Saturday, November 23, 2013

23/11/13 01:22 from Puerto Rico Report Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla’s representative in the States this week claimed that the territory “will receive special treatment” in draft Federal tax reform

» US Senate Chairman Contradicts Gov’s Representative’s Claim of New Tax Break
23/11/13 01:22 from Puerto Rico Report
Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla’s representative in the States this week claimed that the territory “will receive special treatment” in draft Federal tax reform […]

 » US sending advisory team to PR to help navigate island’s economic
22/11/13 22:59 from Caribbean Business - More Local News
US sending advisory team to PR to help navigate island’s economic crisis Issued: November 20, 2013 The U.S. government is sending a team of federal officials to help Puerto Rico manage an economic crisis that has spooked investors as the...

 » The US should make Puerto Ricans illegal.
22/11/13 20:54 from 
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 » AGP anuncia nombramientos a la junta de WIPR
22/11/13 20:19 from Metro - Últimas noticias
El gobernador Alejandro García Padilla anunció hoy la confirmación por parte del Senado de la..

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22/11/13 19:34 from caribbean - Google News
The price of slavery in the Caribbean Aljazeera.com Saint Vincent and The Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves addresses the 68th session of the General Assembly at United Nations headquarters on September 27, 2013. Gonsalves and ot...

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22/11/13 18:32 from Latino Voices on HuffingtonPost.com
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The son of one of the world's most-wanted drug lords was arrested at an Arizona border crossing to face drug-trafficking charges in the United States, authorities said Friday. Serafin Zambada, 23, was arrested Wednesday ...

 » A Puzzling 'Blackout' at Puerto Rico's Famous Bioluminescent Bay - The Atlantic Cities
22/11/13 18:13 from puerto rico - Google News
A Puzzling 'Blackout' at Puerto Rico's Famous Bioluminescent Bay The Atlantic Cities Near the Grand Lagoon in Fajardo, Puerto Rico , the glow hasn't been seen since November 11. According to the AP, tour operators have ha...

 » Policía evaluará prespuesto para pago de enfermito
22/11/13 17:53 from Primera Hora : Noticias
El año pasado el retraso en el pago de los días por exceso de la licencia de enfermedad provocó una avalancha de ausentismo durante la celebración de las Justas.

 » García Padilla marchará por la excarcelación de Oscar López
22/11/13 16:33 from Primera Hora : Noticias
La marcha está organizada por la iniciativa "32 por Oscar" y el Comité Pro Derechos Humanos de Puerto Rico.







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Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Where to shop in San Juan

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Photo: Puerto Rico Tourism

Where to shop in San Juan

San Juan is a transportation hub for the Caribbean, which means people are constantly flowing through the city, arriving either via air or cruise. With all of these visitors it's only natural that a vigorous shopping scene has developed. There's an additional plus — since San Juan is a commonwealth of the United States, visitors don't have to pay duty on their purchases.
San Juan could be thought of as offering two completely different city experiences. Old San Juan is a colorful neighborhood of cobblestone streets and historic Spanish Colonial buildings dating back to the 1500s. Modern San Juan has a Caribbean vibe built along urban lines and travelers from the U.S. will feel right at home among its shopping centers and malls.
Shopping in Old San Juan
Old San Juan is seven square blocks of narrow streets and a seemingly endless array of shops, cafes and restaurants. Streets are tight, so ditch the car and don a pair of comfortable shoes (there's a free trolley if the steep hills prove daunting). Mixed in with local shops are luxe brand-name stores from the likes of Ralph Lauren, Burberry, Coach and Guess. There are scores of shops selling Puerto Rico souvenirs (many of these are made in China) as well as unique stores and galleries selling authentic goods made on the island.
Shop owners display a Caribbean cool and visitors won't have to fend off the hard sell. As far as bargaining goes, San Juan is much like the U.S. In established shops bargaining isn't customary and might even seem rude. Try your bargaining skills with street vendors and in some of the smaller shops.
Hans-Georg Roehrbein, general manager at the San Juan Marriott, is a San Juan insider who recommends the Puerto Rican Arts & Crafts store in Old San Juan. The two-level shop is filled with tons of local artwork oil and acrylic paintings, ceramics and handmade jewelry. If time is an issue, this store could be the ideal choice, since Roehrbein describes it as being "…an ideal one-stop shopping spot."
Truly traditional Puerto Rican handicrafts include devilish-looking papier-mâché masks calledcaretas, worn during Carnival and other special occasions; and carvings of santos, which are religious figurines of patron saints carved out of wood, stone and gold, If shoppers are in search of a fine selection of caretas, they should make tracks for La Calle; while the Puerto Rican Arts & Crafts store is a prime place to browse for santos.
For high-end and fine jewelry, Roehrbein suggests E Barquet, a 74-year old family-owned business selling jewelry and high-end watches from Cartier and Rolex. Another venerable institution is Bared, where shoppers can browse fine crystal and porcelain in addition to jewelry.
Puerto Rico is also famous for the quality of its handmade lace, which is called mundillo. The decorative lace is used for everything from homey items like tablecloths and shower curtains to special creations such as customized wedding dresses. Drop into the Linen House, where the hand-crafted selection is vast and the prices reasonable.
Puerto Rico has a rich tradition in crafting hand-rolled cigars. While strolling through Old San Juan, visitors may happen on street vendors rolling stogies. For the largest selection of cigars, Betsy Mujica, director of sales at the San Juan Water & Beach Club Hotel, recommends The Cigar House, where aficionados can purchase premium cigars, including those aged in rum. Unfortunately, visitors won't be able to buy a Cuban smoke in San Juan.
San Juan is the home of Bacardi and Don Q rums, but if visitors wish to bring back a truly premium spirit, they should search out Trigo Reserva Añeja, which comes in a hand-blown decanter with a wooden champagne-style cork. The rum is produced in small quantities and only a small portion ever makes it off the island.
One way to instantly bring back memories of a San Juan sojourn is to purchase specialty foods and spices sampled during a visit, to then be served at home. Spicy Caribbee is a store offering a wide range of island flavors and unusual products, including tropical jams made of mango, banana or guava and an intriguing pepper sauce whose main ingredient is passion fruit. Coffee freaks will want to try Alto Grande, often referred to as the "coffee of popes and kings." Alto Grande has been grown on the island since 1839 and is considered one of the premier coffees in the world. You can pick it up at Spicy Caribbee, as well as numerous shops in San Juan.
Shopping in Modern San Juan
The malls and shopping centers of San Juan have many of the same stores visitors would patronize in the states — from Lugano to Lacoste. Plaza Las Américas is a huge mall with over 200 shops where it's sometimes possible to get a better deal than you would get back home. Standouts include Banana Republic, Macy's, Hugo Boss, Victoria's Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch.
Mujica notes that Ashford Avenue in the Condado neighborhood is the street to frequent for famous name-brand boutiques such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Mont Blanc, Cartier, Salvatore Ferragamo and shops selling the most celebrated of Puerto Rico's home-grown designers.
All roads eventually lead home and Roehrbein has one more tip before visitors board their plane en route to the States. "The duty free deal for rum at the airport can't be beat," he says. "Four bottles per person — it must be because the rum distilleries are here."
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Monday, November 11, 2013

In Puerto Rico, but Unable to Leave New York Behind - NYT

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK

In Puerto Rico, but Unable to Leave New York Behind

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Published: November 8, 2013
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SAN JUAN, P.R. — It would have been easy to be fooled by the sun and sand, the tropical drinks and the men in bathing suits playing cards on the beach, and think that New York’s politicos were simply unwinding after a marathon election season.

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New top cop to bring NYPD tools to PR - By CB Online Staff | Amid Widespread Corruption, Puerto Rico Police Department Taps New Yorker As Next Chief - Published November 05, 2013 - Fox News Latino

New top cop to bring NYPD tools to PR

By CB Online Staff
cbnews@caribbeanbusinesspr.com; cbprdigital@gmail.com

Veteran New York City police officer James Tuller is expected to implement core parts of the Big Apple’s anti-crime strategies when he takes the reins of the Puerto Rico Police Department next month.
In announcing Tuller’s appointment, Gov. Alejandro García Padilla alluded to the “broken windows” theory that is credited with helping drive crime down dramatically in New York City over the past two decades.
The NYPD’s crackdown on misdemeanors to reduce overall crime — the foundation of the broken windows policy instituted in the early 1990s — was accompanied by declines in serious offenses including homicides, robberies, assaults and burglaries. The idea is that cracking down on small things reduces the culture of crime that sets the stage for bigger offenses. Recent research has spurred debate on its effectiveness.
Tuller, a 40-year veteran cop who is serving as the NYPD’s transportation bureau chief, has signaled he wants to plug Puerto Rico into CompStat, a system used by the NYPD for mapping crime, allocating resources and personnel, and improving quality of life. That system would arm the Puerto Rico Police Department, the second-largest in the nation behind the NYPD, with better technology.
Tuller’s appointment tightens ties between the island Police Department and the NYPD dating back to a training and collaborative partnership implemented by the previous administration of Gov. Luis Fortuño in 2010.
While the shape of Tuller’s anti-crime strategy will become clearer in the months ahead, what is clear is that plenty of attention will be paid to a sweeping overhaul of the Puerto Rico Police Department required by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Tuller holds a bacehelor’s degree in police science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and a master’s in public administration degree from Marist College. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy and attended the University of Virginia’s Division of Education Program in Criminal Justice.
Tuller, whose mother is Puerto Rican, was born and raised in New York and attended high school in Puerto Rico.
“I am convinced that his experience working with communities in a city as diverse as New York during the transformation of the NYPD makes him the ideal person for the police superintendent post,” García Padilla said earlier this month. “He is aware of the challenges ahead in boosting police morale and complying with the federal accord to professionalize the department and safeguard civil rights while continuing with our anti-crime plan.”
Tuller takes over from Héctor Pesquera, who resigned unexpectedly last week. Pesquera is leaving Nov. 15 and Tuller starts his new job Dec. 1.
Pesquera’s resignation came a day after federal and local officials announced the designation of U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos as technical compliance adviser (TCA) to oversee a sweeping reform of the island Police Department required in a recent settlement between the commonwealth government and the U.S. Department of Justice.
In July, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and García Padilla sealed a sweeping civil rights agreement to modernize and reform the Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD) that resolves a civil suit initiated by the federal government in December 2012 to remedy a pattern and practice of police misconduct.
Implementing those reforms will be key on Tuller’s agenda moving forward.

Amid Widespread Corruption, Puerto Rico Police Department Taps New Yorker As Next Chief


Fox News Latino
As Puerto Rico struggles with widespread corruption in its law enforcement ranks and a soaring violent crime rate, the island’s government is looking to the U.S.’s most well-known and heralded police departments for help.
Puerto Rico Gov. Alejandro García Padilla selected New York City Police Department chief of transportation James Tuller Cintrón as the new superintendent of the Puerto Rico Police Department.
Tuller, who was born in New York, lived in Puerto Rico as a child and has had a long law enforcement career in New York. He starts his job Dec. 1.
Tuller will replace Hectór Pesquera, a former FBI official who surprised many last Thursday when he resigned after less than two turbulent years on the job, where the department faced widespread allegations of corruption and excessive force.

SUMMARY
The Justice Department’s pledged in July  $10 million to the Puerto Rican government to combat police corruption, extrajudicial killings and civil rights violations, ending what had been two years of tense negotiations that focused on reforming the territory’s plagued law enforcement agency.
Secretary of State David Bernier acknowledged Thursday that Pesquera's resignation took him by surprise and he noted that recently he and the chief participated in a meeting with the U.S. Marshal for the District of New Jersey, Juan Mattos Jr., named to oversee the reform of the 18,000-member PRPD.
The resignation of Pesquera, who was named to the post in 2012 by then-Gov. Luis Fortuño when crime on the island was at an historic high, comes at a delicate moment for the Puerto Rico Police Department.
The second-largest police department in the United States is finding itself unable to halt the crime wave linked to drug trafficking and is facing a reform process demanded by the federal Justice Department to do away with corruption and the violation of civil rights on the part of some officers.
The Justice Department’s pledged in July $10 million to the Puerto Rican government to combat police corruption, extrajudicial killings and civil rights violations, ending what had been two years of tense negotiations that focused on reforming the territory’s plagued law enforcement agency.
The cash infusion follows a DOJ report, released in September 2011, which found evidence that the Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD) violated the Constitution and federal laws by using excess and unreasonable force, making unconstitutional stops, searches and arrests, and targeting individuals of Dominican descent, among other problems.
“The settlement and the additional resources we are announcing today underscore our determination to work closely with federal, local and tribal authorities to protect not only the safety of our people – but also the civil rights we hold dear,” U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said during a press conference.
Despite the praise the agreement received, some experts warned not to expect immediate results as the situation in the PRPD is seen as widespread and the Justice Department is giving the U.S. territory 10 years to implement all the changes outlined in the deal.
The 2011 Justice Department report stated that from January 2005 to November 2010, there were more than 1,709 arrests of PRPD officers, with the charges varying from theft and simple assault to rape, drug trafficking, and murder. Hundreds of other officers also engaged in domestic violence; many have been arrested multiple times for harming their partners.
“There are problems at all levels of the police: in its pay, its leadership, its training,” said Rafael Fantauzzi, the president of the National Puerto Rican Coalition. “It’s going to take a while for anything to happen, but this is a good first step for the new government.”
The Associated Press and Efe contributed to this report. 
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Military, civilian and legislative groups seek to honor Puerto Rican regiment - The Trentonian 10/11/13 22:22 from puerto rico - Google News | Film on Love and Gang War in Puerto Rico Is Coming to New York - New York Times - 1:23 PM 11/11/2013 | After the presentation by the Governor García Padilla, Tuller Cintron began his acceptance of the post with the phrase: "I am Puerto Rican and I'm a cop."

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11/11/13 13:29 from Top Stories - Google News
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10/11/13 23:01 from puerto rico - Google News
New York Times Film on Love and Gang War in Puerto Rico Is Coming to New York New York Times Soon, the buildings of Residencial Luis Lloréns Torres — Puerto Rico's largest public project — were covered with white primer, abruptly hal...

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10/11/13 22:22 from puerto rico - Google News
Military, civilian and legislative groups seek to honor Puerto Rican regiment The Trentonian Efforts across the country, including in Mercer County, have been organized to press Congress to bestow the Congressional Gold Medal for the pre...


James Tuller: el nuevo superintendente de la Policía - El Nuevo Día - 11/4/2013

James Tuller Cintrón se reúne con coronel Héctor Agosto

Por: NotiUno 07 de November de 2013 Noticias, Puerto Rico, Seguridad y Justicia, Último Minuto
James Tuller Cintrón se reúne con coronel Héctor Agosto
El coronel Hector Agosto junto al Superintendente James Tuller (Foto Suministrada por Fortaleza)
(Comunicado de Prensa)- El superintendente designado James Tuller Cintrón se reunió hoy en La Fortaleza con el coronel Héctor Agosto, director de la región sur de la Policía de Puerto Rico. El propósito del encuentro fue intercambiar impresiones toda vez que el coronel Agosto estará a cargo interinamente de la Policía a partir del 15 de noviembre hasta el 1 de diciembre cuando Tuller Cintrón asuma las riendas de la uniformada.

James Tuller nuevo superintendente de la Policía

4 noviembre, 2013 5:30 pm Por  3 Comments
james_tuller-300x300SAN JUAN: El gobernador Alejandro García Padilla  anunció hoy el nombramiento de James Tuller Cintrón,  jefe del Negociado de Transportación  de la Policía de Nueva York como nuevo superintendente de la Uniformada de Puerto Rico.
García Padilla efectuó el anuncio, luego de sostener una reunión con el equipo de coroneles de la Policía y el saliente superintendente Héctor Pesquera, en la que se repasó el plan anticrimen del gobierno, las áreas de atención inmediata y las estrategias delineadas para los días festivos que se avecinan.
“Es un placer presentarles hoy a James Tuller Cintrón como el próximo superintendente de la Policía. Tuller, viene con una amplia experiencia como policía en uno de los departamentos policíacos más importantes de Estados Unidos. Es un profesional, cuyos logros por mérito propio, le han permitido ascender hasta convertirse en el primer puertorriqueño e hispano en tener una posición de tres estrellas en el Departamento de la Policía de Nueva York”, destacó el gobernador.
“Además estoy convencido de que con su experiencia trabajando con comunidades en una ciudad tan diversa y durante la época de transformación de la Policía de Nueva York, lo convierten en la persona idónea para ocupar el puesto de superintendente. El conoce el reto que tiene por delante para levantar la moral de la policía, cumplir con el acuerdo establecido con el gobierno federal para profesionalizar ese cuerpo y garantizar la protección de los derechos civiles de la ciudadanía; al tiempo que se continúa con el plan de seguridad que hemos elaborado”, añadió el mandatario.
Luego de su presentación por el primer mandatario García Padilla, Tuller Cintron comenzó su aceptación del cargo con la frase “Soy puertorriqueño y soy policía”.  El nuevo superintendente  comenzará funciones el próximo 1ro de diciembre.
Conozcamos quien es el oficial Tuller Cintrón:
Fue nombrado miembro del Departamento de Policía de New York City Housing en noviembre de 1973. Comenzó su carrera en el área de Servicios Policíacos y Patrullas (PSA ). Tuller Cintrón tiene un excelente historial como uniformado: fue ascendido a sargento en agosto de 1983 , a teniente en diciembre de 1984 , capitán en diciembre de 1990 , Inspector Adjunto en  mayo de 1992; Subjefe en diciembre de 1994  y Director Asistente en julio de 1999 .
El nuevo superintendente  designado Tuller, posee un bachillerato en artes en ciencias policiales de la Universidad John Jay de Justicia Criminal , y una maestría  en administración pública de la Universidad Marista . Es también graduado de la Academia Nacional del FBI y asistió a la División de Programas en Justicia Criminal de la Universidad de Virginia.
Además es miembro de la Sociedad Hispana del Departamento de la Policía de Nueva York y miembro fundador del Instituto para la no-violencia Martin Luther King. Tuller Cintrón está casado con la puertorriqueña y expolicía Sonia Levette Burgos.
El nombramiento será enviado al Senado durante el receso legislativo, luego de que el designado culmine su proceso de acogerse al retiro en el Departamento de la Policía de la ciudad de Nueva York. A partir del 15 de noviembre fungirá como superintendente interino el coronel Héctor Agosto. 


After the presentation by the Governor García Padilla, Tuller Cintron began his acceptance of the post with the phrase: "I am Puerto Rican and I'm a cop."
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 » Puerto Rico conference draws top NY leadership
10/11/13 17:19 from 
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 1:23 PM 11/11/2013
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Saturday, November 9, 2013

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Dozens of New York leaders gathered Friday in Puerto Rico at a legislative conference to discuss Latino issues

Puerto Rico conference draws top NY leaders

November 9, 2013
Associated Press
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Dozens of New York leaders gathered Friday in Puerto Rico at a legislative conference to discuss Latino issues and meet with candidates vying for top political positions in the largest U.S. city.
Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio and Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito were among the 500 people attending the Somos El Futuro conference, an annual retreat for New York City and state Democratic leaders in the Puerto Rican capital of San Juan. A reception was held late Thursday for Mark-Viverito, one of several politicians seeking to become the next city council speaker.
Conference chairman and New York Assemblyman Felix Ortiz of Brooklyn said it was no coincidence that 122 elected officials and party powerbrokers were attending the event.
"Most of the people at the end of the day come to make the deals they think they can accomplish to get somewhere," he said. "That's the reason you see (Mayor-elect) de Blasio here. We can no longer continue to take our Hispanic vote for granted."
Gov. Andrew Cuomo did not attend, but de Blasio, the first Democrat to be elected mayor of New York City since 1989, spoke late Friday at the conference, indicating that diversity will be a priority as the new administration takes shape.
"We want to make sure that we have a government that looks like New York City, and that means a strong Latino representation," he said, stressing that it did not mean he was seeking a particular person as speaker and that it was too early for such conversations.
De Blasio also said that while he has mentioned two names in the search for a new police commissioner — Chief of Department Philip Banks and former commissioner Bill Bratton— nothing has been decided yet.
"That does not mean that's the end of the list," he said, adding that the vetting process has not begun and no interviews have taken place.
De Blasio also said he would reform stop-and-frisk policies amid concerns that minorities are unfairly targeted.
"There is no contradiction between keeping the city safe and respecting people's rights and civil liberties," he said.
Ortiz said he hopes the city reaches another milestone in January regarding the appointment of a new city council speaker.
"It should be someone of Hispanic descent," he said, noting that Hispanics represent 27 percent of New York City's population. "That will be another historic moment that we should not let pass by."
The conference also focused on social, political and economic issues, with Puerto Rico government officials seizing the opportunity to reassure people that the U.S. territory would not default on its debts amid concerns about its ongoing economic crisis.
The island is expected to soon enter its eighth year of recession as it faces $70 billion in public debt and a 13.9 percent unemployment rate, the highest compared with any U.S. state.
Eduardo Bhatia, president of the island's Senate, said the government is working hard to pay its debts.
"Puerto Rico has never been close to not paying its bonds," he said. "We have always honored the debt."
- See more at: http://www.lakeplacidnews.com/page/content.detail/id/405284/Puerto-Rico-conference-draws-top-NY-leaders.html?isap=1&nav=5068#sthash.V1G1rBU8.dpuf
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