the transaction.

Considering the negative effect the pandemic is having in several industries, the first decision is whether to wait and continue putting resources and efforts into the business or to sell now at the current valuation.

Is the business ready to sell?

know exactly where the profits are coming from.

Identify risk factors, internal and external, that could thwart the potential transaction. Although there is not much that can be done about the external factors (industry, regulations, macroeconomy), other actions could be taken, the sooner the better, to fix any deficiency in These are operations, processes, personnel, certainly difficult etc. The important question is and uncertain times, whether it will be preferable to and the question of invest time and resources in whether this is the dealing with the factors identified, right time to exit the or to accept a lower return in the business or continue sale transaction.

What an investor looks for in a new opportunity is the revenue potential, expected cash inflows and high return in their investment. These are the main drivers of value in a business and until the pandemic demonstrating a history of growth passes, is something Business valuation and growth capacity is of outmost many are pondering.

The business’ value importance in this process. As is incredibly important part of the negotiation process information for any business and before entering a proposed owner considering selling their transaction, due diligence business. Entering in a negotiation without a prior will be performed by the acquiring party to understanding of what your business is worth puts confirm financial records and other nonfinancial representations. Consequently, accounting records the seller in a position to lose money. The business value depends on a variety of reasons like market should be clean, so the acquirer and their advisors

conditions, size of the business, growth potential, workforce, customer contracts and relationships, and industry performance, among many others.

Tax implications of selling your business

Whether you sell your business assets or your stocks in your business, your transaction could have different tax implications and you should plan to avoid pitfalls. Depending on how the transaction is structured, it may result in preference taxation like capital gains treatment, which offers a lower cost than ordinary tax rates.

These are certainly difficult and uncertain times, and the question of whether this is the right time to exit the business or continue until the pandemic passes, is something many are pondering. A business advisor can help and guide businessowners through this process to weigh the best options available, maximize the value of the business and a potential higher return in a transaction.

Contact details Marta RodrĂ­guez, CPA, CVA, CGMA Senior Manager | Advisory T 787 754 1915 Ext. 128 E marta.rodriguez@pr.gt.com

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Wise Proctor is available to Puerto Rico’s academic institutions, from K-12 to universities.

Wise Education Aims to Improve Online Learning in Puerto Rico

Proctoring program ensures academic integrity while respecting students’ privacy

W Giovanna Garofalo

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

ise Education Systems Inc., a California-based company that offers online services for students and educators, announced that its most recent program, Wise Proctor, is available to Puerto Rico’s academic institutions at every educational level.

Ian Hartley, CEO of Wise Education Systems, explained to THE WEEKLY JOURNAL that the new platform aims to maintain academic integrity while optimizing the virtual learning and teaching experiences.

“At Wise, our end goal, we don’t want to catch students cheating. What we want to do is actually to prevent cheating from happening, and that’s exactly what we see with Wise Proctor because at the schools where we’re deployed... what we see is that students simply don’t try to cheat when they’re using the system. And it’s because we’re monitoring them over video and we’re monitoring their computer screens,” Hartley stated.

As schools in Puerto Rico and across the U.S. remain closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic,

parents, teachers and even government officials have urged for safe and efficient platforms where students can still get access to quality education, while teachers ensure a safe learning environment.

According to Hartley, Wise Proctor was developed in response to the academic challenges unleashed amid the health emergency. He cited his client’s concerns over students’ responsiveness to this new digital reality and worries that it would lead to intellectual dishonesty by cheating or academic underperformance by unsupervised attendance.

“In addition to proctoring students, we also enable teachers to take attendance in their classes a whole lot easier than what they’re doing now,” he said.

The platform is actually a website that can be used in virtually any computer or mobile device, so it doesn’t require users to download and install any software. “It works on any device, even Chromebooks. As a result, it’s the only solution that’s truly compatible with students of all socioeconomic backgrounds. Even if you have terrible Wi-Fi, it works with that too. We designed a technology to make sure that it will still work. Ours is really the most accessible solution,” Hartley asserted, adding that it can be used for institutions ranging from K-12 to universities.

Hartley informed that Wise Proctor is available to the island’s academic institutions with no upfront costs; the price would be “completely deferred” to the second term of service.

Tool Against Cyberbullying

Apps such as Zoom have raised concerns over their potential to attract and foster bullying. Last April, Dan Schneider, U.S. Attorney General for

eastern Michigan, and other state officials warned that there had been a rise of a trend known as “Zoom-bombing,” in which hackers disrupt conferences and online classrooms with harmful, violent, or explicit language and imagery.

Michael Rich, the founder and director of the Center on Media and Child Health, affirmed to the Huffington Post that these lessons may give a student’s fellow classmates new ways to cyberbully them. For example, they may screenshot an unflattering moment and turn the captured image into a harmful meme, or they may poke fun at a student’s environment, placing students from lowincome backgrounds at risk.

Contrary to other online platforms used for remote learning, Wise Proctor ensures that only the teacher or professor is viewing the student’s background and computer screen. Therefore, the students’ learning process is not disrupted by interruptions and their privacy is respected with encrypted technology. This, Hartley assured, is an added benefit for students who suffer from anxiety or bashfulness, or whose academic performance would be hindered by the personal exposure prompted in other tech solutions.

“The other companies out there are typically doing proctoring where there’s a live human being on the other side, watching you while you’re taking your exam, and talking to you; saying things like ‘show me around your room.’ That would make me anxious and I’m not an anxious guy. We do it differently, of course. There’s no human watching you; it’s all automated. So, it makes students a lot more comfortable,” Hartley said.

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Fairmont El San Juan HOtel Focused on Safety, Enhanced Guest Satisfaction

Several upmarket restaurants and retailers to open soon

I

Rosario Fajardo

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

t’s all about safety and cleanliness these days, and the tourism and hospitality industries are no exception. To reassure its guests — both local and from offisland — the Fairmont El San Juan Hotel is stressing its “Allsafe” program of elevating cleanliness protocols in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

These protocols include staff and guests wearing masks and social distancing; reinforced cleaning in all public places, especially “high touch” areas; contactless check-in, checkout and payments; and guest access to medical professionals and telemedicine support.

“We are continuing to monitor the situation, to be flexible and adjust,” said general manager Kelly Cosgrove, with regard to conducting business in the new normal. “We are focused on safety for our guests and colleagues. We are continuing to move forward.”

In an interview with THE WEEKLY JOURNAL, she noted that while COVID-19 is a challenge, the luxury Isla Verde hotel is focused on having a successful holiday season. While enhancing the guest experience is important, Fairmont is also focused on “creating connections” with the local community.

The current lineup of activities includes collaborating with the Scuba Dogs Society this month for its annual beach cleanup around the island, including Isla Verde beach. A food drive is planned in November to support people in need around the island. For the upcoming holidays, a “Trees of Hope” activity is planned, along with a holiday tea extravaganza, with proceeds going to the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

Meanwhile, the hotel’s signature restaurant Caña, by Juliana Gonzales, will reopen in November, along with these retailers: Boronea, Chic by Tropical Togs, Tropical Togs, Tropical Tots and Candy Shoppe. Also in the works to open are

>All photos courtesy of Fairmont El San Juan Hotel

Kelly Cosgrove, the hotel’s general manager

Mo-Da Flowers and Terra Arts.

These venues are already open at the hotel: Il Sole Restaurant, ArtLab3 (by appointment), Gustavo Arango (by appointment), Martiza and Viaggi.

Cosgrove highlighted El San Juan’s luxury facilities, which include its beachfront venue, a beautiful pool setting, lauded dining options, retail shops and live entertainment in its popular lobby bar.

Cosgrove, a Canadian, is the new manager of El San Juan and has been on the island since May.

She has 33 years of experience with the hotel chain, working in various destinations around the world, such because Hawaii and California. She noted that she studied the sciences in college, but the hospitality industry “connected” with her after she got a part-time job. She has never looked back.

“After knowing in detail the essence of El San Juan Hotel and its importance in Puerto Rico, I can affirm that it is the perfect hotel to introduce the Fairmont brand in the local market due to its privileged location, particular history, design and exemplary service,” she said.

Renovation Plans

The hotel executive also noted that the property is scheduled to undergo a “multimillion-dollar” renovation project, starting in 2021. While financial details were not disclosed, Cosgrove said the project is currently in the design phase.

Among the areas to be renovated include the Banyan villas, the hotel’s presidential suite and the restaurant Aquerelle on the Beach, because well because El San Juan Beach Club.

El San Juan had already received a $65 million upgrade in recent years.

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Puerto Rican Entrepreneur

O

Puerto Rico Sovereignty is Key for Economic Development

n Nov. 3, Puerto Rico will celebrate its sixth status referendum, just as recent events in Puerto Rico and the U.S. have led to the demise of the Commonwealth and statehood status options.

The Trump administration also invalidated the upcoming “Statehood Yes/No” referendum in a letter, stating that the United States would ignore the results. Thankfully, U.S. Representatives Nydia Velázquez and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced the Puerto Rico Self-Determination Act of 2020, which is already attracting co-sponsors, that would tackle the issue of Puerto Rico decolonization via an inclusive Status Convention that would involve all nonterritorial status options, not just statehood.

In 2014, the U.S. Congress’ General Accountability Office (GAO) published a report that explained how statehood would negatively impact both the Puerto Rican and U.S. economies. The increased federal tax burdens of up to $11.6 billion alone would decimate the Puerto Rican economy, consolidate welfare dependency and push American companies and thousands of Puerto Rican professionals to leave Puerto Rico, which would further exacerbate Puerto Rico’s economic debacle.

Most Puerto Ricans realize that statehood is not a viable option for their country for political, economic and cultural reasons, yet recognize that the colonial Commonwealth was already rejected in the 2012 referendum. Puerto Ricans and Americans have an opportunity to forge the path toward decolonization via the Free Association option, a dignified political relationship whereby Puerto Rico would become a sovereign nation, yet associated with the United States as an ally and strategic economic partner. Today, the U.S. has three such beneficial relationships with three Pacific island nations. Thankfully, Free Association

is the status option with the largest growth margin of support in modern Puerto Rico, going from 0.29 percent of the vote in the 1998 plebiscite to 33.3 percent of the vote in the 2012 plebiscite.

In this 2012 referendum, both sovereignty options (Independence and Free Association) together garnered almost 40 percent of the vote. In contrast, while support for sovereignty is growing, only 23 percent voted in the 2017 plebiscite to support statehood.

Free Association offers a great opportunity for Puerto Rico to develop a productive economy that would benefit Puerto Rico and the United States, especially American businesses in Puerto Rico.

According to a recent publication

of the RAND Corporation, “the Compacts of Free Association are unique international agreements governing the bilateral relationships between the United States and the FAS (Freely Associated States).

The Compacts enable the parties to maintain close and mutually beneficial ties.” Free Association would be “the best of all worlds” since it would secure Puerto Rico’s important ties with the United States, yet allowing Puerto Rico to become a sovereign nation integrated into the world economy, opening up many opportunities for Puerto Rican entrepreneurs, companies, investors and American companies as well.

According to estimates discussed in my book, a sovereign Puerto Rico only with a robust customs\tariff

X

system and a fair and competitive tax on multinational corporations would be able to generate $13.3 billion in revenues, which is $4.3 billion more than Puerto Rico’s current budget of $9 billion. A sovereign Puerto Rico would prioritize strategic sectors that the government would incentivize, such as the agro-industry, tourism, technology, pharmaceutical, aerospace and scientific sectors.

American companies would be able to invest in these priority sectors as well.

For Puerto Rican and American entrepreneurs considering their future operations and growth in Puerto Rico, Free Association offers stability, a political relationship with the United States based on sovereignty, free transit of peoples and goods, increased economic development opportunities, and a path forward that would greatly benefit our important and valued business community. For Puerto Rican and American entrepreneurs, now is the time to embrace and support Free Association, economic development and a new relationship between our two nations. Our future depends on it.

— Javier A. Hernández is also the author of “PREXIT: Forging Puerto Rico’s Path to Sovereignty.”

X

>Josian E. Bruno Gómez

Javier A. Hernández

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From Quick Shortcuts to Slow Cookers, How We’re Eating Now yogurt and an interest in canning. These more labor-intensive foods provide a way to keep busy, learn something new, save money and eat well, she said.

Family meals are back

I

The Associated Press

n normal times, food trends often started in restaurants, with top chefs.

Maybe they got written up in food magazines or blogs. After some time, you could find the trending ingredients on grocery store shelves.

These days, the pandemic is determining how and what we eat, from quick shortcuts to slow cookers. There’s lots more home cooking, and many more family meals.

Even when people do eat restaurant food, they’re often looking for familiar dishes, experts say.

In general, “the trend is looking backwards rather than forwards,” said Esmee Williams, who looks at where home cooking is heading for Allrecipes.com, based in Seattle. Recipes from the 1960s and 1970s like chicken Kiev, chicken a la king, cheese fondue and salmon patties have now become more popular.

“There’s a lot of disappointment happening in our days, so nobody wants tears at the table. Let’s treat ourselves to something we all will like,” said Williams.

It’s part of a nostalgia wave sweeping many industries, including décor, fashion and beauty.

Back to Basics

A year ago, Williams said, many foodies were aspirational in their diets. Less so now.

As Darren Seifer, a food and beverage industry analyst for the NPD Group in Chicago, put it, consumers aren’t looking to explore new and fancy. Most “are just trying to get by.”

Under all sorts of pressure, people are juggling a desire for comfort food with the need to find a healthy diet and avoid “stress eating,” he said. “If you are a food and beverage manufacturer, you need to be thinking about convenience and comfort right now.”

That leads to some contradictory trends. Home cooks are doing more with vegetables, particularly seasonal produce, while also hunkering down with indulgent sweets and treats. Seifer cited higher

Family Meals

sales of both vegetables and ice cream in May 2020, compared to the previous May.

Taking it Easy

Seifer and Williams also see a trend toward shortcut products, like refrigerated dough, frozen pizza crusts and pancake mixes.

Carli Baum of New York City described a morning routine that echoes this trend; she has been baking refrigerated biscuits or crescent rolls for her young kids, but pairing them with homemade eggs and fresh berries. She is happy to make breakfast, but doesn’t want “to make EVERYTHING from scratch.”

Baum went to more farmers’ markets this summer and leaning into the idea of cooking what is available. She said her kids seem to be more open to trying produce they have seen displayed and purchased at the markets.

Stretching Those Cooking Skills

Another trend cited by Williams: more recipe searches than before for authentic ethnic foods, such as Asian, Mexican and Soul Food. “People are traveling with their taste buds, recreating dishes they ate out but now have to cook instead,″ she said. “Also, these dishes connect us with relatives we can’t be with right now.”

And don’t forget today’s fascination with what Williams calls “self-reliance” cooking — things like homemade bread, homemade pasta, homemade

In homes where adults are working from home and kids have shorter school days, the dinner hour may well start an hour earlier this fall, Williams predicted. “The family meal is back — and it’s happening across all three meals. Home is the epicenter of all activity, and meals are a big part of that,” she said.

Searches for family-friendly recipes on Allrecipes are up 34 percent from last year. Searches for breakfast recipes are up 35 percent, and lunch up 45 percent in page views. “We are making many more meals for `we’ rather than `me,’” Williams said.

Other trends include simpler recipes, recipes with fewer ingredients, one-pot meals, sheetpan meals, finger food and pantry-ingredient recipes. Vegan and vegetarian cooking is on the rise, she said. Tofu and tempeh searches, which have declined in recent years, are now increasing; grilled tofu was a popular search on Allrecipes this summer.

Homemade pizza “is going crazy — family pleasing, creative and fun, a good alternative to takeout,’’ said Williams. “People have become more comfortable with yeast, and people are also buying pizza ovens.”

So, which appliances are riding these new waves? Multicooker sales are up, as are recipe searches for Instant Pot recipes (68 percent higher than this time last year on Allrecipes.com). Air fryers and slow cookers are popular.

And sales of bread makers were up 800 percent in April compared with the previous April, Seifer said.

Ordering in

As for restaurant takeout, digital ordering is growing quickly. Seifer said pre-pandemic digital ordering (online or via apps) made up 6 percent of orders; now it’s double that. Another trend is QR code menus that you pull up on your phone, as opposed to paper menus. Using a QR code and a phone for payment eliminates the need for handling credit cards and cash.

14

/ Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Refresh Your Palate With Easy, Delicious Cocktails

Mixologist Michael Norat shares his favorite recipes with Tito’s Handmade Vodka

W Giovanna Garofalo

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

ith the world engulfed in the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and amid the general stress over the electoral season in Puerto Rico and the U.S. mainland, sometimes it’s good to just kick back and enjoy a nice drink to escape the chaos.

Tito’s Handmade Vodka — a prominent feature in many bars and “chinchorros” across the island — celebrated National Vodka Day on Oct. 4, a tradition since the company planted its flag in Puerto Rico in 2016. During this activity, guests took an online webinar with Michael “Mike” Norat, a local bartender who won the 2015 World Class Country mixology competition.

“The goal of National Vodka Day is to publicize the benefits, attributes and virtues of this distillate.

In addition to celebrating with good vodka, it also seeks to educate the palate through new experiences. For this, we have the experience, expertise and artisanal touch of Mike Norat, one of the most prominent mixologists in Puerto Rico and the region,” said Luis Antonio Morales, Brand manager at V. Suárez, the company that distributes Tito’s Vodka in Puerto Rico. Afterward, participants were treated to a concert by singersongwriter Ale Croatto on his Facebook page, joined by fellow musician Abraham Dorta.

Morales stated that, although National Vodka Day has ended, the myriad limitations and adversities caused by the virus should not hinder people from lifting their spirits with good drinks in the comfort of their homes. As such, Tito’s Handmade Vodka shared with THE WEEKLY JOURNAL some cocktail recipes conceived by Norat that anyone can recreate, regardless of their experience level. As with all recipes, these can be modified to one’s liking to truly give it a personal touch — and hopefully, impress guests in gatherings in a post-pandemic world. Below are three simple but amazing cocktail recipes that will stimulate your senses:

Parchita

Contrary to what the name suggests, “Parchita” (diminutive of the Spanish word for passion fruit),

Bartender and mixologist Michael Norat shared the recipes in a webinar during National Vodka Day. >Courtesy

does not call for the fruit. However, adding some crushed passion fruit elevates the already delicious cocktail. As with the other beverages, this one simply requires a shake or stir, as well as ice to one’s liking.

Ingredients: 1 oz. of lime or lemon juice (preferably lime), ½ oz. of agave (a natural syruplike sweetener), 2 oz. of Tito’s Handmade Vodka, 1 oz. Mike’s Ginger Beer (or your ginger beer of choice), and a mint spring for garnishing.

Basil Mule

This delightful concoction is Norat’s spin on the Moscow Mule. The key difference is that this version is enriched with basil, offering a refreshing twist to a popular classic. This one is highly recommended to pair with a nice brunch on a hot day.

Ingredients: 1 oz. of lime or lemon juice, 1 oz. of basil-infused syrup, 2 oz. of Tito’s Handmade

Tito’s Tonic is an ingenious take on the traditional vodka tonic, enhanced by elderflower liqueur and a rosemary sprig. >Courtesy

Vodka, 1 oz. of Mike’s Ginger Beer, and a basil spring to garnish.

Tito’s Tonic

Another reinterpretation of a classic, Tito’s Tonic is a heightened rendition of the vodka tonic.

The latter is fairly simple — tonic water, vodka and lime juice. The star of the cocktail is a rather unexpected ingredient: elderflower, adding a sweet-tart floral taste.

Ingredients: 2 oz. of Tito’s Handmade Vodka, ½ oz. of elderflower liquor (such as St. Germain), ½ oz. of lemon juice, a splash of tonic water, and rosemary to garnish. While fresh rosemary works well, dried rosemary offers a more vibrant and richer flavor and aroma.

Try these drinks as designed by Norat and then feel free to experiment to truly make them your own. You can add different fruits and herbs, such as watermelon or mint, or even serve frozen, like a margarita. Bottoms up!

15

/ Wednesday, October 14, 2020

A Revitalizing Journey

The all-new Lincoln Corsair >All photos courtesy of Lincoln

The Corsair, Lincoln’s Luxury SUV is refined and confident

A

THE WEEKLY JOURNAL Staff

n expressive, agile and natural design, and the combination of refined power and technology at the service of the driver in an out-of-the-range sanctuary are just two of the features that stand out in the expressive and sophisticated Corsair, with which the Lincoln brand completes its luxury SUV line.

The new SUV, whose name is inspired by the Latin word “cursus” — meaning travel — provides travel comfort, thanks to its two rows of seats. It is designed to be spacious and offers the driver technology and different driving modes, to make each outing a relaxing and revitalizing experience at the same time.

The Lincoln Corsair features an artistic contour on the front sides, generating a curvature and relief with a line that glides from the ceiling in a sophisticated way. Its horizontal interior design provides visual calm to the hand-built space with carefully selected materials.

In terms of well-being and comfort, the Lincoln Corsair’s front seats offer 10 positions and memory lumbar support, while the second-row seats slide to offer extra legroom for occupants to enjoy more of any road trip, short or long.

To ensure a pleasant and quiet ride, Lincoln Corsair features a double-walled dashboard in the

Academy award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey in his popular Lincoln ads

engine compartment, which provides an additional Lincoln Co-Pilot360. The vehicle comes with two hearing barrier between occupants and the engine, charged four-cylinder engine options, coupled with as well as reducing cab vibration. an eight-speed automatic transmission: Lincoln Another unique touch is the Corsair Select 2.0-liter and Lincoln synchronic sounds that replace Corsair Reserve 2.3-liter. conventional electronic alerts to Superior ratings on its front inform the driver about what’s going crash prevention systems helped on in the vehicle. In addition, the the all-new 2020 Lincoln Corsair audio system is one-of-a-kind with qualify for a coveted “Top Safety The Corsair 14 Revel speakers for unmatched Pick” award from the Insurance rounds out the brand’s premium sound quality.

Institute for Highway Safety. portfolio of luxury Additional technologies The 2020 Lincoln Corsair, a SUVs, combining integrate seamlessly through SYNC small luxury SUV, earned superior refined power and a 3 — compatible with Android ratings for both its standard and confident, whisperAuto and Apple CarPlay — by optional vehicle-to-vehicle front quiet ride that is connecting your mobile phone to crash prevention systems, and uniquely Lincoln. the vehicle to access apps directly also earned an acceptable rating from an 8-inch touch screen. for its available curve-adaptive LED The Corsair offers connectivity projector headlights. services and intuitive technologies The Corsair rounds out the that enable its owners to create driving brand’s portfolio of luxury SUVs, combining refined experiences at ease and is equipped with a power and a confident, whisper-quiet ride that is number of driver assistance features known as uniquely Lincoln.

In fact,