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Senate committee hears Manuel Cidre’s confirmation; nominee vows permit turnaround, stricter incentives oversight and workforce push
Summary
Manuel Cidre, secretary‑designate for Puerto Rico’s Department of Economic Development and Commerce, told the Senate Committee on Appointments on May 18 that his five‑pillar plan prioritizes reducing permit backlog, strengthening incentives’ accountability and expanding workforce training; senators pressed him on minimum wage impacts, law 22 oversight and energy and debt issues.
Manuel Cidre, the secretary‑designate for Puerto Rico’s Department of Economic Development and Commerce, defended a five‑pillar economic plan and made several operational promises during a May 18 confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Appointments.
Cidre opened by describing his personal and business background and the department’s recent consolidation, noting the reorganized department now includes more than 500 employees. He said the Fiscal Oversight Board had certified that the agency had met about “setenta y cinco por ciento” of the objectives in the FY2021 fiscal plan, using that milestone as evidence of progress in the reorganization.
On pandemic relief and small businesses, Cidre recounted programs rolled out by the department, including the Business Interruption Grant (BIC), which he said identified roughly 15,000 participants eligible for between $5,000 and $15,000 depending on staff size, a $3 million creative‑industry incentive and an expanded fund that can reimburse up to $50,000 to businesses that purchased PPE and…
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