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Governor Rossello Addresses Recovery Efforts in Puerto Rico

On Wednesday Oct. 11, Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello was interviewed by Neil Cavuto of Fox Business News. The interview was focused on the relief efforts in Puerto Rico.

Cavuto began the interview asking Rossello of the urgency to receive the $5 billion requested by Congress. “We need it as soon as possible. That’s why we’re asking for immediate liquidity relief, which the White House has already asked Congress to pursue,” Rossello said.

This immediate liquidity relief will not be the last aid requested to Congress, “Later on, we will go on and start working on the recovery package as well”, Rossello explained.

Regarding the comments previously made by President Trump about the debt, the Governor restated that Title 3 of PROMESA is underway. “We are in a Title 3 court case right now. So, we’re discussing this with the creditors as we speak. Because we are in that case, I can’t talk much about that. But, certainly, there is a process, and we’re being part of that process”, Rossello said.

The damage from Hurricane Maria has changed the situation in Puerto Rico, Rossello stated. Previously, Rossello had slashed $1.4 billion of the fiscal budget plan; however, “because now we need to recover and rebuild effectively, not only just put things back together as they were, then that changes the outset”, Rossello noted. “We’re willing to talk, to discuss with all of our stakeholders”, Rossello explained, butt the priority right now is to make it pass the emergency phase in Puerto Rico.

Throughout the relief process, the San Juan mayor has been very vocal in her expressions against President Trump. Cavuto asked Rossello about the different views that the mayor and the governor have expressed in the media. “We recognize that we need to do a lot more”, Rossello said, “But, certainly, when you talk about having almost 14,000 DOD personnel here in Puerto Rico, over 2,000 FEMA personnel in Puerto Rico, almost 3,000 EMACs in Puerto Rico as well, some of the assets that are coming here from the federal government and the private sector, we have resources to work.”

Rossello continued to outline that “I need to make sure my only focus is results for the people of Puerto Rico. So, I have called the mayor, as I have called other mayors. I have worked together with the federal government.” The focus right now for Puerto Rico is to get results, focus on outcomes, Rossello emphasized. “Everything else is just noise to me”, Rossello added addressing the San Juan mayor and her contrarian statements.

 

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