By The Star Staff
Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia said Monday that within the next day or two he would present to the island Legislature new amendments to the budget approved by the Financial Oversight and Management Board that would treat municipalities and the University of Puerto Rico differently.
“The treatment of municipalities should be clearer, what amount of funds they will receive and under what terms and conditions,” the governor said. “In the same way, as with the university, there is also a need for greater clarity regarding its budget and the terms or conditions for its use. I am mentioning those two, but there are other areas, and we will have the details as soon as we file the resolution.”
Pierluisi added that he may present the amendments today when the Legislature returns to work.
Regarding renewed complaints about the ferry service for the offshore island municipalities of Vieques and Culebra, the governor insisted that the service has improved substantially.
However, he recommended that the private company operating the ferries improve its organization of shifts and boarding schedules to avoid leaving boats almost empty on some trips.
“They must find a way so that if by a particular hour, before the departure time, the person who had the ticket has not appeared, they lose the absolute right to board that boat,” Pierluisi said. “That should be done so that no people stay in the terminal with spaces available on the boat. That’s the only change I see. Regardless of the reports that arise from one place or the other, the service is better, and demonstrably so, and no one will be able to refute it.”