Less than a week after being sworn in as governor of real estate, Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia Today, Tuesday, amended the current Executive Order to address the COVID-19 pandemic, with measures such as the relaxation of curfews and the opening of beaches.
At a press conference in La Fortaleza, the executive announced that it has changed the start of the curfew, which will now be in effect from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Likewise, shops close at 10 p.m. and commercial closing on Sundays is eliminated.
The governor, in turn, also allowed the opening of beaches, spas, marinas and communal areas for recreational activities, but without alcohol consumption and with the practice of social distance.
The measure will take effect from next Friday, January 8.
In response to press inquiries, the Governor clarified that he had taken advantage of the Scientific Coalition’s recommendations, drawn up by Pierluisi Urrutia after his election victory, recommending not to make many changes to the Order, as they still have not have sufficient data. that show more control in case of infections.
“You don’t have to be an expert … to know that the vast majority of our people do shopping on Saturdays or Sundays,” the president said at the press conference.
“If you only give it one day, what happens the next? It will be full,” he objected.
In this way, in addition to the changes announced by him, every restrictive measure will be imposed, such as the closing of bars, discos and hammocks that, according to the governor, will not change until further notice.
“The only changes are the ones I said. Nothing has changed in terms of gyms, nothing has changed in terms of bars, nothing has changed in terms of the hammocks themselves,” he clarified.
However, companies will be able to operate at 30% capacity as long as they adhere to the physical distance protocol and if they cannot comply, the company will have to reduce its capacity.
“The idea here is not that we think the solution to the pandemic is the Executive Order and the constraints. That’s actually one of the strategies,” Pierluisi Urrutia stressed at the end of the announcement.
“We need the vaccines and they reach all of Puerto Rico, especially the vulnerable populations. We need a massive media campaign because we can all do our part,” he added.
Order the tax incentive program
As part of a series of initiatives contained in the Executive Order, the Governor ordered the Secretary of the Treasury Department, Francisco Parés Alicea, to develop a program of economic incentives to limit losses in the commercial sector.
The program should develop the plan in about ten days, Pierluisi expected.
“The Secretary of the Treasury has 10 days to develop an incentive program using excess funds from the ‘CARES Act,’” he explained.