Freshman senator from Guayama stripped of committee chairmanship
By The Star Staff
Senate President José Luis Dalmau Santiago permanently removed Sen. Albert Torres Berríos from the chairmanship of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee earlier this week after an ethics complaint filed against Torres Berríos came to an end.
Dalmau Santiago sent a letter to Senate Secretary Yamil Rivera Vélez, which was announced in the Order of Affairs of Monday’s legislative session.
However, Torres Berríos, a freshman senator for District 6 (Guayama) will remain as chairman of the Youth, Recreation and Sports Affairs Committee. Torres Berríos was investigated for allegedly asking his office employees for money as part of a kickback scheme.
“A few months ago, some changes had been made in the composition of two permanent committees of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico while complaint Q-2021-005 was being considered before the Ethics Commission,” reads the letter. “In view of the fact that the aforementioned complaint has been addressed and reached its final processing in the Senate of Puerto Rico and by virtue of Sections 6.1 and 12.l of the Senate Regulations, the appointments of the senators who will be members [has changed].”
Dalmau Santiago’s letter states that he will chair the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, whose members are senators Ada García Montes, Ramón Ruiz Nieves, Elizabeth Rosa Vele, Migdalia González Arroyo, Rosamar Trujillo Plumey, Rubén Soto Rivera, Gretchen M. Hau, Migdalia Padilla Alvelo, Keren Riquelme Cabrera, Rafael Bernabe Riefkohl, María de Lourdes Santiago Negrón, Joanne Rodríguez Veve and José Vargas Vidot.
The Youth, Recreation and Sports Committee meanwhile will have as members: Ada García Montes, Gretchen M. Hau, Rosamar Trujillo Plumey, Rubén Soto Rivera, Ramón Ruiz Nieves, Elizabeth Rosa Vélez, Migdalia González Arroyo, Wanda Soto Tolentino, Henry Neumann Zayas, Rafael Bernabe Riefkohl, María de Lourdes Santiago Negrón, Joanne Rodríguez Veve and José Vargas Vidot.