San Juan-based businesses closing today as thousands expected to march
July 22, 2019
A range of private-sector businesses — from malls to banks — will remain closed today, as thousands of Puerto Rico residents are expected to convene on one of the island’s main highways to demand the resignation of Gov. Ricardo Rosselló. The massive march is expected to begin at 9 a.m. on PR-18, known as the […]
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2 more cruise ships cancel stops in San Juan, representing $750K loss
July 22, 2019
Cruise lines MSC and Royal Caribbean canceled the stops for the MSC Seaside and Celebrity Equinox cruises, respectively, today, as thousands are expected to march in San Juan demanding Gov. Ricardo Rosselló’s resignation. The ships scheduled to arrive in the afternoon and leave San Juan at 10 p.m. and 1 a.m., respectively, Puerto Rico Tourism […]
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U.S. Dept. of Commerce invests $1.2M to stoke post-disaster business growth in P.R.
July 19, 2019
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration is awarding a $1.2 million grant to Operation Hope Inc., to provide up to 300 technical assistance workshops in Puerto Rico to help small businesses and entrepreneurs “grow and succeed” following Hurricanes Irma and María in 2017. The project, to be located […]
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Treasury starts processes to reduce sales and use tax on prepared foods to 7%
July 19, 2019
The Puerto Rico Treasury Department has begun to implement the reduction of the Sales and Use Tax (IVU, for its initials in Spanish) on prepared foods from 11.5% to 7%, which will take effect in October. “We have already started conversations with the Puerto Rico Restaurants Association to delineate the parameters of the implementation and […]
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General Contractors outline strategies to slash illegal gov’t procurement processes
July 19, 2019
The Association of General Contractors, Puerto Rico Chapter proposed a number of strategies to eliminate corruption in public procurement processes, including promoting legislation to ban the government from hiring newly created legal entities, without financial experience, or a history of expertise. In a statement, Alejandro J. Abrams, president of the trade group known as AGCPR, […]
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Economists join claims for governor’s ouster; PRMA asks for ‘swift action’
July 18, 2019
The Puerto Rico Economists Association has joined the chorus of private-sector voices asking Gov. Ricardo Rosselló to step down from his post and make way for “an orderly transition.” Meanwhile, the Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association separately asked the various government branches to do their part and act swiftly to resolve the turmoil currently engulfing the […]
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Open Spaces denounces ‘use and abuse’ of gov’t power
July 17, 2019
Nonprofit Organization Open Space warned that messages in the chat in which Gov. Ricardo Rosselló and others participated in could constitute serious ethical and legal violations through a conspiracy to limit citizen rights to demand transparency and accountability the government. During a sit-down with the media, Open Spaces Executive Director Cecille Blondet said the chat […]
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NY Fed to launch ‘Investment Connection’ program in P.R. this fall
July 17, 2019
The New York Fed announced it is launching its “Investment Connection” program to boost investments in regional community development financing. The program’s first phase will begin in Fall 2019 in Puerto Rico, where the New York Fed is working to rebuild the island’s economic resiliency in the aftermath of Hurricane María. The program will help […]
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New car sales show 6.3% increase in June, vs. same month in ’18, GUIA says
July 17, 2019
The United Automobile Importers Group announced that a total of 10,200 new cars were sold in Puerto Rico last month, representing a 6.3% increase vs. the 9,596 units sold during the same month in June 2018. GUIA, as the trade group is known by its initials in Spanish, said the increase so far this year […]
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Private Sector Coalition blasts corruption, demands ‘corrective action’
July 15, 2019
Business leaders from the Puerto Rico Private Sector Coalition condemned the arrests of former government officials and collaborators and requested an immediate corrective plan action. For Coalition members, the fact that it is not the first time that a government in power is the subject of corruption accusations, makes it more pressing to take different […]
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Builders, Farm Bureau condemn acts of government corruption
July 15, 2019
The Puerto Rico Builders Association and the Puerto Rico Farm Bureau, two professional organizations representing thousands of local members, voiced their rejection of recently uncovered acts of government corruption, which has “tainted the island’s reputation. In a statement the Builders Association, through its President Emilio Colón-Zavala, said “Puerto Rico and its institutions, both in the […]
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Millenials in P.R., Mississippi have lowest credit card debt, study shows
July 12, 2019
Millennials in Puerto Rico carried the least amount of credit card debt of any state, with an average balance of $2,906 per person, in the first quarter of 2019, according to a study conducted by credit reporting agency Experian. Mississippi millennials had the second-lowest debt, with an average credit card balance of $3,887. These balances […]
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EPA chief visits P.R. to review recovery initiatives post-’17 hurricanes
July 12, 2019
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Pete Lopez visited Puerto Rico recently as part of the agency’s “aggressive efforts” to advance recovery from Hurricanes Irma and María, as well as tackle ongoing environmental challenges in the Caribbean. The trip included participation in forums, with an array of community groups such as the San Juan Bay […]
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New coach bus service launches today connecting Caguas and San Juan
July 11, 2019
ALSA-National Express, a public transport operator, will launch a new collective transportation system which will run between the municipalities of Caguas and San Juan, with stops at the Medical Center, Plaza Las Americas, Hato Rey, Covadonga and Isla Verde, among others. Following a $1 million investment, the firm will run two routes using a fleet […]
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P.R. Convention Center district officials update on $112M in projects underway
July 11, 2019
Puerto Rico Convention Center District Authority Executive Director Omar Marrero offered an update on eight projects underway in the busy zone that represent a combined $112 million in private investments. Among the most important projects is the EcoExploratorio, which will be a center for informal education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), sustainability and […]
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