Borinquen MadeDated notes on Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico news: economy and politics
This desk gathers dated notes on the economy and politics of Puerto Rico, taken from named outlets. It is not the magazine's historical archive. Each note cites its outlet. It is not original reporting.
A dated, sourced desk. Each note names its outlet. It is not original reporting. Figures are those the source published. If sources disagree, both layers are left in place.
OIG: el grant FEMA a PREPA y los contratos Whitefish y Cobra no cumplieron del todo las reglas
Peg 27 jul 2020. OIG-20-57: Whitefish procurement OK pero costos pueden no ser reasonable; oversight Cobra deficiente; FEMA PA a PREPA incompleto. Cobra: obligación inicial $200 million, luego ~$945 million; >$800 million reembolsados oct 2018. Cousin 1001.
HUD extends CDBG-DR deadlines for COVID: one more year to spend 2015–2017 funds
Jul 25, 2020. Federal Register notice FR-2020-17886 — deadline relief, not new money.
HUD asigna $8.285 billion CDBG-MIT a Puerto Rico con condiciones extra de control
25 jul 2020 (peg 27 ene / applicability 3 feb 2020). FR-6109-N-04: $8,285,284,000 MIT; MID=toda la isla; FOMB/DRGR/Disaster Relief Account. Allocated ≠ obligated ≠ disbursed.
Health bought at a markup from a contact referred by the National Guard
National Guard disbursed $4.3 million in emergency purchases; CPI links an intermediary pattern and a Board document demand.
FOMB certifies FY21 consolidated budget of $22.229 billion
General Fund $10.045 billion, special revenues $3.286 billion and federal $8.897 billion; fiscal plan of May 27, 2020.
Board certifies PREPA’s 2020 Fiscal Plan: LUMA, debt and 2021 deficit
June 29, 2020. Legacy ~$9 billion / pension >$4.9 billion; LUMA T&D; FY2020 surplus $153 million; FY2021 deficit $132 million from operator fee.
Board submits a $10 billion General Fund budget for FY2021
Jaresko postpones COVID-19 adjustments; $675 million in technology and health; estimated consolidated total $22.2 billion.
Préstamos federales a negocios: extienden al 2 de julio el plazo por los terremotos en Puerto Rico
Aviso 11 jun 2020. Hasta $2 million negocios; EIDL hasta 16 oct 2020. Disponible ≠ desembolsado ≠ hurto.
Treasury mantiene el hub del Coronavirus Relief Fund de $150 billion con territorios elegibles incluyendo Puerto Rico
Peg 4 jun 2020 = mid-program CRF (CARES). Primaria home.treasury.gov CRF hub: Fund $150 billion; payments a States, local elegible, DC, territorios (PR nombrado), Tribal. Usos CARES; reporting en el estante. No inventa cambio de regla el 4 jun. Allocated ≠ obligated ≠ disbursed ≠ theft.
CPI: the scheme to sell COVID-19 tests
More than $40 million and 1.1 million rapid tests via intermediaries; three failed purchases; little more than 10,000 reached patients.
Board certifies the Commonwealth’s 2020 Fiscal Plan amid the pandemic
May 27, 2020. $787 million COVID package; $400 million Hacienda advance; municipal liquidity up to $185 million. Fiscal plan ≠ PoA.
The Board will not cut money to municipalities for the coming year
JSF keeps Central Government transfers to municipalities at $132 million amid COVID-19 and the January earthquakes.
Préstamos federales a negocios: el plazo por los terremotos en Puerto Rico queda en el 31 de mayo
Peg 12 may 2020. PR-16253: physical deadline May 31; EIDL Oct 16; topes hasta $2 million negocios — préstamo ≠ grant ≠ hurto.
Informe del Congreso: la ley de alivio por pandemia sube el porcentaje federal de Medicaid y Puerto Rico pasa a 88.20
2020-05-07. Porcentaje federal Medicaid FY2020 50%–77%; alivio pandemia +6.2 pts desde 1 ene 2020; territorios: PR regular 76.00 → con alivio 88.20. Cousin 1294.
Informe del Congreso explica el alza temporal de Medicaid en recesión; Puerto Rico entre los territorios con tope federal y tasa de match más alta
Peg 7 may 2020. CRS R46346: FFCRA +6.2 puntos FMAP desde 1 ene 2020; PR base 76% + bump; additional funding territorial $3.0→$3.1 billion FY2020. Cap/FMAP ≠ desembolso ≠ hurto.
Portal federal de gastos: el award de Asistencia Pública por COVID en Puerto Rico marca $161.0 million obligados
Peg date_signed 7 may 2020. FAIN 4493DRPRP00000001: ~$161.0 million obligated; ~$14.4 million outlay — obligado/outlay ≠ hurto.
OIG: FEMA no aseguró controles de PRASA sobre fondos de Public Assistance
9 abr 2020. Primaria OIG-20-24: auditoría de capacidad sobre grants FEMA PA a la Autoridad de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (PRASA). Hallazgos de equipo force account y certificados de elegibilidad de vendors; dos recomendaciones. Obligado ≠ desembolsado ≠ robo.
Inspectores federales hallan fallas de control en Transportación y Obras Públicas con unos $390 million ya obligados
Peg 9 abr 2020. OIG-20-25: $390.1 million obligados a DTOP (8 PWs al 14 dic 2018); grants management, procurement y Force Account Labor débiles — risk ≠ theft; obligated ≠ disbursed.
Inspectores federales: Educación atrasó trabajo de emergencia y solo retiró 5 % de unos $304 million
Peg 9 abr 2020. OIG-20-26: $321.6 million PA obligados a PRDE (17 PWs); $15.5 million drawn de ~$304 million Cat A/B — delay ≠ hurto; escuelas unsafe ≠ condena.
El CRS explica la ayuda fiscal estatal y local del CARES Act durante COVID-19
Peg 6 abr 2020 (board). Primera pub CRS R46298 ~1 abr 2020 (ventana Apr 1, 2020–Feb 8, 2021) — sin markup inventado del 6 abr. CRF $150 billion: $139B estados (mín $1.25B), $8B tribal, $3B territorios (DC y PR); Table 2 PR $2.241B. CRS ≠ appropriation ≠ disbursement. Allocated ≠ obligated ≠ disbursed ≠ theft.