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Senate committee hears Rey Quiñones on restoring facilities, expanding programs amid tight budget
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Summary
At a Senate confirmation hearing April 20, 2021, Rey Qui—ones V—zquez, nominee for secretary of Puerto Rico—s Department of Recreation and Sports, outlined plans to rehabilitate storm-damaged facilities, expand training centers and regulate e-sports while managing a $34.886 million agency budget and a reduced high-performance fund.
Rey Qui—ones V—zquez, nominee for secretary of Puerto Rico—s Department of Recreation and Sports (Departamento de Recreaci—n y Deportes), told the Senate Committee on Nominations on April 20 that he plans to prioritize repairing and returning damaged sports facilities to use, broaden community programming and professionalize coaching while operating under tight fiscal limits.
In opening remarks Qui—ones summarized his background as a former national athlete and university athletic director and described his priorities for the agency. "El presupuesto actual de la agencia es de treinta y cuatro millones ochocientos ochenta seis mil d—lares," he said, noting that limited funds constrain island-wide programming. He told senators the department has identified 106 sports and recreation facilities as ready to move to procurement and planned auctions to award reconstruction contracts.
Qui—ones said the department has divided a larger inventory of 343 damaged facilities into two "bundles," advancing the 106 that are closest to being ready for work. He said FEMA has obligated about $130 million for related recovery work, with approximately $90 million for permanent works and $40 million for debris removal, and that transfers of repaired facilities to municipalities must wait until FEMA conditions are satisfied.
The nominee described a four-phase pandemic reopening plan for athletic activity, coordinated with the Department of Health, and said the agency has carried out mass vaccinations and more than 10,000 tests for athletes and staff without recording sports-related outbreaks. He reported increasing the number of training centers from roughly 85 to about 180 and establishing 28 adapted centers for people with disabilities.
On elite-athlete support, Qui—ones said an earlier authorization provided $2.1 million but the available high-performance program budget had been cut to $300,000. He urged legislative support to restore funding to previous levels so Puerto Rican athletes can prepare and compete at international events.
He also described new programming including an "Impacto Recreativo" pilot in Vieques, expanded swimming instruction, and rules under development for organized e-sports aimed at protecting participants, educating parents and linking virtual competition to physical training.
Senators pressed Qui—ones on equity and access in public housing and disadvantaged areas; he said the department will seek partnerships, sponsorships and visits from prominent athletes to increase local participation. Committee members asked about safeguards against politicized regional appointments; Qui—ones said regional directors will be interviewed and must demonstrate sports-related experience.
The committee did not take a vote at the hearing. The confirmation process continues under the legislature—s established procedures; the hearing record closes with the committee adjourning at 11:47 a.m.
