During her visit this weekend to Puerto Rico, the governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, and her counterpart on the island, Pedro Pierluisi, announced the Economic Opportunity Advisory Council of NY and Puerto Rico with the purpose of strengthen economic ties between the state and the territory.
According to a statement released Friday by Hochul’s press team, the council will explore, propose and help implement policies to strengthen the economies of New York and Puerto Rico.
The organization’s priorities are directed to support sectors such as life sciences as well as achieve greater collaboration to bridge the digital divide. Additional, The initiative seeks to join efforts to improve health care programs and policies for New Yorkers and Puerto Ricans.
The end is make the most of state and federal investments in those areas for the benefit of both Puerto Rico and New Yorkwith the second largest population of Puerto Ricans in the diaspora.
“With this group of talented public servants at the helm, the New York State and Puerto Rico Economic Opportunity Advisory Council will help us redouble our commitments to building modern 21st century economies, starting with boosting our life sciences sectors, eliminating barriers to broadband access and strengthen our health systems,” said Hochul.
“Puerto Rico and New York have strong ties and shared goals, so this partnership is sure to benefit both communities. by promoting and growing important sectors of our economies. Collaborating on health and research initiatives and the democratization of access to technology is another key step for our aspirations for sustainable economic development. I thank Governor Hochul for her continued support and I hope to expand our work together,” Pierluisi indicated on her behalf.
The Economic Opportunity Advisory Council will be co-chaired by the Secretary of State of New York, Robert J. Rodríguez, and the Secretary of State of Puerto Rico, Omar J. Marrero. It will also include representatives from state and island government agencies with experience in trade and tourism, economic development, emergency response and recovery, technology, among others.
The expectation is that the group will meet quarterly and provide recommendations to Hochul and Pierluisi on opportunities for collaboration between jurisdictions.
Announcement occurred in conjunction with SOMOS conference events
The announcement was made within the framework of the celebration of the SOMOS conference that brings together political and community leaders from New York and Puerto Rico on the island.
As part of the agenda for this weekend, Hochul and Perluisi also visited with the New York senator in Congress, Kirsten Gillibrand; Deputy Secretary for Veterans Affairs, Tanya Bradsher; and veterans advocates the American Legion in San Juan.
The purpose of the event was to urge former Puerto Rican military personnel exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange and other toxic substances during their military service to apply for health benefits through the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our PACT Act of 2022.
The PACT Act provides expanded health care and benefits to veterans who suffer from illnesses caused by exposure to these types of chemicals during their years of service.
Medical conditions resulting from burn pit exposure are presumed to be directly related to military service. This means that veterans do not have to provide evidence to show that their illness is related to their time in the Military in order to receive benefits.
End of SOMOS conference
The purpose of the SOMOS conference is to discuss issues that affect Puerto Ricans on the island and in the diaspora and to strengthen ties between these communities.
Big Apple politicians such as members and former members of the New York City Council and also National legislators such as the speaker of the Democratic minority in the federal House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries, participate in the events as part of the meeting agenda.
The former Democratic candidate in the city’s mayoral race, Dianne Morales shared on her networks that she would participate in a forum on mental crisis in Puerto Rican communities with state representative Jessica González Rojas. as part of the conference.
The colloquium is held every year in Puerto Rico.
On this occasion, it began on Thursday, November 8, and will end this Saturday.
This year’s theme is “Strengthening and Supporting Communities.” (Strengthening and supporting communities), in reference to the challenges facing the island after the devastating hurricanes of 2017 and the need to speed up the reconstruction process in the territory.
“During the conference, our main goal is to celebrate unity and harness the power of collective action. We are going to explore topics such as corporate and social responsibility, economic development, sustainability and culture. The island is full of cultural diversity and notable biodiversity, where each community, while unique, forms an indispensable part of a whole,” reads a message on the SOMOS website.
Adams, the great absentee
The big absentee from the meeting was the city’s mayor Eric Adams. However, his name resonates among those present at the conference in the midst of the federal investigation for alleged corruption through illegal donations to his 2021 campaign.
A Politico article this Thursday indicates that, In the middle of the summit, many discuss who would be challenging Adams in 2025 and what direction their political future would take.
“There have to be options,” Ayala declared to the aforementioned medium. “I am very disappointed in the management of the current administration,” added the Democrat.
Ayala is one of the politicians who has already had preliminary conversations about the possibility of challenging Adams.
In the last few hours, New York media reported that FBI personnel confiscated the mayor’s electronic equipment, including his iPad and phone.
Keep reading:
Secretary of State of Puerto Rico: “The Board has the last word” on debt restructuring on the island
2023-11-11 15:41:08
#York #Puerto #Rico #strengthen #economic #ties #framework #SOMOS #conference #Diario
