Puerto Rico Infrastructure Given a Near-failing Grade
In its first evaluation of the Island’s bridges, roads, energy generation, and other elements, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave Puerto Rico’s infrastructure a grade of D- on its first Report Card for Puerto Rico’s Infrastructure. Of the eight areas scored, three—bridges, dams, and waste water—did best, obtaining scores of D+. Energy was graded F, or “Failing/Critical, Unfit for Purpose”. 

Even so, the report noted that Puerto Rico’s infrastructure can be fixed. Its recommendations included increasing the resiliency of the Island’s infrastructure, establishing an infrastructure plan “with a wide variety of stakeholders and experts in the field,” creating “comprehensive and consistent maintenance programs and databases,” and improving and increasing expertise at the agencies that own and operate infrastructure. Achieving this, the report states, would require an increased investment of $1.23 billion to $2.3 billion annually.

Legislature has until January to Vote on PREPA RSA
According to Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority’s (PREPA) executive director, José Ortiz, Puerto Rican lawmakers will have until January 14, 2020 to vote on PREPA’s Restructuring Support Agreement.

Ortiz is in conversations with New Progressive Party (NPP) lawmakers, who have expressed concerns about the impact of restarting payments on the public corporation’s $9 billion debt, which had been placed on hold since PROMESA became law. 

Both the Electrical Industry and Irrigation Workers Union (UTIER, in Spanish) and Tomás Torres Placa, who represents consumer interests on PREPA’s board, have commissioned studies regarding the increase of up to 47% that could result from adopting the RSA. 

Civil Code Bill Amended
The proposed Puerto Rico Civil Code, the subject of much criticism—including from Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), who last Tuesday called on lawmakers to reject the bill—has been amended, eliminating some of the most controversial elements. 

Among the changes is language granting “essential rights” to the unborn, considered by some to be an attempt to ban abortion. While cloning will remain banned, similar prohibitions to practices tied to eugenics, such as attempts to pre-select a person’s genetic qualities like gender, have been eliminated.

One of the unchanged elements, which has raised concerns in Puerto Rico’s trans community, involves language prohibiting changes to Puerto Ricans’ birth certificate to correct one’s gender; while people will be able to petition the court to add marginal details to the document, they will not be able to change their designated gender. 

The Civil Code bill was originally slated to be brought to a vote last Wednesday. The vote will now be on January. 

PR Health Department: 50% of Puerto Ricans Live with Chronic Illnesses.
Half of the people in Puerto Rico live with one or more chronic illnesses, Puerto Rico Secretary of Health Rafael Rodríguez announced. Additionally, seven out of the ten chief causes of death in Puerto Rico occur due to chronic illnesses. “This is deeply troubling, because this type of condition also represents the chief cause of disability and death in the United States and Puerto Rico,” Rodríguez wrote, in a press release. He also stated that socio-economic factors can affect a person’s health by up to 50% percent.

Link to Article.