House speaker to meet with 7 mayors on streetlight restoration pacts

By THE STAR STAFF

Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Nuñez announced Sunday that he will hold a summit meeting this Thursday at 2 p.m. with seven mayors to present the first agreements on a new model for restoring street lighting in island communities.

With the recently enacted legal framework, municipalities will be able to sign agreements to repair and maintain their streetlights, the House speaker noted.

“On September 17 we will be presenting to the first group of mayors, because we will do it with everyone, the legal framework, the parameters of the collaboration agreements and the requirements for all parties,” Méndez said. “This is part of a new process that will help Puerto Rico.” 

The agreements are possible under the protection of the new Law 174-2026, he “Law for Municipal Collaboration in the Installation, Repair, Maintenance and Modernization of the Public Lighting System,” an initiative of the speaker and House Government Committee Chairman Víctor Parés Otero.

The mayors slated to attend the first meeting are Jorge Morales Wiscovitch of Cabo Rojo, Edilberto Romero Llovet (Culebra), José Aníbal Meléndez Méndez (Fajardo), Rolando Ortiz Velázquez (Cayey), O’braín Vázquez Molina (Guayama), Miguel Romero Lugo (San Juan) and José “Junitio” Corcino Acevedo (Vieques).