By THE STAR STAFF Puerto Rico Comptroller Carmen Vega Fournier revealed on Wednesday that an audit of the Department of Housing identified improperly approved aid, payments made for substandard construction work, and a home rebuilt with public funds that ultimately ended up in the hands of a bank. “The administration of public funds -- particularly those aimed at addressing critical needs such as housing -- demands the highest level of diligence, transparency, and compliance,

By THE STAR STAFF Wilma N. Vázquez Hospital announced this week it has begun a financial reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, a move hospital leaders said is aimed at stabilizing operations and keeping services available for patients. Attorney Jesús E. Batista Sánchez said the filing follows what he described as a “structural crisis” affecting healthcare providers across Puerto Rico, but argued that reorganization will help the hospital meet its obliga

By THE STAR STAFF The Puerto Rico Broadband Program (PRBP) has issued a request for proposals seeking suppliers to modernize the island’s telecommunications infrastructure in an effort officials say will strengthen the communications systems used by public safety agencies. The PRBP said the initiative is aimed at improving the resilience, reliability and coverage of critical networks used by emergency management, law enforcement and other security agencies, particularly durin

By THE STAR STAFF Solo Por Hoy Inc., one of Puerto Rico’s leading organizations serving people experiencing homelessness, is urging lawmakers to overhaul the island’s institutional framework for addressing homelessness, arguing that the current structure has weakened coordination, distorted public policy and sidelined community expertise. In a detailed explanatory memorandum submitted to Senate Housing and Social Welfare Committee Chair Jamie Barlucea Rodríguez, the nonprofit

Treasury Secretary Ángel Pantoja Rodríguez By THE STAR STAFF Treasury Secretary Ángel Pantoja Rodríguez announced on Tuesday that he will provide the island Senate with the requested tax information regarding former Secretary of justice Antonio Sagardía de Jesús, following the receipt of express authorization from the taxpayer. “As Secretary of the Treasury, ensuring the confidentiality of the information that taxpayers submit to the Department of the Treasury is a responsibi

By THE STAR STAFF Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz stated on Tuesday that he is reviewing the Department of Justice’s report on an investigation involving the Family Secretary Suzanne Roig Fuertes. “If you have a file containing sworn statements, documentary evidence, testimony, and information that -- according to the prosecutor -- exonerates the family secretary, why not turn it over?” Rivera Schatz asked during a press conference. The Senate president said he had requ

Popular Democratic Party Reps. Héctor Ferrer Santiago, left, and Domingo Torres García By THE STAR STAFF The Popular Democratic Party (PDP) minority leader in the island House of Representatives, Héctor Ferrer Santiago, announced on Tuesday that he has requested public hearings regarding House Bill 1115, which was returned to the Committee on Labor and Labor Affairs. “This matter directly impacts the wallets and quality of life of thousands of working families,” Ferrer Santia

University of Puerto Rico President Zayira Jordán Conde Jordán Conde: Mayagüez Campus strike could impact Pell grants By THE STAR STAFF Students at the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) in Carolina have been convened for a student assembly today to discuss the situation stemming from an ongoing student strike, but it was unclear whether there would be a call for the campus to join the stoppage. Student leaders have said the protest is driven by demands that UPR President Zayira

By THE STAR STAFF Cataño Mayor Julio Alicea Vasallo announced on Tuesday the start of construction on the port promenade (paseo del puerto). “This project ... is part of a strategy aimed at organizing, connecting, and enhancing our spaces, creating the conditions for economic growth, the strengthening of local commerce, and the attraction of visitors,” the mayor stated in written remarks. Alicea Vasallo noted that the undertaking represents a total investment of $389,835.55,

Public Safety Secretary Artur Garffer, fourth from the left, noted that the new command trailers to be deployed in six Caguas region towns “strengthen our operational capacity and enable us to coordinate with greater agility and precision for the benefit of our communities.” By THE STAR STAFF The Caguas Emergency Management Region on Tuesday announced the delivery of new specialized equipment acquired through the Homeland Security Grant Program, as part of ongoing efforts to