Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Puerto Rico consumer affairs agency urges digital overhaul, more inspectors and staff
Summary
The Department of Consumer Affairs (DACO) told the House Finance Committee it needs a new case‑management system, tablets for inspectors and additional specialized staff to handle rising caseloads and enforcement activity, and asked lawmakers to approve one‑time and personnel funding in the FY2025‑26 budget.
The Department of Consumer Affairs (DACO) told the Puerto Rico House Committee on Finance on May 9 that it needs a major technology upgrade and additional specialized staff to manage a rising volume of consumer complaints and enforcement duties.
DACO Secretary Barely Rodríguez Erazo summarized the agency’s budget request and operational pressures during a public hearing on the governor’s proposed FY2025–26 budget. "Vivimos en una época de libre mercado y vamos a ser bien vigilantes en ese margen de ganancia," Rodríguez Erazo said, adding that DACO’s platform and inspection field tools are outdated and forcing staff into manual, paper‑based processes.
The department said it receives more than 2,000 regional visits monthly and that complaint caseloads have risen: DACO reported 2,105 active complaints so far in FY2025 and 6,121 for the prior full year. Secretary Rodríguez Erazo described inspection and enforcement gaps — for example, just two motor‑vehicle technical inspectors cover the whole island — and said specialized investigators and mediators are needed to reduce backlog and improve…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
