AGC-PR swears-in Abrams as new president for ’19
The Puerto Rico Chapter of the Association of General Contractors of America (AGC-PR) recently swore in Alejandro J. Abrams as its president for 2019.
In his inaugural
message the civil engineer emphasized the importance of strengthening
relationships between the private construction sector and federal and Puerto
Rico government agencies in charge of managing and administering federal funds
for reconstruction.
“It is up to
this generation of men and women who are gathered here today to take advantage
of this unique opportunity we have to build a strong and progressing Puerto
Rico,” Abrams said in his inaugural message to AGC-PR members.
The AGC-PR has
predicted that the construction sector will continue to be quite busy for the
next 10 years, as the federal government and insurers continue to disburse
funds for Puerto Rico’s reconstruction.
The industry
estimates that the total investment, in public and private works, could exceed
$80 billion, which would represent an average investment of $8 billion per year.
However, total investment and disbursements may fluctuate because both depend
on negotiations and claims that are still ongoing with the federal government
and insurers.
Abrams emphasized
the importance of procuring and ensuring adequate allocation and disbursement
of funds to carry out the work efficiently and uninterruptedly. He also
stressed the importance of hiring local companies to maximize the short and
long-term impact of federal funds.
“In Puerto
Rico there is the capacity, the knowledge and the skill to carry out the
reconstruction work. We urge the government and the agencies involved to
promote the conditions to encourage fair competition between foreign and local
firms,” Abrams said.
