This is a machine-generated transcript. Text is unformatted and may contain errors.
What is the biggest plot to a week weekend problem in New York what is the biggest What are we going to a problem in San Juan for the answers to these and other questions listen to your city stations campus press conference in this transcribed discussion the editors of college newspapers question a prominent personality in the new modern sleeper a columnist for The New York Journal American is the moderator to introduce the panel and tonight's guest here is Mr sleeper for the afternoon and welcome to another edition of campus press conference our guest today is the honorable Donna Felice recalling. The mayor of San Juan Puerto Rico Donna fully says she's affectionately known to her people has been our city to leave the San Juan festival in honor of New York's Puerto Rican population San Juan and English means St John and St John is the patron saint of San Juan in Puerto Rico so it was very appropriate for Cardinal Spellman to give San Juan the Fiesta his blessing if I may identify laces before our microphones today to tell us something about the problems of our people and she should be an expert because she's been serving as San Juan chief executive for eleven years that's about the same time that mailer Guardia's served here and it's a record but that may identify Lisa's been elected for another four years so she's got mail or Guardia be here to interview the mayor of Puerto Rico our campus press conference reporters Jim for all of the for the lexigram and Marvin often Berg of the N.Y.U. square journal and what about the first question from you Marvin Jurado What is the biggest part old Rican problem in New York. I did not rob and you know. I am very sure that they have wonderful opportunities here and in your ass and lots of happy fact is that they have a lot of food future here but again future would you say that they are greatly disillusioned by the fact that many of them come here with the ideas of getting good jobs and that there are many opportunities and. When they get there they find that there aren't as many jobs of a thank there are and a few that there are jobs at hard labor and with not much money and in them well a very very Islamist faith I think I think that they put every concept come here with the purpose of the work and then they find there are Puerto Rican Sendong find us here because they don't want to work for the they want a war and there will find you here the city construction coordinator Robert Moses contends that the Puerto Ricans are a problem the problem exists in the fact that one we can absorb them in New York City but we either must build faster or they must migrate into New York City at a slower rate is your government doing anything to cooperate in solving this particular problem other words the speed of life of the Saudis here at the present time vs really and working hard on that we have trying to work the through work as soon as possible and then we're going on the lean for the thing that every five we have jobs for the less people there they will come through New York so we are working hard to learn to live more five counties and live in matter of fact they're both fine with five hundred of them you'll fight for the influx of legal in the last few years as the subject of the immigration into border areas need to have a great deal as you any idea of how much it's affected how much how much slower than what the Puerto Ricans are coming into New York since you're accelerated program when in your own country they are not going to name you or their feel if you and they start coming new year a new set of your own law a few of their friends come India I think it is because of that of our new factory. You say that the Puerto Ricans who come here. Only the Puerto Ricans who don't want to find jobs here are the ones who are working maybe they have someone of their what they want to give you know they have not the relation still good to go but. They have been talking so much about that for you guys without you know immediately and I think that means that there are so many fall down for the Reagan as having won the point he is fair not only here not regular today as they are you know all the think they are doctors they do you need you know it's a professor at the university dealing we have there for you down here all of your work and they have very good for feet and do you believe that to be Puerto Rican is getting a fair shake at a job opportunity in New York yes but qualified mechanics are getting qualified mechanics jobs and are not getting from say into the cafeteria workers union fall out and I need to tell you that something will happen to New York even if only going to get out in the end you know so many who need a fair look in new ideas have failed and if so would be good for old men to go out on another word and also then not for reasons another word you feel are a real asset to New York your question their feeling of definite need in this kind of thing and you're suggesting that they're not being victims of prejudice and job opportunities that the nappies LIVE FROM THAT is why I am always asking my plane that deep for you if you're from the back seat the first they are good on are you going to feed you they are women till they are willing to have the community. If you defend it for you to be set free yes you're going to kill and you can count on them and they are going to be a great credit for these great nations the border regions are discriminated against in housing and also in some jobs why do you think this is so. Well it is the house you need to have fallen in but if it's not at fault and also hear us asking me you know minutes ago about a lot of my friends been in fact on how senior five go they mean one pool for many people going for the eye and looking for you know what it's got that. They've gone and when we've got to accommodate and they've gone global they're found a really good days and then their. Factories and I put all in so they have the same problem you know their feet you know they are highly you know that might be verified in the world in the housing you know the C.D.'s and what resides housing in Puerto Rico What are your problems down there you have the same type of problems we have in New York not enough money to run the swears out the five but all of them you know if they don't have the money. But my budget is very small What is your budget in terms of dollars from seventy nine million dollars nine million R's this year is two billion I want to go population that's my full permission to have though is that more than having you know seven million people just in the city of San Juan in the in the San Juan family something sense of the idea that we used to come for a fee and the line is just a revenue business budget paid for from local revenue or is it contained in federal aid as well one easy easy easy. Different Thank you Jack. Mostly I'm out of the car but the fact do you get any federal aid from the United States government only yes we duly received an aid in housing with a different kind of aid being rolled through the kids and Main in school for school. If I do not have money on the getting back to the. White Americans who come up here White what do you think is the main reason for them leaving their land to come here for me to tears. When they hear a lot of about different. Things are so you see here and your of them that they can get a job right away they go on. That you have to do something for the fifty euro and then most of the home why don't they come all the way to New York that's a puzzle a wonder you don't only land in Florida I am going to have places to go now they are going through they are they are going out of Philadelphia they are going to if you have a life is it something that. Just may be an unfair question but if you think there are some Puerto Ricans with a company offer relief for relief efforts I think oh you know there was some time ago they were so on their way of putting relief at some years old. I don't think that they've come from really where you said that some of them come up here and there are jobs but they don't want to take them well a lot some of them do you know. They are after they are troublemakers you have to have a make or thought employed to be thawing it with you out from a good all of it was that they'd be found not to work and. But the very last day even they don't want to work and they will finally give you what percentage of Puerto Ricans come from New York each year. For you to. Of. All the Puerto Ricans in New York doing anything to organize themselves in such a way so as to combat the evils of prejudice that do pop up now and then in a city where life and you know that as something has it has been dong fully at a very proud I'm very happy for the family of bad. News straight from the Latin have done a great deal to the head of the crazy. Opinion with a very unique for a reason in the United States and he is doing something we've last night I was thrilled for these. People here he has opened my eyes. And the old fool for fall it would be really good at for a recount and id very and that is very unfortunate because when they land at Langley everything is going to be very good for them outside of that is there anything you would care to cite as the most outstanding contribution my wife has made him from batting practice Well he has been fielding every time you have signed up for human need for an infant five nights a week about a political event and every time he has an opportunity to talk about their very first belief need for a very county in New York are given a lot of effort going through years into this CD so that it's very for him but he's faint and what he's doing through the play you really have to do you believe he has integrated them into his city government I think so I think so reacted very pleased. And lots of pride but they really don't like and they are looking at very much. What. Decides housing in in San Juan is your problem there one of the big things that that the reporters bother you about when they come in well I like to come to talk here right here at city hall so if you do a search do is one of my better than fear running like a sorry Candy found a new policy you know I am I'm working on a New York hospital I have to live you don't have to be you the physical facilities are not as good as I wanted and I am working product funny about that and there are a lot of people who get free treatment down there you have that problem oh yeah yeah you really have only three days free treatment for it for free for any person that cannot fade a little bit off the cuff and they have made it very clear in the Bill of Rights of course that your private profit out of there if we fight every necessary for it from there would be to blow up what about out of our profit what about personnel do you have enough doctors nurses that already yesterday half a million has no shortage of that literally only half always so if you notice this they have only thirty if you know your food inductively don't have any thirty to thirty pounds question of them are going up in birth is the University of Puerto Rico educating as many Puerto Ricans as it can the far is it lacking in many students before sort of a lack of secondary education if you normally have an over effect and I really do think you know enough in math and fact you need to be only there if you cannot afford to have them all before they don't have in law or five feet deep you know. Well now tell us something about yourself it's a little a peculiar to have a for us to think of a woman as a mayor of such a large city as San Juan how did you become mayor. Where I Why did you want to become my own let's say one because I use to take care of the people of the fall and they have been pushing me and fast alone if I was climbing the response from the media should have so much for thirteenth that they forget probably feeble and something gone for me since when it's gone I have to particularly feel what I mean with taking care of the people who I have to feel even if not only do not feel the need for a name so I know from my in my hand if they saw me thinking of me and they knew of a storm song here too how long ago was that feed lots of violets sixteen years ago and I have been trying you cease to be just my hospital for me to reef you know well and what were you doing at the time what what we feel and I just knew I was I left I was working and I have to go out and so on a very very kind of way. You know you haven't done one for your dreams have a friend show for you doing away your public work before you became mayor if you said you are probably right for years I was helping get people on the side of you know I have been a social worker of my life without it without fail and without fight. I don't know how to the people in San Juan feel towards a woman there when I think they like it because you do find you to laugh and don't care anyhow when all is going to be me and you see if fair playing not fair and it's pretty far good some point is well known I found your date all to part for free parking if you need filling out on the left like you did made you feel about me that I think you have been battling for great info from the for the work we have been doing with that in the last election that's been all in your admin they are going to be a good while when you around the first time that you run against a man in my view in them how much to defeat them by. Many of you recall a leper vote was needed with a guy from the north from Violet and from the polls. And that and then you ran again and running again and to run again well would you run again for the next time the snake fact you might run again there was. One woman on my mind. This time there were three women go through the parties and San Juan parallel the National American parties as did the New York City forty In other words all the Republican Democrats know it to be friends and family and even then we knew we had it from one of them look at it and then learn the Republican five years not do it from the comfort of your new Republican factory they are the is that part of me that feels good for the reader should become very fitting into the fate of the union and union if and then be fired if you're fired you don't think of the need to try to separate the United States I want from you would be different for the most private fine if you get fired you don't seem that way through a deer come on when you doesn't sound the same and you know you're going to find you've got in front of you if it's Faddle feeding your body after a few If Fav if you have to see if we have to eat everything you did to unite in something like the British Commonwealth of Nations you want. The US you need to be American so you needed three units and then you have one party who wants for the Rico to become a state right yes and that you like the last I want to become a state and how I get out and eat what I want to the Republicans want that so you're never going to be but your party that wants to become independent nor become a state of become a common away as Australia is to have a way out as we are now you know we have all free and we have a reality states that the only thing we don't have made any other state of the news that we don't have is this that presented with voting for only just because we don't pay taxes that it's not that family of the system and that's life but the rest of the same league and everything in the ANY OTHER STATE OF THE UNION that we get. That's why I didn't know that fairly well but you are and you are now a protector of right at things from a Commonwealth area are you a Commonwealth mouth when you know that I'm unaware lonely or we want it come on the way to live a little but when you want more independence of the sort that you want because you want to maintain this between one to one fifteen you and you realize till one day I'm you know we feel very proud and very happy because now I want our this fabulous you and I saw the family feeling now that we have decided for you know I don't think for you know for the a nation that we want to be going you know after two years and we've United this date and that means a great deal of what all of them all around you do we feel very happy and very proud and I want to see you know United States what is the construction of your San Juan government how many people are there in government do you like here we have a mayor and we have a Board of Estimate which is represented as an equal to the Senate of the United States and then we have a city council which is equal to the House of Representatives how does it work in San Juan what is your for that we have with government study have we have a stiff wire from the center of water coming and going to come in here and find how many are there thirteen thirteen and they do they represent all the districts or do you think you do they do the one thing I do recall and see I know what kind of went in there you know in other words you don't run properly but you run a slate of commissioners not only on a bolt on goal and my name goes and goes out on the field and all that kind of fame if you don't they know that with the commissioners are going to vote their well you know then they become from my eyes is that they if they are me and they are elected they are going to uplift this first and then the mayor on the phone and on everything all they can feign it's gone out on that focus and that is going to be in many of the justices and again more or less like to see the money received. Are there any of the opposition in your Board of Commissioners now we're. I'm going to have because it has been enough but although you know now I have it you know when when Lee Flynn only when only a would be now if I'm still here we barely have established that they should be a minority in one one third of my knowledge and the lady's maid and now another lawyer was a fool that day should be. So. I've missed three of the thirteen that need to be free of the Meno eighty five the lier going to live even now in other words whoever finishes second in the election as it is guaranteed at least representation of three votes. Yes How long is your term of office four years and is there any other people in the government will Manal body besides your Board of Commissioners Let I'm off the air as I have pointed. Out many said the board if you stand for three days and. Then you take them from the regulator and only have an. Effective day. I have to think of a very good bargain how many people of voting age in fluttery go are registered voters and how many of those actually do love well you don't always have been that So in fact they may vary your set on various and known better about state came first saying that then they don't vote you know if you can reasonably registered to vote here and how many of those eligible to register to register. Well really going to say a fact you know now we are going to change the way because it was not that way before that fence on top of the radius there where they have eighteen years old they they have to wait for the opportunity to re-use that and everybody has to register at the same time but not always believe if anyone out there. It's going to be different it's going to be when you have your way they will send just that physically through the building. To the. Board of elections so that you're going to get involved no no the underneath and other words as soon as you become of age they notify you that you you can vote so it gives you that alerts you to the fact that you can command and register to vote and you feel as of the end I say eighteen I left for only twenty one years old because. If you think that the voting age there's been talk of reducing the voting age to eighteen right here in the United States what about if they have been talking about that through there and I have been done nothing has been done on not me you would you approve of something like that of having the H When I knew it from voting need you need to start the you know me go to law with it even if you know my feeling the I mean you know I mean if you and I deal with I have not made up my mind exactly but I think that if flight. Recently has not been unfairly do you think people I think of a thing of the issue of the law and my feelings were having a personal personal personal. Permanent registration here in New York for the first time this year what is your form of registration do you have that when they register once and they vote each year if they don't change their address Well if they have if they are a you fill in they both they don't have to register again but these days on vote they have to rein it in and they know they have to use it again at that time that everybody has to raise their you know there's one date for a woman and one day for men in other words or they miss just one election they have to reregister the phone they have to deal I I am glad you have nice because one I want to explain for the people that are hearing me you know one of the things that I would throw things out I think that night people should do the one and one is to land in leaf they should learn a new using their name which they would have this program thought about from influences from fear and sadly to say funny they should say you still. Feel funny and full of three thought a very interesting yes it's about the election and some of them that somebody puts everything so that he has some of them and they are unknown and I am asking and. I put them on there it's sort of a little raised because they believe this is a primary brain requirement in Puerto Rico and in Puerto Rican schools for years you need relief from the one of the cities and this is something having to change your leader because for instance when I was in the school we manage everything in English funny these are lead to the thing called to a person that put it to them and that is the fuselage and leaf through there and you're going to see and he's thirty and all the scenes you know the language it is very thoughtful in there to a man that language as I say laugh that's the difference of it you know the words they are the soul of our torch now you know it's been diminished but you know if you want to see a song for sorry. Tell me do you have. A. Juvenile delinquency problem in San Juan the same as we have here yes we have film lovely I love country life in that one has been asked to do any and I mean with you that most of the countries you know we have done finally are working very hard from that if we are working and the ninety's with the interview in the hospital. Field within the. Groups that I work in T.V. and that I was being nice to meet you lost some found voice before they needed somebody and taken on film have someone come down for me do you find that most of your juvenile delinquency is among families who are broken up down there where they don't have the same basic problem where I don't name my proper ass to your home life that leads to it most of the time that happened that thing happening and do you have there are a lot of orphanages down there a lot of there are a lot of flying over and I'm going to have homes if they have no somebody they don't have they know we have half of them all are we need to have them on the phone and look for our father means and let them have enough money to go on the phone and have the same time they have to leave the anything you feel is your atrocity right in your school system very high frequency here is the truancy rate decide you mean children you've got to have a hard job getting a lot of them to go to school well some are they have three have input of a great deal you know we have a good idea we haven't thought of a great deal but we haven't found and I think that a night in you see in the way we're working we live to be seen in good conditions through to accept their they voted on one of which are screwed. Now tell us a little about the San Juan Fiesta with just happened yesterday here in New York oh I'm so happy to have you with you need to be here my people were all excited and they they are so pleased and I am so proud of the way they have behaved I'm very very proud of them you know this fiesta fair for us I mean some life is a city that tradition the No we remember that Fiesta I remember my grandma left her name or that everybody ready to go through the last and everybody who preferred to look to the cars for the first three and everybody fair be fair to the road will be defamed and a different kind of entertainment they have even less beautiful because in the old way they used a man field and those very little on various is very good it was really very dilutive on those years and only I mean the writing that I imagine is the story behind why San Juan is the patron saint of San Juan why is it because and then you know if they turn off and why is there a particular reason why he was picked as the patron saint and because they because they're. Doing it in the east you'd have a Catholic there for that with that name and that's just shows a safe American who gave San Juan the name San Juan how far does that go back well they put their they put you know the whole island was on the whole I am. Last call San Juan and air San Juan a that they have started calling and. Point out any of the guys here reached forward they started calling and they mean instead of being in the hall I. Got the big quote put to recoat for the regard to the whole island and they need sand land to lose the center line for it I think there's one thing that we have uncovered in this interview. With Mrs Mayer and that's the industry what is San round one what is the principal industry down there how do the people in like their own living down there when I was playing field by leaving the feed the human brain you know I think it but it didn't feel any pain. At the few If a note of it seemed a fairly safe and fair. We our God I know that we are very proud of all I mean and recently us not only I'm very proud of we have found in laws along the Flutie of their right to change you know what I call them in. Theory A lie that easily if I was an hour I meant we'd be with the agriculture and economy economy and it was in full flow to leave and he started pushing the the just the undeveloped land how many people work in the show that came in the street down one of the interview. I did being treated fairly by the American sugar refinery on the. When we having We have been there fighting them fighting for days for a new form of racing to Fanny and they have it it's not like it is how many years what is the average salary down there of Puerto Rican workers. Have for part of life kind of enough jail because we don't have we have pain and they defy same founded on that but there is something distinctly halfassed Yes a stagnant Fed relieve the need to how I saw that today you named Daisy and me as have my man that live and then it are your honor but our time is just about up you have been listening to a press conference with the mayor of San Juan Puerto Rico Donna Felice The green color on the eight interview her work college at it is Jim Pharrell the Fordham lexigram and Marvin up in verge of the N.Y.U. square Journal Many thanks for joining in and a very pleasant week to you all editors of college newspapers have just interviewed a prominent personality in the news on capice press conference Marvin sleeper a columnist for The New York Journal American is the moderator of this series the opinions expressed or those of the participants and do not necessarily represent the views of this station we invite your comments on the program please mail them to campus press conference W. N.Y.C. New York seven This has been a transcribed public affairs feature of your city station.