NPRC COMMENDS PRESIDENT'S TASKFORCE ON PUERTO RICO FOR FOCUSING ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE ISLAND

WASHINGTON DC (March 16) – With Puerto Rico’s unemployment rate now at 15.9 percent, the Chairman and President of the National Puerto Rican Coalition today commended the President’s Task Force on Puerto Rico’s Status for developing “a federal framework to restart economic development, establish competitive industries, and address the issue of Vieques.”

“In the report by the Task Force on Puerto Rico’s Status, President Obama embraced NPRC’s original proposition to move forward on the question of Puerto Rico’s status and to respond to what is an emerging economic crisis in the Island,” said Chairperson Miguel Lausell. 

“The White House brought together representatives of each and every cabinet department and agency,” added President and CEO Rafael A. Fantauzzi.  “With a crushing unemployment rate of 15.9 percent – same as what the nation experienced during 1931, two years into the Great Depression – the Task Force focused 81% of the report on economic development, competitive industries, and Vieques by developing a series of recommendations to enhance Puerto Rico’s standard of living.”

“A roadmap which contains accountability strategies has been laid out by the President, now it is up to Congress, federal agencies, government of Puerto Rico, elected officials, community leaders, and mainland stakeholders to unite and execute the recommendations for the benefit of the people on the Island,” Chairperson Lausell added.