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WORLD NEWSFriday 26 February 2016

US: Puerto Rico could shut down if no debt restructuring

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Weiss said he supports a file a bill to address Puerto than $1 billion in onerous delayed audited financial
— The U.S. Treasury Depart- plan that would temporar- Rico’s economic crisis. If and unsustainable emer- statements.
ment on Thursday warned ily suspend litigation to pre- debt negotiations fail, a gency liquidity actions.” “Congress is flying blind,”
of a potential government vent a shutdown of basic court-supervised structure Puerto Rico has struggled Rep. Jeff Duncan, a South
shutdown in Puerto Rico government services on would ensure what Weiss with a financial crisis for Carolina Republican, said
and lengthy litigation if the U.S. territory and give called an orderly resolution. nearly a decade and fac- during the hearing. “I don’t
Congress doesn’t approve time for voluntary negotia- He also said that an inde- es a $72 billion public debt believe we should take any
a debt restructuring plan tions with debt holders. pendent federal oversight load that the governor action.”
for the U.S. territory soon. The plan also would create board is needed if a debt has said is unpayable and The hearings were held on
Antonio Weiss, counselor to a voting mechanism to pre- restructuring plan is ap- needs restructuring. the same day the White
the U.S. Treasury secretary, vent a handful of officials proved. U.S. House Speaker Paul House announced it would
issued the warning as House from blocking a reasonable “There is no room for error Ryan has pledged action speed up access to near-
Republicans held hearings compromise, he said dur- in this economy,” he said. by end of March, although ly $400 million for public
in Washington during a final ing a hearing by the House “The government remains some legislators remain re- works projects in Puerto
push to address the island’s Committee on Natural Re- open only because the luctant, noting that Puerto Rico to help spur economic
failing economy. sources, which expects to governor authorized more Rico has not released long- development.q

Jamaican prime minister fights for her job amid tough times

In this photo, Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller attends a multilateral meeting at ment as she urged voters The Jamaican dollar has
the Caribbean Energy Security Summit at the State Department in Washington. Simpson Miller is to remain calm in a country declined, the cost of living
fighting to keep her job amid high crime and unemployment in the largest country in the English- that has seen election day has gone up and wages
speaking Caribbean. violence in the past. have been stagnant. The
“I want no intimidation. I IMF, however, has praised
(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) want no trouble. I want the government for cutting
everybody to go out and debt and making other re-
H. CAMPBELL in the largest English-speak- People’s National Party of cast their vote in peace,” forms to its economy and
Associated Press ing country in the Carib- Prime Minister Portia Simp- she said while voting in her the country’s stock market
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) bean. Voters in Jamaica son Miller and the opposi- Kingston constituency. was rated among the best
— The prime minister of Ja- were choosing a new Par- tion Jamaica Labor Party. There were long lines at performing in the world last
maica was fighting to keep liament and polls showed Simpson Miller predicted polling stations across the year. “It makes no sense
her job Thursday amid high it was likely to be a close her party would retain country. Police said arson- we stop the progress now,”
crime and unemployment race between the ruling power in the 21-seat Parlia- ists set fire to a polling sta- said 59-year-old voter Her-
tion in Hanover Parish on bert Hall. “We’ve made
the island’s northwest cor- a lot of progress with the
ner before dawn. Voting economy and develop-
was moved to another lo- ment. It would be chaos if
cation and no other major we change now.” The op-
incidents were reported. position, led by Andrew
Simpson Miller became the Holness, expected a far
country’s first female lead- better showing than in
er in 2006. That first term 2011, when it was swept
ended in 2007, but she re- out by a 2-1 margin. “You
turned as prime minister are going to see a far more
in 2011 amid a shrinking energized Jamaica Labor
economy and one of the Party base than in 2011 be-
highest levels of debt rela- cause our members have
tive to GDP in the world. been motivated by the is-
Her government negotiat- sues we have raised in our
ed a $930 million aid pack- campaign,” Holness said.
age with the IMF. q

French president suggests Argentina help with Syrian crisis

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina Hollande lauded Argen- those countries that can Beginning in the early 20th gration authorities. The pro-
(AP) — French President tina’s history of receiving help,” he added. century, Argentina took in gram gives humanitarian
Francois Hollande suggest- immigrants, mentioning Syr- As Hollande spoke, Macri thousands of Syrians and visas for two years and ap-
ed this week that Argentina ians and Lebanese who ar- didn’t make any notable Lebanese, waves of im- pears to have mostly been
could take in some of the rived in the South American facial expressions. The two migrants that continued used by Syrians with rela-
hundreds of thousands of nation decades ago. leaders then left. to come during times of tives in Argentina.
Syrians fleeing civil war. Then, without referring to It wasn’t clear if the two turmoil in the Middle East. Hollande, who is on a tour
The idea appeared to be Argentina by name, he had discussed the issue pri- Carlos Menem, who was of South America, planned
an off-the-cuff comment said through a translator vately or if Argentina was Argentine president in to attend a ceremony
during a news conference that “we must make an ef- contemplating taking in 1989-1999, was born to Syr- Thursday paying tribute
by Hollande and Argentine fort wherever we are” to some of the hundreds of ian parents. to victims of Argentina’s
President Mauricio Macri receive people in refugee thousands of Syrian’s who However, Argentina has 1976-1983 dictatorship. He
after they met privately camps in Jordan and Syria. have fled their country’s not received many Syrian also planned to meet with
and signed agreements on With necessary controls im- civil war. Receiving refu- refugees in recent years. Estela de Carlotto, head
issues ranging from fighting plemented, refugees could gees was not one of the Since 2014, about 200 have of the human rights group
terrorism to increasing cul- be received in places with agreements the two lead- come in under “Program Grandmothers of Plaza de
tural exchanges. “existing communities from ers mentioned. Syria,” according to immi- Mayo. q