Rights Groups Demand U.S. Records on Puerto Rico’s Fiscal Control Board | WPN World People News

On January 27, rights groups demanded government records concerning the controversial fiscal control board established under the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA). The Center for Constitutional Rights and Latino Justice/PRLDEF joined with the San Juan-based Center for Investigative Journalism (CPI) to request records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

While the fiscal control board was established as a response to Puerto Rico’s debt crisis, many residents are concerned about the prospect of a group of unelected and unaccountable people making critical government decisions that will have a potentially drastic effect on the economic and political landscape and future of Puerto Rico.

“PROMESA was signed into law by a U.S. president Puerto Ricans have no say in electing, to govern a debt crisis affected in no small way by U.S. economic policies and laws,” said Stephanie Llanes, a fellow at the Center for Constitutional Rights. "PROMESA means promise in Spanish, and the people of Puerto Rico deserve more than empty 'promises', more than an unelected board that will now govern not only the 'debt' but also their lives with no real transparency or accountability.”

Llanes continued, “We have already seen the harm that has resulted from these types of ‘emergency management’ fixes when they’ve been imposed elsewhere, as in Flint, Michigan where the massive water crisis resulted from decisions taken by an unelected emergency manager."

The requests are for all available records related to the board, including records regarding the seven board members, as well as the representative of the governor of Puerto Rico on the board. The request also seeks information concerning the process for determining whether there were any conflicts of interest and whether the proper financial disclosures were made in setting up the board.

“Since they did not elect the members of the board, Puerto Ricans at a minimum want to know who these members are, since they are now tasked with making decisions affecting the Puerto Rican people, policies, economy, and future. The lack of transparency in decision-making so far by the board, as evidenced by their first six months of operation, is worrisome, reprehensible and cannot be tolerated. The role of the press and public in demanding answers from this board is critical,” said Natasha Lycia Ora Bannan, a lawyer with LatinoJustice PRLDEF.

“CPI decided to take more forceful actions to publicize its requests for information, given the secrecy with which the federal fiscal control board has been managed, including the process of appointing members, and in particular with respect to documents pertaining to ethical conflicts and disclosure of financial interests, which should have been filed months ago and yet cannot be found,” said Carla Minet, Executive Director of CPI.

Source: Center for Constitutional Rights