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Bandera azul en Playita Rosada en Lajas
PUBLICADO : 9 Noviembre 2015
Así lo informaron la secretaria del Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales (DRNA), Carmen R. Guerrero Pérez; el alcalde de Lajas, Marcos “Turín” Irizarry Pagán; y María Elena García, directora ejecutiva de la Organización Pro Ambiente Sustentable (OPAS) y coordinadora nacional de ese programa.
La distinción Bandera Azul se otorga a las playas que cumplen con los criterios de: calidad de agua, seguridad y servicios, manejo ambiental y educación e información.
Para obtener la distinción, las instalaciones recreativas de Playita Rosada fueron mejoradas y remodeladas. También, se constituyó un comité para su manejo compuesto por personal del DRNA y el Municipio de Lajas que permitirá garantizar que se mantengan los altos estándares que le hacen merecedor de la Bandera Azul.
Como parte de esta colaboración, el Municipio costeará los salarios de los salvavidas certificados por el Departamento de Recreación y Deportes estatal, colaborará con el aspecto de seguridad y el manejo de los desperdicios separados para reciclar. Por su parte, el DRNA permitirá que el Municipio otorgue concesiones y administre el estacionamiento.
Para cumplir con los estándares de seguridad, se preparó un área de emergencias médicas con camilla, equipo de primeros auxilios, aire acondicionado y lavamanos. Se repararon dos rampas de acceso a personas con impedimentos y se construyó una nueva. Se construyó una acera para facilitar el acceso entre el gacebo y el baño para uso de las personas con impedimentos.
La playa cuenta con área de duchas y los gacebos con barbacoas en ladrillo remodeladas. También, se instaló rotulación en todo el área, incluyendo los estacionamientos para impedidos, carros híbridos, autobuses y público en general. Se colocaron rótulos con mapas de ubicación que indican cómo llegar a los baños, las duchas y otros servicios, así como el código de conducta a observarse en el área.
Como parte de los requisitos, se preparó un tablón informativo, cuyo contenido abarca información general del área, información del programa de Bandera Azul y las actividades educativas que se realizarán durante el año e información sobre los últimos resultados de la calidad del agua.
Para una mejor disposición de los desperdicios y promoción de una cultura de reciclaje, se instalaron dos estaciones verdes para el reciclaje de aluminio, plástico y cartón y se eliminaron los 22 zafacones que se utilizaban como depósito de desperdicios sólidos. Igualmente, se instalaron dos estaciones para el reciclaje del carbón que se utiliza para preparar alimentos en las barbacoas.
“El área natural Playita Rosada es una de las pocas playas naturales con la que cuenta el municipio de Lajas. Además de su reconocido atractivo natural y su importancia ecológica, esta es la segunda playa que ubica en una reserva natural administrada por el Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales que obtiene la prestigiosa Bandera Azul por poseer altos estándares de calidad. Sabemos que esta distinción atraerá un sector del turismo que viaja buscando específicamente las playas con Bandera Azul y creará un nicho económico con gran potencial de crecimiento”, manifestó Guerrero Pérez, en comunicación escrita.
La primera playa en una reserva natural de Puerto Rico que exhibe la Bandera Azul es Pelícano, en Caja de Muerto.
“Como primer ejecutivo del Municipio de Lajas estoy sumamente satisfecho y alegre por este nuevo logro alcanzado de que nuestra Playita Rosada haya recibido la distinción de Bandera Azul y que inauguremos la rampa de Las Crayolas recientemente construida. Este ha sido un arduo trabajo en equipo entre nuestra administración municipal, el Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales y el Gobierno Central. Con esta distinción, esta área costera se convertirá en un lugar de interés ecoturístico”, declaró Irizarry Pagán. “Sin lugar a dudas, este es un nuevo logro que añade a nuestro Plan de Trabajo de desarrollo en el área turística de La Parguera y del pueblo en general”, sostuvo el alcalde.
Por su parte, la coordinadora nacional de Bandera Azul expresó “el personal del DRNA ha logrado un trabajo encomiable en la restauración y habilitación de las facilidades de Playita Rosada para lograr el reconocimiento internacional de la certificación Bandera Azul. La colaboración estrecha entre el DRNA y el Municipio de Lajas permitieron que se realizaran todas las tareas necesarias para un manejo sustentable del recurso playa que garantiza el disfrute tanto de todos los puertorriqueños como los que nos visitan de otros países”.
García añadió, “en estos momentos de grandes retos económicos para Puerto Rico, debemos apuntar a expandir nuestra oferta turística al mercado del turismo internacional. Esta ecocertificación de prestigio mundial facilitará el que esta joya escondida en el pueblo de Lajas se dé a conocer a través del globo”.
La Bandera Azul es una certificación internacional que nace en Francia en el año 1985 y se le otorga a las playas y marinas cuando cumplen con cuatro criterios de forma voluntaria. Hoy en día Bandera Azul se extiende a lo largo de 4,000 playas y marinas a través de 49 países en Europa, Sur África, Nueva Zelandia, Moroco, Tunisia, Brasil y el Caribe.
En esta nueva temporada alta de turismo, que comienza oficialmente durante el mes de noviembre 2015 y culmina en julio 2016, OPAS ha logrado certificar nueve playas con la Bandera Azul. Estas son: el Balneario de Carolina; el Balneario El Escambrón, en San Juan; el Balneario Punta Salinas, en Toa Baja; el Balneario Seven Seas, en Fajardo; el Balneario La Monserrate, en Luquillo; el Balneario Sun Bay, en Vieques; y Playa Isla Palomino, en Fajardo.
On the road to a ‘gigabit island’
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By : DENNIS COSTA
Edition: April 2, 2015 | Volume: 43 | No: 12
In mid-February, the Puerto Rico Broadband Taskforce, a public-private partnership, unveiled the Gigabit Island Plan (GIP), a document of nearly 100 pages that outlines a strategy to significantly increase average broadband speed and use on the island among residents and businesses. The implications of improving local broadband speed go much further than just getting Netfl The plan focuses on setting up a network of fiber-optic cables, which can transmit data at blazing fast speed. While telecommunications providers have used such cables in their own networks for years, connecting them directly to households and businesses—known as fiber-to the- home—has been almost nonexistent. As a result, broadband speed for the island’s consumer market top at around 100 megabits per second. Fiber-optic connectivity, on the other hand, can reach a speed of one gigabit per second; a gigabit equals about 1,000 megabits. The GIP follows efforts that have helped turn Singapore into an economic powerhouse in almost record time. Several cities across the U.S. mainland—among them Kansas City, Mo.; Cedar Falls, Iowa; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Cleveland; and Urbana- Champaign, Ill.—have successfully adopted similar initiatives.
Moreover, President Barack Obama’s administration recently renewed its push toward establishing additional gigabit communities throughout the country, with Obama going as far as visiting Chattanooga and Cedar Falls in January to launch a national community-broadband initiative. “The GIP represents Puerto Rico’s true transformation,” said government Chief Information Officer (CIO) Giancarlo González. “It is a golden opportunity to strengthen the economy, increase access to healthcare and enhance education, and could even benefit the real-estate market.” Several people agreed, among them Peter Glynn, who chairs a science & engineering department at Stanford University. “This could really have a significant impact on Puerto Rico’s growth, and would certainly be aligned with helping to create more tech-oriented spin-offs from the University of Puerto Rico and elsewhere on the island,” he said. Javier Rúa, president of the Puerto Rico Telecommunications Regulatory Board (TRB), is also a key supporter. “The potential for new businesses and services to grow out of this initiative is tremendous,” he said. “When internet access technology changed to allow for broadband connections measured in megabits, it gave birth to services such as You- Tube, Netflix and Skype. Who knows what can be achieved once we make the jump to gigabits.” Likewise, federal officials have emphasized the importance of establishing broadband networks with speed measured in gigabits. For example, in a January 2013 column published in Forbes magazine, former Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski stated: “[It] isn’t just a matter of consumer convenience…it’s essential to economic growth, job creation and U.S. competitiveness.” Several reports support this idea. A 2011 study by research firm Strategic Networks Group found that local economic growth and secondary investments enabled by broadband expansion are 10 times those of the initial investment, and their contribution to GDP is 15 times that of the initial investment. Moreover, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently found that jobs that depend on overall broadband availability could increase 25% by 2018. Fiber optic to the rescue Despite advances carried out in Puerto Rico regarding broadband availability during the last few years, particularly in the wireless telecom sector, Puerto Rico will not be able to advance further into becoming a true gigabit island unless a robust fiber-to-the-home network is put in place. Nowadays, such connections on the island are rare, but that will change during the next five years, TRB’s Rúa said. Apart from joint public-private efforts outlined in the GIP, companies such as Critical Hub are testing the waters. In the same way that Google is deploying fiber-to-the-home in the U.S. mainland, Critical Hub is designating so-called “fiber-hoods” for its Optico Fiber offering, in which it gauges customer interest in a particular sector. If enough customers sign up for the service to justify the investment, the company carries out the fiber deployment. Those methods are employed because setting up fiber-optic networks has proven very costly, frequently requiring breaking up roads to accommodate the cables. This has prompted federal policymakers to establish a “dig once” protocol on the U.S. mainland. The policies allow broadband-infrastructure improvements and deployment to take place alongside other public works, thereby lowering investment costs. However, Puerto Rico offers a unique opportunity in this regard, Rúa said. “There is so much infrastructure already in place that in this case, we can implement not only a dig-once, but also a dig-zero policy.” A new venture called, “Vía Digital,” is a prime example of this, with plans to deploy fiber-optic cables through an empty streetlight conduit running through the San Juan sectors of Miramar, Santurce, Hato Rey and parts of Río Piedras— among the most densely populated on the island. “Back in the 1990s, the underground conduit was built to connect all the stoplights in the area,” Rúa explained. “Today, the stoplights communicate with each other wirelessly, which means the conduits aren’t being used.”
The TRB has taken charge of leasing the 55,000-feet conduit to interested telecom providers, with a request for proposals scheduled in April. Government expenditures for the project will be minimal, with private companies carrying out the bulk of the investment in deploying the cables, as CARIBBEAN BUSINESS previously reported (March 12). Another noteworthy initiative is dubbed Project ZUM. Led by the Puerto Rico Aqueduct & Sewer Authority,the venture aims to deploy cables through several sewage and aqueduct conduits. Economic benefits galore The economic benefits of carrying out these programs may quickly be apparent, at least when it comes to the real-estate sector. “Once the fiber-to-the-home system is in place in a specific area, property prices per square foot are estimated to increase by up to $8, while rental rates can go up by 20%,” said González, who before his role as government CIO founded a real-estate website. “In all,it can generate around $150 million in additional property value to key areas of the San Juan metro area.” With this in mind, the CIO office is planning to hold a seminar for realtors this month to emphasize the importance of fiber-optic initiatives for the real-estate sector. Progress already underway The GIP represents a rare instance of continuity across successive government administrations, as the initiative is an updated version of the Puerto Rico Broadband Strategic Plan, launched by the previous Luis Fortuño administration in 2012. Of note is that since the original plan was published, significant advances have been carried out on the island, specifically regarding broadband availability. “In 2011, no residential broadband provider was offering service at download speeds above 25 Mbps (megabits per second),” the GIP states. “In 2014, 53% of households across Puerto Rico have the choice of subscribing to broadband at speeds of 100 Mbps.” The private sector has largely driven investment in this area, especially cable and wireless telecom providers. In particular, the aggressive deployment of next-generation mobile networks, specifically fourth-generation Long Term Evolution, has been the main factor for the island’s 99.9% mobile broadband coverage, on par with the U.S. mainland. Broadband adoption has also improved, although it remains a challenge. For example, in 2014, about 46% of Puerto Rico’s households subscribed to broadband service, up from 31% in 2010, according to the GIP. This represents an increase of around 377,000 adults with home broadband service.
Tackling adoption However, one key challenge facing GIP supporters is the issue of adoption; namely, not enough people are signing on to broadband because they are unaware of the benefits. “While expanded access and enhanced investment in broadband infrastructure is encouraging, without corresponding broadband adoption among Puerto Rico consumers and businesses, further build-out could be deterred,” the GIP states. The TRB has already taken steps to address the issue, particularly among seniors, by holding workshops in 33 of the island’s 78 municipalities. Rúa revealed the workshops have been successful, to the point that the TRB plans to expand the initiative’s scope in the coming months. Several legislative bills under discussion could also pave the way, the officials said. Chief among these is Senate Bill 873, which would require the Education Department to include the availability of a textbook e-book (short for “electronic book”) license along with the physical book itself. “Public school students aren’t allowed to bring their textbooks home to do assignments,” González explained. “If students are able to access an e-book version of the textbook online at home, it would prompt their parents to subscribe to broadband services.” According to unofficial estimates, implementing this measure could yield savings of up to $250 per student annually. “Another measure that could raise awareness on the need for ultra-fast broadband is to create an economic indicator that could accurately measure its impact on the island,” Rúa said. Raquel Noriega, vice president of public policy at U.S.-based nonprofit Connected Nation, added that Puerto Rico could pioneer the adoption of this economic indicator on the global stage. “The island has certain advantages that would allow for an easier measurement process. For example, Puerto Rico is connected to the rest of the world by only seven submarine cables,” she said. Most importantly for Rúa, the development of an economic indicator would bring Puerto Rico closer to becoming a bedrock for a long sought after, knowledge-based economy. “Puerto Rico keeps talking about cement sales as an indicator of economic development,” he said. “It’s time we embrace the digital economy and all that it can bring to the island. We aren’t talking about a finite resource such as land, but about the internet. As an economic resource, it has no limits,” he added. |
ix streaming quicker. For public officials, the plan’s successful implementation may give Puerto Rico the economic injection and job creation engine it needs, to the tune of $2 billion in economic activity and the creation of about 15,000 jobs, according to unofficial estimates.
These so-called “gigabit communities,” developed partly by the public sector and private players such as Google, have yielded benefits extending far beyond those of consumers. According to a Washington Post article published last September, U.S. cities with gigabit fiber connections report 1.1% higher per-capita gross domestic product (GDP) than cities lacking such internet speed.
These advances have in part spurred the island’s tech industry. According to the latest data from the Planning Board, the local information sector has had an annual growth rate of 3.8% and accounted for $2.6 billion in economic activity in 2013, roughly 2.5% of Puerto Rico’s GDP.7 Reasons Why Puerto Rico Should Be Your Next Stop
The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico made headlines recently when one lucky resident won the Powerball lottery, earning one third of a $564 million jackpot. Perhaps more surprising than this once-in-a-lifetime draw, however, is the fact that some people are unaware of Puerto Rico’s affiliation to the United States.
Brief history: Puerto Rico was discovered in 1493 by Christopher Columbus, who claimed the island on behalf of Spain. He found the island breathtaking, and noted the same in his diaries. In 1898, Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the U.S. following the Spanish-American War.
The result? An island that’s the best of both worlds. Like Hawaii, Puerto Rico is a tropical gem that is easily accessible to Americans. The Spanish influence provides a rich culture, language and history with all the modern conveniences many travelers desire.
Photo via Flickr/Tiago
Need to hear more? Here are seven reasons why Puerto Rico should be your next vacation spot.
1. It’s a Domestic Flight
No passport? No problem. You only need a valid government-issued ID to travel to Puerto Rico from the U.S. And since you’re skipping the international flight, you’ll be saving both time and money. The island is less than a three-hour flight from most locations on the Eastern Seaboard.
2. English is Common
If you’re weary of getting lost in translation, then Puerto Rico is the place for you. While the primary language spoken is Spanish, most children are taught English from an early age in grade school. Also, since Puerto Rico relies heavily on its tourism industry, many residents retain their language skills for work.
Additionally, there is no need to worry about converting currency or learning to drive on the other side of the road. In Puerto Rico, you can purchase and commute like you would at home, no adjustments necessary.
3. The Weather is Perfect
Monthly temperatures average between 70 and 80 degrees; there’s never a bad time to visit. Like other tropical climates, there is a rainy season from April to November, but as long as there are no storms on the horizon, the most you’ll have to worry about is a daily shower sometime in the afternoon. Islanders know to expect the drizzle and simply wait it out, a small price to pay being able to completely escape the winter.
4. Diverse Landscapes Abound
El Yunque Photo via Flickr/Diego Cupolo
Did you know that El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest located on a U.S. territory? With over 28,000 acres and a maximum elevation of 3,494 feet, it’s the great destination for adventurers who want to explore waterfalls or take scenic hiking trails.
If you want a more magical experience, check out one Puerto Rico’s three bioluminescent bays. Filled with micro-organisms that give off a blue-green light, the water illuminates when touched and provides visitors a unique experience.Mosquito Bay in Vieques is known to be the brightest. Explore Taino Indian culture in Las Piedras, where you’ll find caves and petroglyphs. La Cueva de Indio is one especially popular stop.
5. The Food is Fabulous
If you have never tasted mofongo, you are, simply, missing out. Made from plantains, this savory dish is typically topped shrimp or chicken. For dessert, if you’re wandering around Old San Juan, make sure to try helado de parcha, passion fruit flavored ice cream. Refreshing and light, it is a favorite of locals. You’ll find the juice sold at almost any breakfast spot.
Other popular dishes include_ arroz con gandules_ (rice, pork and pigeo peas),asopao (a gumbo of chicken and rice) and alcapurrias (stuffed fritters). You will definitely want to add each of the aforementioned to your “must-try” list.
6. Everyone is Welcome
Photo via Flickr/Luis D. Santos
Whether you’re single in your 20s and 30s, married with a family in your 40s or 50s or retired and relaxing in your 60s and 70s, there is something for everyone on the island. You can take a tour of the Bacardi distillery with friends, go dancing in Old San Juan with your significant other, or spend a day with the family on one of Puerto Rico’s gorgeous beaches.
7. An Abundance of History
Puerto Rico has a rich culture and history. Having been under Spain’s rule for centuries, there is Spanish architecture throughout the island. Puerto Rico boasts four castles, the most famous of which is El Morro in San Juan. Visitors walking the streets of the capital city will find themselves on cobblestone, surrounded by bright colors and European elements. At any moment, you might find that a parrandabreaks out, a party in the streets where musicians play live music and tourists follow their beats like they would the Pied Piper.
With so much to see and do, right in America’s backyard, there’s no reason not to book a ticket to Puerto Rico.
Nuevo inventario digital de todas las propiedades en Puerto Rico
Por: NotiCel
Publicado: 22/10/2014 06:32 pm
El Centro de Recaudaciones de Ingreso Municipal (CRIM) presentó el miércoles una nueva herramienta, que permitirá a la ciudadanía acceder al inventario de todas las propiedades en Puerto Rico. El catastro digitalprovee a los usuarios información como el valor tributable de la propiedad y quiénes son los colindantes, además de las zonas inundables, bosques y zonas históricas.
(Josian Bruno/Archivo NotiCel)
Para ver el mapa base catastral, lo primero que debe hacer es visitar el portal del CRIM y seleccionar la opción de Catastro Digital al final de la columna izquierda. El mapa cuenta con una foto área de Puerto Rico, que se tomó en 2010, aunque se supone que la información sea actualizada con los planos de agrimensura y modificación de parcelas contínuamente.
El catastro describe cada predio urbano con sus límites, dimensiones y colindancias, y si se trata de un solar edificado o no edificado. Si está edificado, provee información básica de la edificación. La nueva herramienta fue trabajada enteramente por el personal de cartografía, aseguró el director ejecutivo, Víctor Falcón Dávila.
(Fotocaptura del portal del catastro digital del CRIM)
Para manejar la información, el portal tiene un sistema que permite la búsqueda a través de la entrada de número de catastro, número de parcela, número de parcela de procedencia o dirección física. La búsqueda por dueño de la propiedad está restringida hasta el momento para uso del personal.
Para hacer su búsqueda, solo tiene que pulsar en el icono de los binoculares, que se encuentra en la parte superior del portal. Esa ventana le permitirá, además, seleccionar la distancia en pies, millas, metros o kilómetros para ver el listado de todos los colindantes en ese radio.
El portal contiene también una lista de nuevas capas de información, que las personas pueden seleccionar a mano derecha. Incluye información cartográfica de bosques y reservas, zonas históricas, zonas inundables, calificación del territorio, clasificación del territorio, valor tasado de la propiedad y estructuras. Estas las puede interpretar siguiendo la leyenda, que se encuentra también a mano derecha.
“Lo que buscamos con este nuevo portal es aumentar la eficiencia en los procesos de segregación y por ende en la tasación, lo que redundará en un aumento en la captación de impuestos sobre la propiedad inmueble”, destacó Falcón Dávila.
Agregó que esta herramienta será útil en las áreas de planificación, desarrollo económico y social de Puerto Rico, en el desarrollo de obra pública y para la protección del medioambiente.
