House President Rafael “Tatito” Hernández Montañez revealed on Thursday that no payment has been made for water and electricity services for the past four years, so payment plans have been drawn up to avoid suspension.
“To be clear, the formal administration of the Legislative Assembly by our delegation began on Monday (January 11, 2021). Within the information that had emerged in the documentation provided by the transition documents, we had already determined that debts were owed of $ 2,897,492.20 in the Electric Power Authority (PREPA) and $ 829,412.90 in the Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (AAA). More than a week ago, we coordinated with some contacts and some meetings were coordinated for Tuesday, ”said Hernández Montañez at a press conference.
“Our concern was negative news that we started working in the Legislative Assembly and that they had cut off the water and electricity. That was not acceptable, ”he added.
He explained that “the Electric Power Authority informed us that no payments have been made in the past four years,” he said.
He said they have no items in the current budget to make the corresponding payments to PREPA and AAA, so he asked them for a formal payment plan the regular payment from July and the debt payment plan.
“Here it is clear that in the administrative aspect there are some major shortcomings, there are serious indications in the documents themselves emerging from the transition with the auditors indicating serious administrative inconveniences, material indications from an accounting point of view of administrative irregularities, that, too, what was our side responsible was to sit with them, ”he said.
Hernández Montañez assured that As a result of the meetings, there were pledges not to suspend water and electricity services.
The current Capitol Superintendent, César Hernández Alfonso, reported that they stopped paying employees benefits such as retirement, medical, and dental plans, as well as to the Commonwealth Employees Association (ELA) for $ 157,000. Additionally, there is a $ 166,000 debt by security forces, as well as another $ 221,000 debt, because the insurance premiums for the Capitoline District were not paid last December.
As Hernández Alfonso explained, the latest administration left $ 220,000 and $ zero for payroll.
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Senate President José Luis Dalmau responded by saying: “It seems to me correct that no action has been taken here by the corresponding mechanisms. Here are some administrative secretaries, here are some auditors. But, while it is true that obligations have been violated, such as the payment of water and the payment of electricity, did these agencies ever come to collect or cut off the electricity or water? Have they taken effective measures to enforce? You should ask that too ”.
He explained that they have not yet completed the transition.