By The Star Staff
Dignity Project (Proyecto Dignidad) gubernatorial candidate Javier Jiménez Pérez has been accused of serious financial mismanagement and legislative obstruction, a grave charge leveled by two Popular Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers on Tuesday.
District 16 (Isabela, San Sebastián and Las Marías) Rep. Eladio “Layito” Cardona Quiles and Mayagüez-Aguadilla District Sen. Migdalia González Arroyo presented the accusations against the mayor of San Sebastián.
Both legislators have expressed concern that the mayor’s actions are not only obstructing legislative work but also severely undermining allocations that have been crucial for the community, such as for repaving roads, supporting nonprofit institutions and maintaining sports facilities.
“The mayor of San Sebastián has limited himself in using the economic allocations that both this public servant and the senator have granted him through Act 173-2020,” said Cardona Quiles, who is the PDP candidate for mayor of San Sebastián in this year’s elections. “This is due to political reasons, which harms the community and demonstrates a petty attitude toward municipal management.”
The offices of the two lawmakers have jointly allocated, on several occasions, more than half a million dollars from Land Authority funds under Law 173-2020 for the repaving of various roads, but Jiménez has canceled the work so as not to recognize the legislative assignments, the legislators contend.
Among other unacceptable acts, Jiménez “callously” returned some maintenance equipment, such as trimmers, leaf blowers, and a tractor, leaving them in front of a legislator’s house, the lawmakers said.
“During the entire four-year term, the mayor has demonstrated his lack of willingness to govern,” González Arroyo said. “In recent years, he has not been able to respect the will of the people, work as a team for good municipal government, or attend to the essential needs of citizens. He has been hindering our legislative work for years. Now he wants to present himself to the country as an entity of change. He cannot deceive us.”