The White House will announce in the next few days the designation of the admiral Peter Brown as federal coordinator for affairs in Puerto Rico, including the process of recovery of the country before the passage of hurricanes Irma and María, advanced today to The new day the commissioner resident in Washington, Jenniffer González.
“I am very happy that the White House has heard my request… Admiral Brown is a person who knows the island because he was in the Coast Guard for this region, speaks Spanish and is an accessible person. This appointment by the White House is a step forward to assist in the reconstruction and efforts of Puerto Rico before federal agencies“, said.
The request for the appointment of a coordinator arose after the delay in the disbursement of federal funds, as well as in the reimbursement of funds to the municipalities, González said. “This is literally going to be our link, our help within the White House. He does not directly handle the emergency issue of the Puerto Rican government, but he has the power to intervene when we have an issue, ”said the leader of the New Progressive Party (PNP)
González explained that since the president’s oath Donald Trump, in January 2017, it is requesting the designation of a federal monitor, a position that, he clarified, does not entail monitor functions. “The federal monitor has a forensic, investigative function. This person will be the contact of Puerto Rico, the assistant coordinator of the president in Puerto Rico affairs to facilitate, to cut this perception of multiple layers of bureaucracy. ”
The designation, he added, also says “how important it is for the president to have direct communication to address the affairs of Puerto Rico.”
The most recent letter requesting action from the president, he sent in July 2019. The complaint was then joined by Senator Rick Scott and Congressman Sean Duffy. “I am asking that we have a person assigned to coordinate, execute everything that Puerto Rico needs quickly and directly and, at the same time, have the rank and power to influence the state of the chiefs of staff,” explained the commissioned
Gonzalez said that as President Trump’s national security and anti-terrorism adviser, Brown has been pending on the affairs of the island, specifically on the issue of drug trafficking. Together with him, he said, the assignment of a new rapid response vessel to the Coast Guard was achieved, which opened in mid-2019.
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