By The Star Staff
Senate President José Luis Dalmau Santiago responded Thursday to criticism about the closure of the ordinary session and the number of measures approved, and defended legislative productivity.
“This Senate works for the people and not for those who intend to govern from the comfort of the stands,” Dalmau Santiago said in a written statement. “The easy thing in life is to get paid for criticizing; the difficult thing is to get five different parties and an independent senator to work in unison, for the benefit of the people of Puerto Rico.”
The Senate president said the productivity of a Legislative Assembly is measured by the accumulation of legislation approved throughout an entire four-year period.
“Unlike some lobbyists, who are also analysts, for the 156,000 retirees who today have their pensions insured at 100% of their income, this Legislature was productive,” he said. “It also was for the 90,000 public employees who received salary increases by law, such as teachers, firefighters and police officers, who, in addition, will finally have their dignified retirement with assured income.”
The senator stressed that the Legislature was also productive for the 200,000 workers who saw an increase in the minimum wage and for the 640,000 people who have benefited from employment credits, a measure legislated by the majority Popular Democratic Party that makes annual income of up to $7,000 viable for families in need.