Local entrepreneurship remains ‘economic growth tool for Puerto Rico’
While Puerto Rico’s entrepreneurs have faced an “atypical” 2021, it’s also been a “stabilizing time,” for which local trade organization Empresarios Por Puerto Rico will move ahead with a strategic plan to continue developing local companies for the upcoming year.
“We’re a young organization, and we’re going to take every opportunity to solidify ourselves and continue with one of our core themes: educating about the great importance that every Puerto Rican has and understand why it’s important to support local commerce and make it part of their consumer behavior,” said EPR President Elliot Pacheco, during a news conference to announce this year’s edition of the “Cómprale al de Aquí.”
“We’re going to be more active in taking watching over proposed legislation, ensuring that the executive branch is also active in promoting the development of local entrepreneurship,” he said. “It’s been more than proven that local entrepreneurship is a great tool and engine for Puerto Rico’s economic development.”
This year, the campaign will give micro and small businesses the opportunity to join the effort, while helping them increase their sales during the Christmas period, he said, urging these types of entities to sign up and participate.
The “Cómprale al de Aquí” campaign is part of this year’s “Orange Wednesday” initiative, which aims to generate awareness among consumers on the importance of buying local.
José Julián Ramírez, executive director of the Cooperative Investment and Development Fund (FIDECOOP, in Spanish), said the purchases made during the Christmas season can “turn into an investment in the island, since the money that’s spent in local commerce is reinvested here.”
“In addition to lending for personal loans or to buy a car, they invest in commercial development projects, all types of housing, entrepreneurship, small and medium-sized companies, plus a lot of investment and social collaboration with the communities they serve,” said Ramírez.
The “Cómprale al de Aquí” and “Orange Wednesday” efforts have the backing of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC, in Spanish).
