PAGES

• Blog
  • Recent Posts Review
• Contact
• Links
• Mike Nova’s Shared NewsLinks
• News Blogs from mikenova
• Opinions – En Pocas Palabras
  • On “Fishy Poder” And Its Discontents – En Poder “Fishy, Muy Sospechoso” Y Sus Descontentos
• Posts on G+
• Puerto Rico – Google News
• Puerto Rico News Review 
  • DSP Noticias – Twitter Search
  • El Nuevo Dia – Twitter Search
  • Governor – La Fortalezza, PR
  • Localities: Ponce – “LaPerlaPR” Twitter Search
  • Puerto Rico Business News Review
  • Puerto Rico Main News
    • Saved Stories – Puerto Rico Main News
  • Puerto Rico News on Twitter Search from mikenova
  • Puerto Rico News Review In Brief | Links – Front Page | 4:06 PM 1/29/2018 – The Puerto Rico News and Times
  • Puerto Rico News Review in Spanish
    • Noticias de Puerto Rico – Google News
  • Puerto Rico on Twitter – Twitter Search / lgbtpr
  • Selected Articles – Puerto Rico News Review
  • Video News In Spanish – Video Noticias en Español
  • Videos – Puerto Rico News
• Puerto Rico Politics
• Rebuilding Puerto Rico
  • Communications
  • Puerto Rico Electricity
  • Puerto Rico Water
    • Water Wars: Does PRASA discriminate against English speakers?
• Saved Stories
• The World Web News

________________________________________

This Crisis Is Political!

This Is The Crisis Of Both The Political And The Police Leaderships in Puerto Rico.

This “Crisis” is rooted in the incompetent and corrupt political leadership, and the “Police Crisis” is only the reflection of this political crisis. 
The problem is that the current Puerto Rico political leadership, regardless of the party affiliations, appears to be as always, utterly corrupt and incompetent. 
Si, y esa es la verdad, “comrade Rosello“! 
“Governor Ricardo Rosselló had referred to the Department of Justice and the Comptroller’s Office allegations of alleged acts of corruption by Encarnación because allegedly electric generators were sold in ASG and the payment was made through checks in his name.” 
The speeches in Madrid (which appears to be the popular destination for this type of pronouncements), by the former governor A.G. Padilla several years ago, and most recently, by Pedro Rosello on the “colonial and imperial” powers of the US, accompanied by the San Juan mayor’s colorful appearances, and on the same dubious subject, are the indicators of the certain moods, sentiments, and thinking among the Purto Rico ruling political elites. The divide appears to be in the pro and anti-US lines, rather than party and other affiliated lines, and although the scale of the public opinion moved decidedly in the pro-US, the statehood, and the further cultural and economic assimilation and integration directions, very significant differences remain. 
Puerto Rico cannot be transformed into the state as by a switch in the current circumstances. The federal monitors, who have the advisory but not the executive powers, have a formidable task to straighten the quite problematic Island’s Police Force and their perpetually and incorrigibly crooked ways. 
The solution is to introduce the

DIRECT CONGRESSIONAL RULE

in Puerto Rico, and dismantle ALL vestiges of the old, nationalist, resisting, incompetent, corrupt, rotten local power structures during the interim period of transition to statehood. These structures are deeply treacherous to American people, they are filled with envy, hatreds, and resentments. They suffocate reforms and their progress because they are afraid to lose the last remnants of their powers, or rather the illusions of these powers. 
Not only Col. Claudio, but we all, the true friends and supporters of Puerto Rico, are “monitors”, and he is our eyes, ears, analytical brain, and the voice. So you better respect him, as he should be respected, dear “Comrade Governor”. Or the “Comrade Policeman-In-Chief”?
“I am the governor of Puerto Rico and I am the commander in chief of the Police”, said the Governor. “Rosselló asume la responsabilidad”, reported El Vocero. 

The responsibility is all yours, Governor. 

Jorge Rodriguez put it quite well: 
“For the last 30 years, the Puerto Rican government has been completely inept at handling regular societal needs, so I just don’t see it functioning in a crisis like this one. Even before the hurricane hit, water and power systems were already broken. And our $118 billion debt crisis is a result of government corruption and mismanagement… 
I won’t allow my people to work with the local government. I have a message for the U.S. Congress: Watch out what relief funds you approve and let our local government handle.

Don’t let the Puerto Rican government play the victim and fool you.

They have no clue what they are doing, and I worry that they will mishandle anything that comes their way.” 
Puerto Rico is in the midst of many “public insecurities”, and the “Police Leadership Crisis” or “Pesquera crisis or affair” (around his authority, powers, and the newly created department) is just one, and maybe the most visible among them now. (No puns or pins of any kind intended!) It is somewhat tempting to call it a “fishy crisis”. The “fishy part” is, that it is all about “poder”: “partisan politics remain a key factor in promotions that take place within the agency”, and about the local political elites stretching their Insular nationalistic rubber band as the matter of the political exercise, show, and the customs and the traditions of the “banana republic” with American air conditioning, and with the bills habitually unpaid. 
“Claudio points in his report to Gelpí, who in charge of overseeing the implementation of the reform, that [he – ?] is “regularly” excluded from the discussions related to the implementation of law 20, which consolidated seven security and emergency agencies under the umbrella of the new DPS.
Claudio explains that problems with promotions and transfers without explanation, questionable practices in the payment of overtime and “failures to take action against officers with dubious disciplinary ” continue.
In fact, Claudio pointed directly to Pesquera in another report…” 
With all this, out of the basic fairness and on the basis of my own personal observations, I must say that the level of the public safety in San Juan appears to be adequate, months after the Hurricane Maria, and the authorities and PR police force deserve a certain credit for this.
However, some of their problematic behaviors described elsewhere (e.g. with sick leaves, etc.), and most importantly, the disturbing statistics indicating the increases in homicide, suicide, and robbery rates, tell us that this is a very real crisis indeed. And the lack of clarity in the lines of authority within the Police Department, as pointed out by Mr. Claudio, with the persistent favoritism, certainly does not contribute to the efficiency of their work, besides the important legal and management aspects and other questions, including the issue of politicization, that was raised. 
As of now, it is difficult to evaluate the wisdom of consolidating the various services into the newly created Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety, and this wisdom should be judged according to the measured and assessed outcomes of this administrative move. The risks are becoming evident now, as they are illustrated and documented in Mr. Claudio’s Report presented to Judge Gelpi. 
Political Legitimacy may be viewed in its dynamic aspects and dimensions: “as a reservoir: so long as the water is at a given level, political stability is maintained, if it falls below the required level, political legitimacy is endangered.”
PRASA, take a note of this observation too, and fix your faulty and the stuck-up water meters, already! Let the waters flow, wherever they may… Let the chips fall, wherever they may. All fish, large and small, should go into the ocean. Below the dangerous levels. Otherwise, it will start smelling fishy, with the so fashionable these days, “caudillo – camarilla” accents and scents, and you might mismanage the levers of public discontents and will cause the Great Puerto Rican Soviet Socialist Revolution! But the government monopolies are particularly dumb, deaf, and dysfunctional, so do not expect them to understand, and just watch your water meters. 
And, speaking of fishy “poder” and its illusions (“poder muy sospechoso” might be the more precise term and notion), there is another important and interesting player here, the FBI. See a recent post on this somewhat sick subject (of “COINTELPRO“), and on the FBI in Puerto Rico. This is a sad and the separate story and history. There is no doubt, that all these “fishy and muy sospechoso poders” will be watched very closely. 
How is all of this relevant to our subject, someone might ask. Everything is relevant and everything is important when you try to understand this historical Puerto Rican Crisis of 2017 – 2018 in its true perspectives, dimensions, and proportions. 
Michael Novakhov 
2/23/2018

Los piratas desventurados de Puerto Rico, ¡no robarás!

The Hapless Pirates of Puerto Rico

Opinion

“Puerto Rico is a corrupt government problem.” – Twitter and Google Searches – 7:42 AM 2/21/2018 
 

____________________________

Opinion

The Hapless Pirates of Puerto Rico

“THE BIGGEST LESSON OF PUERTO RICO’S BANKRUPTCY” IN MY OPINION, IS: “THOU SHALT NOT STEAL”! THE “PUERTO RICAN SOCIALISM” CAME TO ITS END. – BY MICHAEL NOVAKHOV

Los piratas desventurados de Puerto Rico, ¡no robarás!

The Hapless Pirates of Puerto Rico, “Thou Shalt Not Steal”!

(And especially when you get caught so easily.)

Opinion – By Michael Novakhov

Whatever the causes and the reasons are, and whoever is “at fault”: “greedy bankers” or the saboteurs (as hypothetically possible in the recent blackout of 2.11.18), I think it becomes obvious to everyone willing to keep their eyes open, that 

The “Puerto Rican Socialism” came to its end.

It is amazing (0r maybe not amazing at all, but logical and customary in the post-Obama, transitional world), that the “Voice of America” and the “World Socialist Web Site” sing in the unison, and they name the most likely culprits: “Neglect, Corruption, and the “years of Mismanagement”. I put these words in the capital letters, because they sound like the cardinal sins in today’s America and everywhere, and rightly so. 

The “Puerto Rican Socialism” went properly and irreversibly bankrupt.

And now the Islanders face the task of the economic and political reconceptualizations, and rebuildings, which are many and in many areas, including the mentality and psychology, which might be the toughest to change. 

Thou shalt not steal!

This old one shines the first among the new ways and solutions. 
This dictum does have the direct connection with the present situation: do we know, what amount of electricity had been and still is stolen, in many ways, tricks, and modes, by those who feel that they are entitled to it, and are not willing to pay for it? 
Was this question even asked? (“Oh, it is so embarrassing…”) 
Shouldn’t we try to ask and answer these “Preguntas inconvenientes (Inconvenient Questions)” also, among the others?
Dr. Marxuach, what do you think about it? 
__________________________
 Michael Novakhov – 12:57 PM 2/20/2018 

“Crisis” in Police leadership | El Nuevo Día

mikenova shared this story . The most recent report prepared by Arnaldo Claudio, technical compliance advisor (TCA) of the police reform, brings warnings outlined by several experts, including him and former superintendent Michelle Hernández Fraley, regarding the impact that the Department of Public Security (DPS), created last year and headed by Héctor Pesquera, has on the police chain of command. “The most persistent challenge in the reform is its current leadership crisis and the implementation of Law 20 (which created the DPS). The crisis has created great uncertainty in all areas of the police, “says part of the report that Claudio submitted to federal judge Gustavo Gelpi on Monday. In his report, Claudio argues that this “chaos” affects all personnel “and public safety in Puerto Rico” in very specific aspects such as the lack of police officers during the festive season. “It is not open to discussion that the Police Commissioner does not have direct authority and the total command of the operations of the Police, as required in the agreement (of the reform),” says the report on the changes to which the government of Puerto Rico committed itself after a federal Justice Department’s lawsuit for civil rights violations by the Police, including the period when Pesquera was superintendent. Claudio points in his report to Gelpí, who in charge of overseeing the implementation of the reform, that is is “regularly” excluded from the discussions related to the implementation of law 20, which consolidated seven security and emergency agencies under the umbrella of the new DPS. Claudio explains that problems with promotions and transfers without explanation, questionable practices in the payment of overtime and “failures to take action against officers with dubious disciplinary ” continue. In fact, Claudio pointed directly to Pesquera in another report that has to do with the way in which the Police handled demonstrations on April 18 and April 27 at the Capitol; on April 25 against the Center for Puerto Rico, in Río Piedras, and on May 1, at the end of the general strike in Hato Rey. According to Claudio, Pesquera violated the DSP law when he gave instructions to high-ranking police officers on May 1, without being confirmed by the Senate, which happened eight days later. On May 1 there were confrontations between protesters and the police. Claudio argues that Pesquera and Alfonso Orona, the governor’s chief legal adviser, arrived that day at the Headquarters. Claudio´s report says that Pesquera told a high-ranking officer”Defuse that,” when he entrusted him with the mission of removing the protesters from the Luis Muñoz Marín international airpo

Links – PR – 2.23.18

• “Crisis” in Police leadership | El Nuevo Día
• Federal Monitor Says Police Promotions Are Still Politically Motivated – Caribbean Business
• El Nuevo Día: 2018-02-22 – Monitor federal critica – Google Search
• Trump’s National Security Advisor challenged over human rights record – Univision
• 6th TCA report – Puerto Rico Police Reform(to June 9, 2017) | Treaty | Use Of Force
• DIRECT CONGRESSIONAL RULE for puerto rico – Google Search
• ARNALDO CLAUDIO POLICE MONITOR – Google Search
• Col (Rt) Arnaldo Claudio – Google Search
• 7th TCA report – Puerto Rico Police Reform – Google Search
• report by Arnaldo Claudio tca 2018 – Google Search
• report that Claudio submitted to federal judge Gustavo Gelpi – Google Search
• monitor federal critica la linea de mando policial – Google Search
• monitor federal critica la linea de mando policial el nuevo dia – Google Search
• report Arnaldo Claudio Claudio judge Gustavo Gelpi 2018 – Google Search
• what are the main problems of puerto rico – Google Search
• incompetent and corrupt political leadership of Puerto Rico – Google Search
• Ricardo Rosselló – Google Search
• Rosello – Google Search

PR – 2.22.18

Douglas Leff fbi – Google Search

Héctor Pesquera – Google Search

Acting Commissioner of the Police, Henry Escalera – Google Search

1.9.18 – TODAYonline | Puerto Rico police chief says asked to resign by governor

The Hapless Pirates of Puerto Rico – Google Search

English Version | El Nuevo Día

Google Translate

Roberto Cofresí – Wikipedia

puerto rican pirate flag – Google Search

puerto rican pirate flag – Google Search

Roberto Cofresí in popular culture – Wikipedia

2.22.18 – puerto rico – YouTube

Puerto Rico is a corrupt government problem – Google Search

Puerto Rico is a corrupt government problem – Google Search

puerto rican pirate flag – Google Search

Google Translate

PR – 2.21.18

Puerto Rico is a corrupt government problem – Google Search

trump state of the union 2018 – Google Search

PR – 2.20.18

February 20, 2018 | The Puerto Rico News & Times

7:08 AM 2/20/2018 – Rick Scott pide al FBI que revele su fallida gestión contra Nikolas Cruz | Five Months After Maria, San Juan Mayor Decries ‘Disaster Capitalism’ & Privatization in Puerto Rico | The Puerto Rico News & Times

6:35 AM 2/20/2018 – Puerto Rico’s Population after Hurricane Maria – Puerto Rico Report | Federal Judge Approves $300 Million Loan for Puerto Rico Utility – Wall Street Journal | The Puerto Rico News & Times

5:56 AM 2/20/2018 – Aumento al pago estudiantil | Las “Visiones de la Tierra” del brasileño Luis Pablo Montenegro, en Madrid | The Chamber will analyze the lack of property titles | The Puerto Rico News & Times

3:41 AM 2/20/2018 – Why does restoring full power in Puerto Rico seem like a never-ending task? | Puerto Rico to slash energy reserves amid cash shortfall – The Washington Post | The Puerto Rico News & Times

Why does restoring full power in Puerto Rico seem like a never-ending task? – NBC News

Puerto Rico to slash energy reserves amid cash shortfall – The Washington Post

Puerto Rico rescue dog goes nuts first time he sees snow | Fox News

Groups demand recovery money for Puerto Rico – Connecticut Post

Iberia aumentará vuelos a Puerto Rico

De luto el gobierno de Puerto Rico tras mortal tiroteo en Florida | El Nuevo Día

2.11.18 – Explosión causa apagón masivo en Puerto Rico | CNN

La Cámara analizará la falta de títulos de propiedad | El Nuevo Día

Aumento al pago estudiantil | El Nuevo Día

Puerto Ricos Population after Hurricane Maria – Google Search

HURRICANE MARIA: Puerto Rico’s grid recovery, by the numbers — Tuesday, February 20, 2018 — www.eenews.net

Puerto Rico’s electric grid recovery map – Google Search

HURRICANE MARIA: Trump admin takes over Puerto Rico grid recovery — Friday, September 29, 2017 — www.eenews.net

Puerto Rico’s electric grid recovery map – Google Search

puerto rico power outage map today – Google Search

economist marxuach puerto rico – Google Search

PUERTO RICAN SOCIALISM – Google Search

11.30.18 – Neglect, Corruption Left Puerto Rico’s Power Grid Ripe for Failure, Observers Say

Thou shall not steal! – Google Search

Puerto Rico utility gets $300 million after truce with creditors

_____________________________