CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PUERTO RICO RESIDENT COMMISSIONER
LUIS G. FORTUÑO

SAN JUAN, P.R. – Puerto Rico’s Resident Commissioner, Luis Fortuño, today alerted the public about the potential loss of $6 million in federal funds, available under U.S. Department of Homeland Security programs, and intended to ensure public safety on the Island. The funds – which remain unused from fiscal years 2003, 2004 and 2005 – are administered by the Governor’s Public Safety Office in La Fortaleza and could be used, among other things, to purchase equipment for medical emergencies, to set up temporary police checkpoints, to establish neighborhood watch groups, and to help prevent terrorist attacks. Pursuant to federal law, the purpose of these funds is to provide mayors and police departments on the Island with adequate resources to respond to emergency situations and to guarantee public safety.

“Yet again we are witnessing the state government’s inability to manage and disseminate public funds, and at the very moment when we have seen the number of homicides increase by 80 over the number of homicides at the same time last year,” said the Resident Commissioner, who noted that, “in this particular case, it is the mayors who are the hardest hit because public safety in their municipalities continues to deteriorate while La Fortaleza takes its time to evaluate, approve and distribute the funds.” Fortuño explained that, of the funds assigned to Puerto Rico for fiscal year 2005, there remains an unused balance of $4.5 million, which risks being lost if it is not spent. In addition, the unused balance for fiscal year 2003 is $740,000 and for fiscal year 2004 it is $263,000.

Since the establishment of these federal programs, the mayors have always had to fight to access these funds, which were previously administered by the Puerto Rico Department of Justice and later become the responsibility of the Governor’s Public Safety Office. “Both agencies have done everything they can to hinder the flow of these funds in contravention of the law’s mandate and purpose,” the Resident Commissioner said.

According to federal law, 80% of these funds should flow directly to municipalities and those agencies that respond directly to security emergencies.  Based on the premise that such agencies include the Puerto Rico Police Department and Emergency Medical Services, the state government sought increased access to these funds. “In 2007, based on a petition by the Puerto Rico Police Department, I was able to ensure that 50% of these funds remained in the hands of the central government.  But despite my efforts, these funds continue to be held up and, as a result, neither the security agencies nor the muncipalities are maximizing the potential use of these funds,” concluded the Resident Commissioner.

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