Sen. Álvarez Conde says the proposal, which would transfer ICP assets to DDEC, is ‘a betrayal of our identity’
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The Puerto Rico Institute of Puerto Rican Culture (ICP by its initials in Spanish), established in 1955, will be gone for good if legislation proposed by Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz is passed into law.
Critics say Rivera Schatz is trying to end Puerto Rican culture. Rivera Schatz is proposing the transfer of the ICP’s assets to the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC by its acronym in Spanish). The ICP has under its custody more than 40,000 works of art and 20,000 archeological pieces.
“I never imagined that at some point in my life, I would have to explain the purpose of the Puerto Rican Institute of Culture (ICP) and why Senate President’s Bill 273, which aims to dismantle this institution and transfer its assets and responsibilities to the Department of Development and Commerce (DDEC), is akin to abolishing the Department of Health to hand it over to the Justice Department, expecting judges and prosecutors to handle vaccinations in court,” said Sen. Ada Álvarez Conde of the Popular Democratic Party.
She emphasized that culture encompasses the elements and characteristics of a particular human community, in this case, the Puerto Rican community. This includes the customs, traditions, norms, and collective identity through which a group communicates and builds its society, the senator said.
The ICP was established under Law 89 on June 21, 1955, and commenced its operations later that year. Ricardo Alegría was the first executive director, with board members that included Arturo Morales Carrión, Enrique Laguerre, Salvador Tió and José Trias Monge.
Álvarez argued that the ICP is dedicated to promoting cultural events that are independent of partisan politics.
“We are discussing the development of the arts, including independent and plastic arts, popular art, archaeology, museums named after state leaders, parks, monuments, and historic areas,” she said. “Have we ever had a governor more appreciative and supportive of culture than Don Luis A. Ferré Aguayo?”
Ferré, the island’s first New Progressive Party governor, was renowned as a patron of the arts and cultural projects.
Álvarez further pointed out that the ICP has been deprived of its budget and resources under many administrations.
“Eliminating it is not the solution; [that] represents a betrayal of our identity,” she said. “Culture plays a crucial role in economic development, influencing tourism, job creation, and creative businesses. If we aim to enhance economic growth, why not allocate more resources to the ICP so that it can fulfill its mission in a broad and inclusive manner? Or does Bill 273 intend to undermine our culture and distribute its assets to friends and family?”
