U.S. Secretary of Labor visits PR, USVI to survey recovery efforts
U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta (right) during his visit to the islands this weekend.
U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta visited Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands this past weekend to meet with senior officials managing the recovery efforts and to inspect Job Corps centers damaged during hurricanes Irma and María.
“My visit to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands allowed me to see firsthand the resilience of our fellow Americans who are recovering from the devastation of this year’s hurricanes,” said Acosta. “We will continue to support the workforce as local communities continue to rebuild.”
In the USVI, the Secretary met with Lt. Governor Osbert E. Potter and Commissioner of Labor Catherine Hendry to discuss recovery efforts and the effects of the storms on the workforce.
In Puerto Rico, Acosta met with Secretary of State Luis Gerardo Rivera Marín, Secretary of Labor and Human Services Carlos Saavedra-Gutiérrez, and Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration Carlos Mercader.
The officials discussed rebuilding efforts and the current workforce situation.
The Secretary also toured all three of the island’s Job Corps centers to survey damage and speak with officials about recovery and the status of the centers.
Acosta met separately with Michael Byrne, acting regional administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Region II to discuss the agency’s priorities.
