Juan A. Villeta Trigo, president of the Puerto Rico Association of Financial Analysts (APAF), said the organization will try to build an alliance between the government and key private-sector industries to agree on concrete actions addressing issues affecting Puerto Rico's economic development. He cited unresolved matters such as eliminating the inventory tax, the lack of an established permitting reform, high tax rates, and resolving the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority's (AEE) bankruptcy.
Villeta Trigo said the private sector must speak with one voice and take action rather than accumulate more plans. As an initial step, APAF will hold its first Economic Congress on Tuesday, August 18, at the Hilton Garden Inn in San Juan, expecting to gather over 100 people. Participants include Robert F.
Mujica, executive director of the Fiscal Oversight Board (JSF); Antonieta Cristina Pérez, Country Officer and head of Banking at Citi Puerto Rico; Maritza Abadía, president of Banesco USA in Puerto Rico; Jorge J. García, CFO of Popular, Inc. and incoming president and CEO; and José Rafael Fernández, president and CEO of OFG Bancorp, parent of Oriental Bank. The event will be moderated by El Nuevo Día's Business section editor, Joanisabel (name cut off in source).