Governor Pedro Pierluisi signed six Executive Orders today, just hours after being sworn in.
One of them orders the Ministry of Health to design a large-scale testing campaign to ensure the same in remote areas or hard-to-reach areas. Likewise, it orders the Department of Justice and the Department of Public Security to reach an agreement with the federal prosecutor for the prosecution of corruption and white collar, among others.
Pierluisi signed Executive Order 2021-003 to establish tax responsibility and expenditure control measures and Executive Order 2021-004 to prohibit expenditure on official photographs of the governor and heads of agencies in government facilities. While two other executive orders are to establish the structure of the governors office and appoint the governors office administrator.
Meanwhile, Executive Order 2021-001 mandates the Minister of Health to design a large-scale campaign to administer tests for Covid-19. “There is a need for increased efforts by the government to test and identify infections, for which the Ministry of Health, with the advice of epidemiologists, is tasked with conducting massive testing and educational campaigns resulting in the identification of infection cases. Said the governor. The design of this campaign aims to ensure that evidence reaches remote or hard-to-reach areas so that everyone has the opportunity to receive it.
OE 2021-002 instructs the Department of Justice and the Department of Public Security to establish a cooperation agreement with federal agencies to tackle corruption. “Corruption in the public service is one of the major social ills affecting people’s confidence in their institutions. This government has an inescapable commitment to strengthening public order institutions and ensuring that they have strong and adequate tools to eradicate corruption, white-collar crime and crime in general. A head-to-head war on corruption and crime is declared, the Department of Public Security and the Attorney General are ordered to initiate immediate and coordinated talks with the federal prosecutor for the Puerto Rico district to establish, amend or improve any partnership agreement for the prosecution of corruption or white collar crimes, ”the Executive Order supports.
Executive Order 2021-003 is to enact measures of tax responsibility and expenditure control. The government’s budgetary position remains critical and requires immediate attention to contain spending and invest in the areas needed to promote economic growth. “This decision declares that this government is committed to controlling spending while we are responsible for the people’s resources,” said Governor Pierluisi Urrutia. The Executive Order maintains the tax control compliance measures outlined above, but does not increase them so that the agencies can function.
Executive Order 2021-04 prohibits spending on official photographs of the governor and heads of agencies in government facilities. “Our administration will reflect the priorities of our people, so there is no need to publish people’s money and invest in official lists and photos,” he said.
Finally, Executive Orders 2021-05 and 2021-06 establish the structure and organizational chart of the Governor’s Office and appoint Carmen Salgado as Administrator of the Governor’s Office respectively.
Likewise, it was reported that the current Executive Order to Prevent Coronavirus Infections will remain in effect and the changes will take effect from January 8.