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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 7 March 2018

Puerto Rico governor to reduce taxes, increase salaries

By DANICA COTO terrain and a lack of sup-
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico plies and that it is moving
(AP) — Puerto Rico's gov- as quickly as it can.
ernor pledged Monday to During his address, the gov-
reduce taxes, raise pay for ernor recognized the wid-
police officers and imple- ow of one of two police of-
ment work requirements ficers who died during the
for those on welfare to help hurricane and a man who
the U.S. territory recover welcomed 47 neighbors
from Hurricane Maria amid seeking shelter inside his
the island's 11-year-old home, along with 30 pets.
economic crisis. Rossello said his administra-
The annual address by tion has to learn how to bet-
Gov. Ricardo Rossello last- ter channel help from the
ed more than an hour and private sector so it reaches
focused on crime, housing, hurricane survivors quick-
labor, health and energy er. And he said the death
as anger and frustration count after the hurricane
grows across the island of should have been more
3.3 million people over an effective and accurate.
increase in crime and what He recently announced
many believe are slow that experts at George
hurricane-recovery efforts. Washington University are
More than 15 percent of Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello speaks during a news conference in Washington. Rossello said reviewing all deaths amid
Monday, March 5, 018, during his annual address that he will reduce taxes, increase the salaries
power customers remain in of police officers and implement work requirements for those on welfare. criticism that the official toll
the dark nearly six months (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) of 64 victims was extremely
after the Category 4 storm, low.
and the Atlantic hurricane had to depend on the U.S. which is $9 billion in debt. who represents a munici- The governor recognized
season begins in less than Army Corps of Engineers "We've stumbled greatly in pality south of the capital the spike in violent crime
three months. to help restore power be- this assignment," said Ros- placed a sign on his desk during his address, saying
Rossello announced he cause of the government's sello, who has repeatedly that read, "Caguas wants he would reassign officers
would reduce a sales-and- fiscal crisis and the lack of criticized the Corps' work power." and consolidate police sta-
use tax for processed food money at the Puerto Rico pace. The Corps has said that it is tions to fight an increase in
from 11.5 percent to 7 per- Electric Power Authority, As he spoke, one legislator dealing in part with rough killings. q
cent as well as lower taxes
on individuals and corpora-
tions. He said he also plans Cuba condemns US cuts to embassy over ‘attacks'
to help secure property
deeds for hurricane victims HAVANA (AP) — A senior safety of diplomats. U.S. citizens. U.S. investiga- some with serious and on-
who didn't have them and Cuban official on Monday He told reporters that the tors have not determined going symptoms. Secretary
as a result could not obtain condemned Washington's cuts would hurt consular a cause and Cuba denies Tillerson had to protect his
federal funding to repair decision to make the with- services and make travel any wrongdoing. staff by limiting our work at
their homes after the storm drawal of 60 percent of the more difficult for ordinary A State Department the U.S. Embassy in Havana
caused more than $100 bil- U.S. Embassy staff perma- citizens. He said it might spokeswoman, Heather to emergency services,"
lion in damage. nent in response to mys- also erode long-standing Nauert, called the Cuban she said.
"It's been a year of intense terious ailments affecting cooperation on migration. complaint "ridiculous." "While our investigation is
work, overcoming great American diplomats. The State Department "Let's remind Cuba: They ongoing, rather than find
challenges and difficulties," Carlos Fernandez de Cos- made the cuts permanent are obligated under the excuses, Cuba should fo-
Rossello said. "We all have sio, the new director of U.S. last week. Vienna Convention to pro- cus on helping to locate
lessons to learn from this issues at the foreign minis- It initially scaled back staff tect our diplomats. It is very who or what is responsible
hurricane experience with try, said the decision was in October in response to serious that 24 of our U.S. for the harm caused to
no precedence." motivated by politics and hearing loss and other ail- government colleagues American citizens," Nauert
He said his administration
had nothing to do with the ments affecting at least 24 suffered health attacks, added.q