From The Star Staff
On Wednesday, the newly elected vice president of the island’s House of Representatives, Ángel Peña Ramírez, reaffirmed his dedication to the work agenda set by governor-elect Jenniffer González Colón and incoming House Speaker Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Nuñez. This agenda includes initiatives such as establishing an energy czar, enhancing services for senior citizens, overhauling the permit process, providing more support for individuals with special needs, and seeking a second operator for the electric power transmission and distribution network in Puerto Rico, among other projects.
“The agenda of the newly formed majority in the House of Representatives, under the leadership of our speaker, Carlos “Johnny” Méndez, focuses on executing the proposals outlined in the Action Plan for Puerto Rico, the government initiative of the New Progressive Party that received overwhelming public support,” Peña stated in a written communique after his recent reelection for a fifth term representing District 33 (Las Piedras, Juncos, and San Lorenzo). “Our priorities are well-defined; we will legislate the role of the Energy Czar, empowering them by law to oversee compliance metrics for all private operators, inclusive of the restoration efforts concerning the electrical infrastructure. We’ve had enough of the hold-ups.”
“Reforming the permit system is essential, and our Governor-elect has been explicit that this must be tackled within the first 100 days of the upcoming Legislative Assembly,” Peña continued. “Puerto Rico requires approximately 50,000 new housing units to satisfy current demand. Yet, only about 60 new homes are being constructed each month; that is insufficient. Numerous factors contribute to the delays in building new housing complexes, with the most significant being the procurement of permits, which subsequently raises costs related to construction materials and labor due to the holdups in permit issuance. We will actively pursue this legislation to ensure it is presented in January 2025 and handled transparently yet efficiently because the need is urgent.”
Peña emphasized that care for older adults, including finding resources to compensate caregivers, will be another focal point in the upcoming four-year term commencing in just over five weeks.
