Women lead González Colón’s first Cabinet appointments

Governor-elect Jenniffer González Colón emphasized her commitment to selecting experienced professionals for the central government’s vital roles, highlighting the importance of public service and her incoming administration’s dedication to serving the people of Puerto Rico.

By The Star Staff

Governor-elect Jenniffer González Colón announced the first eight appointments for her constitutional Cabinet on Monday, with former incoming government transition committee member Verónica Ferraiouli Hornedo being named the new secretary of the Department of State.

Additionally, Prosecutor Janet Parra Mercado, who also served on the transition committee, has been appointed as the new secretary of the Department of Justice. Both Ferraiouli Hornedo and Parra Mercado have been actively involved in the incoming administration’s preparations and are expected to bring their expertise and experience to their respective roles within the governor’s Cabinet.

Also among the new appointees are Suzanne Roig Fuertes as Family secretary, Edwin González Montalvo as Transportation and Public Works secretary and Norberto Negrón as the executive director of the Ports Authority.

Roig Fuertes, a social worker with experience at the Mental Health and Anti-Addiction Services Administration and as a former director of the Psychiatric Hospital for Children and Adolescents of Puerto Rico, brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her new role. González Montalvo, who currently serves as the head of the Highways and Transportation Authority, will leverage his experience to oversee transportation and public works initiatives.

Other appointments include Astrid Piñeiro as the director of the Office for Socioeconomic and Community Development, Orlando Rivera as the director of the Office of Management and Budget, and Gabriela Boffelli as the executive director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration.

González Colón emphasized her commitment to selecting experienced professionals for the vital roles, highlighting the importance of public service and her incoming administration’s dedication to serving the people of Puerto Rico.

The governor-elect called on the island Legislature to clear the way for the appointments.

“Of course, I will meet with the legislative leadership once we are in office, but I also must inform the NPP [New Progressive Party, the new legislative majority] who the men and women who will be doing this work will be, and that is what I am doing today,” she said.

Incoming Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz issued a written statement after the Cabinet appointments were announced.

“First of all, I thank the nominees for their willingness to serve Puerto Rico,” he said. “Our aim is to provide the Governor with the team that she recruits and needs to fulfill the work agenda that we all have.”

“There is enough time to carefully evaluate each nominee,” Rivera Schatz added. “That is what we will do. We will discharge our responsibility with the greatest rigor and good faith. We invite the citizens to participate, from now on, in the evaluation process of the nominees, by submitting their comments to the Senate of Puerto Rico, through the email: comentariosnomramientos@senado.pr.gov.”

Luis Javier Hernández Ortiz, the next Popular Democratic Party (PDP) minority leader in the Senate, reacted later on Monday to the nominations

“I consider that it is essential that as the Senate permits us, that public hearings are carried out before any judgment is made,” he said. “This process is crucial to guarantee that we have all the necessary information on the nominees and that we can evaluate their attributes and merits in a just and responsible manner.”

“My commitment is to transparency and to the best interest of the people of Puerto Rico,” said the outgoing president of the Puerto Rico Mayors Association. “We have to give advice and consent based on a profound analysis and on the information that comes up during the hearings. This is not only correct, but is also in our Constitution and our people expect it of us.”

Hernández Ortiz added that the focus of the PDP delegation “will be to make sure that the decisions that we have as a Senate reflect the interests of Puerto Rico and that they are made with the seriousness that these processes deserve. We will continue working in a responsible manner, always with the people as our priority.”