CRECE launches training program for municipal employees
The Center for Economic Renewal, Growth and Excellence (CRECE, in Spanish) launched “CRECE in your municipality,” a training program aimed at instilling in municipal employees the entrepreneurial spirit to improve the environment of doing business in Puerto Rico towns.
The program consists of eight workshops and encourages municipal employees to: analyze the impact of municipal governments on business activity, evaluate existing procedures and requirements for opening and operating businesses in the municipality, and develop a plan to streamline processes and attract new business. Participants identify areas of opportunity and possible strategies to increase process agility and efficiency.
In its pilot phase, CRECE and the municipality of Caguas signed a collaborative agreement through which 18 municipal employees received information on the basic concepts of entrepreneurship, free market, the importance of generating business activity for sustainable socioeconomic development and the role of municipal employees as agents of progress.
In the case of the municipality of Caguas, for each office participants developed plans with specific objectives, and metrics to evaluate performance and progress. The office of economic development aims to incentivize energy resiliency, the permits office aims to offer agile and efficient services that will save time and money to business owners, the tax collection office aims to expand its digital platforms and online services, while the planning office aims to improve quality of live in the municipality.
The pilot phase was made possible by a grant from the Legislative Funds for Community Impact Joint Special Commission.
“We’re very excited about the opportunity to work with the municipality of Caguas. By adopting clear rules and efficient processes, municipalities can create value, and foster growth and progress in their communities,” said Tere Nolla, executive director of CRECE, thanking Caguas Mayor William Miranda-Torres, and the municipal employees who participated in the pilot project.
As part of its vision of building communities with possibilities to prosper, CRECE has identified the main factors that are affecting economic development at state and municipal levels through several comparative studies, such as the “Competitiveness Toolkit” and the “Puerto Rico Economic Freedom Index.”
Among the main factors are the issuance of permits, land registration, tax burden and access to electricity service.
