‘No room for xenophobia’: Governor defends investors from outside PR

By THE STAR STAFF

Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia had sharp words on Tuesday for those who he said promote an anti-foreign discourse so that foreigners do not invest in buying property or establishing businesses in Puerto Rico.

“Some people, what they do is criticize that people come from outside Puerto Rico to invest in Puerto Rico, including to rent properties,” the governor said at a news conference. “To those I say that in Puerto Rico there is no room for xenophobia. That we can’t be saying if you weren’t born here and you’re not from here you’re not welcome. The moment that happens in Puerto Rico, it is the beginning of the end.”

“Our border has to be open and whoever wants to come here to Puerto Rico to reside and invest here within the law, is more than welcome,” he added. “To [have] this kind of xenophobic and racist attitude is out of place.”

Pierluisi was referring to complaints made by residents of several communities, such as Loíza Street in San Juan, that people from outside the community have monopolized the purchase of properties to convert them into short-term rentals.

The governor said he favors the regulation of this rental model and that several bills in the Legislature are aimed at regulating that type of business.

Pierluisi made his remarks after concluding a meeting with members of his economic cabinet.

Man kills woman on the street in Cataño, then takes his own life

By JOHN McPHAUL jpmcphaul@gmail.com

Days after the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics held the First Symposium on Gender Violence Statistics in Puerto Rico, a murder-suicide was reported at 8 a.m. Tuesday at a mini grocery store in Barrio Palma in the Cucharilla Sector of Cataño.

The killing was allegedly carried out by a man who shot a woman before taking his own life, police said.

According to the police, the incident began on the premises of a supermarket where allegedly an argument broke out and then shots were heard. The woman died on the pavement after being shot by the man, who has not yet been identified and who police said was violating a protection order.

Police said that after the slaying, the man entered the business and took his own life.

The case is being treated as a domestic violence incident under the purview of Law 54.

Late last week, in the aforementioned symposium, health and statistical perspective topics of major relevance were addressed, such as the importance of the health perspective when analyzing violence, “safe kits” and help for victims of rape, domestic violence rates in Puerto Rico, the processing of protection orders, other manifestations of gender-based violence, and risky behaviors in high school students, among others.

Statistics Institute Executive Director Dr. Orville M. Disdier Flores said the symposium was of great importance for the institute and for society in general since it was a forum that deepened the empirical evidence and offered key information that can contribute to the prevention and eradication of gender violence in Puerto Rico.

“From the Institute we emphasize the importance of continuing to provide data and statistics that allow us to continue developing strategies that help the economic and social development of Puerto Rico, and to build a healthy society both physically and mentally,” Disdier said.

The Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics is an executive branch government entity, with fiscal and administrative autonomy, whose main purpose is to ensure that Puerto Rico has complete, reliable statistics and quick and universal access. More information can be found at its website: www.estadisticas.pr.; and on social networks through Facebook (@estadisticas.pr),