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GPO NEWS
 Grupo
de Opinión & Propaganda
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Summer Overview
The third ordinary session of the Commonwealth’s Legislative
Assembly ended, giving way to 2006 Summer internal partisan
power struggles. The Governor’s designation of former House
Speaker Carlos Vizcarrondo, and Senate’s Ways & Means
Minority Leader, Sixto Hernandez, as justices for the
Commonwealth’s Court of Appeals and the Senate’s consent after a
prolonged and heated debate, paved the road for a showdown
between the Governor’s partisans and Caguas’ Mayor Willie
Miranda’s. The much-announced war did not last much. As of
July 20th, both parties were warm embracing each
other.
The
political process instituted by the PDP’s Governing Board
(at the Governor’s request) served as an scenario for the
showdown between the two alleged political forces.
George
Suárez,
Regional Director for the Housing Department in the Humacao
Region and a natural of Naguabo, was elected to replace Judge
Hernández in the Senate. Suárez, a young man who is yet to be
30 years old, a constitutional requirement for senators, will
have to wait a couple of weeks before been sworn it. He
prevailed over the much favorite and much more experienced
historian and political analyst, former Secretary of the House,
Néstor Duprey. The also former aide to Sen. Marcos
Rigau (PDP – At Large (1992-1996) finished third in a group
of four candidates. Although initially the favorite, approval
eroded after been formally (and politically) endorsed by Mayor
Miranda’s powerful Caguas Municipal Committee, throwing Duprey
in the middle of the political fight between Caguas’ Mayor and
the Governor.
Yet to be
seen, the ability or inability of the new (but former Secretary
General) Party’s Executive Director
Anibal José Torres, in mending any injuries and scars
resulting from last Sunday’s selection process. Mr. Duprey was
overwhelmingly defeated not only by a wide margin by Mr. Suárez,
but also by Sara Rosario, a regional political organizer
and electoral coordinator, and former contender to a seat in the
House of Representatives for one of the House districts located
within the boundaries of the Senate District. A career
employee, Ms. Rosario serves as a personnel and human resources
executive at the Regional office of the important Commonwealth’s
Workmen Compensation Corporation.
Any
inference regarding the political consequences resulting from
the PDP’s selection process vary from one group to the other.
Undoubtedly, the PDP’s event gave way to deception amongst the
enemies of the Governor who hoped for a real confrontation and
evident defeat of the Governor.
Notwithstanding the aforementioned, the event was highly
criticized for an alleged lack of organization and significant
due process and equal protection irregularities. Some changes
resulted from an “un requested” recount of the results for the
PDP’s Board of Government’s At Large positions. Except for Ms.
Rosario, no other candidate announced any judicial challenge of
the results.
Who to look for in the PDP’s Immediate Future?
Anibal Acevedo Vilá
continues to appear as the undisputable candidate of the
PDP for governor on the general elections in
2008. As he has mentioned publicly, he is running for
re election. His performance as Governor within the
next 12 months, will bear heavily in his victory or
defeat.
There are some events, which continue to generate much
speculation and possible doubtfulness about the
Governor’s re election. The on going Grand Jury
investigation of a Pennsylvania dental group illegal
contribution to candidates for federal office, and its
relation with Acevedo Vila’s campaign; and the much
publicized PDP expenditure of more than $30 thousand of
the Party’s chest, to dress up Anibal Acevedo Vilá.
The first has yet to conclude. The fact that Acevedo’s
chief fundraiser has refused to make any comments, upon
advice of counsel, do allow for speculations.
Amongst
the persons elected to the various positions within the PDP governing structures, including the two legislative
vacancies, were the Secretary of the Consumer Affairs
Department, Javier Alejandro García Padilla, who
registered a sound victory, obtaining the top of the
three PDP’s Governing Board At-Large positions, which
were at avail. The other two elected, in that order,
were former PDP’s candidate for Resident Commissioner
and President of the powerful Government and Public
Security Committee of the Senate (2001-2004), Sen.
Roberto Prats Palerm; and the Mayor of Isabela,
Charlie Delgado.
Although preliminarily announced as a winner over
former Governor Hernández Colón’s son (1973-1976,
1984- 1988, 1989-1992), senator Juan Eugenio Hernánez
Mayoral (PDP-At Large), Delgado lost by the margin
of 6 votes, on the review process (recuento) held last
Friday. Thus, Sen. Hernández Mayoral was formally
certified as re elected to the Board of Government of
the PDP.
Notwithstanding the above,
GPO
has learned that Mayor Delgado continues to look as a
promising future leader of the PDP, be it through the
powerful association and lobbying outfit of the Puerto
Rico Mayors Association, or by either seeking an
At-Large or District (Mayaguez-Aguadilla) Senate seat.
Thou the electoral event has not pass without
criticism. There is no doubt that in the future,
candidates will hesitate before accepting over
primaries, the alternate method for election of an
assembly of delegates. Critics pointed out that the
event was plagued with violations to the Electoral Law
and PDP’s internal regulations.
Recently, it was announced that the block of PDP members
in the House of Representatives, would be hiring Mr.
Duprey as an advisor.
The New Progressive Party
The Barbosa Day acts will provide a preview of what to
expect in New Progressive Party politics. While
it looks as a frozen situation, forces continue to work
behind doors for a solution. There are no evident signs
of a final solution to the PNP’s legislative
internal struggle.
GPO
hopes that Barbosa’s celebration will shed more facts
as to enable adequate analysis. Only one questions –the
same one- continues to be raised: Is Pedro Rosselló
capable of defeating Anibal Acevedo Vilá in the 2008
general election?
The Economy
GPO
expects a much-announced judicial challenge to the
implementation of the fiscal and tax reform laws. The
debate regarding the percentage of the sales tax
legislated, remains a major issue to be resolved.
The Government of Puerto Rico was able to improve the
classification of its bonds. GDB announced
that soon it will be in the Market to obtain loans in
excess of 2 billion dollars. These amounts should bring
a long waited impulse to public works, the most
effective and immediate solution to unemployment.
Of
major concern should be the heated encounters between
the new Secretary of the Governorship, Silva Purás and
members of the Board of Director of the AEE, and
the leadership of its biggest labor organization,
UTIER. Presently without any formal agreement, a
much expected showdown between management and labor lies
ahead. There appears to be no agreement with regard to
the financial aspects of a future contract. In
addition, UTIER continues to claim the Boards
privatization efforts and management’s assignment of
labors in alleged violation of established workshop
rules. Puerto Rico’s dependency on oil and market
conditions aggravated by the Middle East military
conflicts will bear upon any monetary solutions to the
potential labor conflict.
A
proposal, which is to generate much attention, is the
Executive Branch’s reorganization plans. According to
his own admission, Secretary Silva Purás is
working on his own draft of a reorganization plan. So
is also UPR’s Graduate School of Public
Administration (GPA), hired by the Government to
propose a reorganization plan. When asked about the
fact that there were two on going Governor’s sponsored
studies, Dean of UPR’s GPA said that the work been
prepared by the Faculty was different to Silva’s, as
theirs will require legislative action before
implementation. The Commonwealth’s Constitution provides
that any reorganization of the Executive Branch must
obtain Legislative approval.
It
is either feared or cherished, that Silva’s draft will
entail the elimination of multiple positions in
different Government agencies and dependencies, as means
to lower government expenditures. This is been closely
monitored by other public service labor organizations.
The Cabinet
No
mayor changes expected within the next six to twelve
months. Thereafter, particularly regarding those heads
of agencies, who have been mentioned as possible
candidates to electoral office, many can be forecasted.
Already amongst persons in Executive Branch positions,
at least two Secretaries of Departments are mentioned as
possible candidates. So is an important aide to the
Governor.
GOP
will keep you abreast of further developments. Yet it
is certain that the race for Ponce’ Senatorial District
will be singled out by the numerous individuals already
mentioned as desiring to seek office. Some of the names
in the PDP ballot, in addition to incumbent senators
Bruno Ramos and Modesto Agosto-Alicea, are
that of Secretary Fabré-Laboy (Department of
Agriculture) and Governor’s Legislative Aide, José
Luis Galarza.
Secretary
of Sports and Recreation
David Bernier, a dentist and Olympic fencing medalist,
was nominated by the Governor to hold simultaneously the
position of head of the Governor’s Office for Youth
Affairs. This is a first step in consolidating the
Office with the Departament. The Senate expects no
major opposition to this confirmation. Yet to be seen,
legislative endorsement of the proposed fusion.
Health
Government
health expenditures continue to be of foremost concern
to all. Criticism of the Government’s Medical Center
services is growing.
GOP
expects key allocations of public funds to improve
emergency and trauma facilities at the Medical Center.
According to
GPO’s
sources, the facilities are in need of major structural
reconditioning.
There prevails also a great expectancy in anticipation
to the Government’s new health reform policies. New
negotiations should be forthcoming between ASES
and the providers of physical and mental health
services. It is with particular interest that all eyes
will be set upon ASSMCA’s intention of becoming
the only and sole provider of mental health services.
Questions continue to raise regarding the agencies
financial health and the fact that it still has to deal
with the lack of modern and efficient procedures and an
over populated payroll, which disables it from
successfully competing on equal terms with private
providers.
San Juan, July 2006.
GOP
NEWS IS A PUBLICATION OF Grupo de Opinión & Propaganda,
Inc., a public affairs private advisory corporation.
The reproduction in whole or part of the publication is
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