With the appointment of a Federal “transformation officer” for the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), not only did Governor Ricardo Rosselló threatened to challenge the decision in court , but an official of its administration said that decision is only an interest to want to control a multi-million dollar allocation for the reconstruction of the country’s energy system.
“I have no objection to the collaboration. I object to the takeover, “the governor said at a news conference yesterday. “This goes far beyond their ability within the PROMESA law,” he added.
Thus responded the governor to the possibility that the board appointed by the US government increasingly demands power and authority over the decisions of the local government.
“The same logic that they are employing to designate Noel (Zamot) would apply to appoint someone to go to La Fortaleza and say: ‘I am the transformation officer of Puerto Rico. Governor, don’t worry, I will do it, “and nobody with a serious face will argue with that,” the governor’s representative, Christian Sobrino told the fiscal board, .
The official accused the tax entity of wanting to take control over the credit line of nearly $4.7 Billion and other aid that will be granted by the federal government to rebuild the electrical system, which was devastated after Hurricane Maria.
President Donald Trump recently said – during a meeting with Rosselló in the White House – that he had seen designs to build a new Power plant in Puerto Rico.
“What they indicate is that Mr. Zamot will be the person who will lead the recovery efforts of electric power and that involves control of the resources coming from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and other federal authorities that will be sending money to Puerto Rico, for recovery, “Sobrino criticized.
He assured that the federal board also seeks to participate in the “adjudication of certain commercial processes to be carried out with PREPA on electricity generation projects.”
