Statistics Institute has a new president of its Board of Directors

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IEPR

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24 December 2025

PRESS RELEASE

The Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics has a new president of its Board of Directors

The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute (Institute) has a new president of its Board of Directors. The Board elected the economist and former university professor, Nicolás Muñoz, as president after the resignation on April 3 of Arnaldo Cruz, who had been president for the past three years. Muñoz, who served as vice-president of the Institute's Board, has a master's degree in economics from the University of Puerto Rico and is president of Tactical Planners, Inc., a firm dedicated to economic consulting and strategic planning. Muñoz has held other ad honorem positions in the government of Puerto Rico, including a member of the Governor's Council of Economists, president of the Workforce Investment Board (WIA), a member of the Governor's Committee for the review of the minimum wage in Puerto Rico and a member of the Employment Opportunity Promotion Board of the Department of Labor.

Board members do not earn compensation for their services. The Board is composed, in addition to Muñoz, of Dr. Idania Rodríguez Ayuso, vice-president, Mrs. Carola Ballester Descartes, secretary, Mr. Vicente Feliciano Pérez and the Hon. Manuel Laboy. This Board of Directors, as established in Act 209 of August 28, 2003, is the governing body that establishes the administrative policy of the institute, which is led by Dr. Orville M. Disdier.

Dr. Idania Rodríguez Ayuso has a master's degree in Epidemiology from the University of Puerto Rico and a doctorate in Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology from Walden University. Rodríguez is also an independent consultant in epidemiology, statistics and research and a professor at Ana G. Méndez University. Mrs. Carola Ballester Descartes has a master's degree in Planning from the University of Puerto Rico, where she is also a professor and associate dean of the School of Architecture, and a master's degree in Landscape Architecture from the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico.

On the other hand, Mr. Vicente Feliciano Pérez has a bachelor's degree in Economics from Harvard University and an MBA, IMD Business School in Switzerland. Feliciano is also founder and president of Advantage Business Consulting. The Hon. Manuel Laboy Rivera, who represents the government official in the Board as established by law, has a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico and a master's degree from the University of Turabo. Laboy is the secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce and executive director of the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company.

As reported, the new members of the Board will concentrate their work on implementing the institute's Strategic Plan, which includes several goals, including: Develop an administrative structure that allows the proper functioning of internal processes, restructuring the statistical coordination committee so that it operates effectively and increases compliance with the law that governs the institute and establishes its mission, and improving the budget or capital by diversifying the institute's services and projects to obtain external income or funds non-governmental.

The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute is an autonomous governmental entity tasked with coordinating the government's statistical production service to ensure that the data collection and statistics systems, on which public policies are based, are complete, reliable, and accessible quickly and universally.

To learn more about the Institute of Statistics, you can access the website: www.estadisticas.pr.gov. On social media through Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) accounts.

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Contact: Idia M. Martínez, R‐28 787‐603‐3200

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Historic U.S. Census Bureau test begins in Puerto Rico

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Lack of certified people in libraries to provide technological assistance to people with disabilities

Press Release

Lack of people certified in libraries to provide technological assistance to people with disabilities

The data comes from a study carried out by the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics.

According to the report of the study on inclusive services and technological assistance in libraries in Puerto Rico by the Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico, 83% of the participating libraries do not have people certified in technological assistance to people with disabilities. Similarly, almost 40% of libraries indicated that they do not have computers or electronic equipment required to comply with a technological assistance program for people with disabilities.

The main objective of Law No. 63 of 2011 is to establish the Inclusive Library Services System for Technological Assistance in all libraries in Puerto Rico. In the same way, this law orders the government to “collect annual statistical data on Inclusive Library Services for Technological Assistance”. Since its approval, the government has not been able to fully comply with this mandate. It is for this reason that the Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico, in collaboration with the Technological Assistance Program of the University of Puerto Rico (PRATP), designed a collection system and a set of data so that the Government of Puerto Rico has the capacity to collect, analyze and disseminate data on the implementation of this law.

The data presented correspond to the calendar year 2019 and includes a sample of the libraries of the University of Puerto Rico system, private universities, higher education institutions and municipalities. This is the first report that Puerto Rico has made on statistics related to the implementation of Law No. 63 of 2011

“As a society we must and must guarantee all people access to education and information, and people with disabilities cannot be discriminated against. This study allows us, in addition to complying with the law, to determine where we should make the necessary adjustments to meet the access to information needs of people with disabilities,” said Dr. Orville M. Disdier, lead author of the study and acting executive director of the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics.

Here are some of the study's most salient findings:

A total of 36 libraries completed the questionnaire, the largest of them from private universities (39%).
36% of participating libraries do not have a plan to implement Act No. 63.
Most (83%) of participating libraries reported that they do not have people certified in technological assistance.
Only 8% of participating libraries indicated that the administration has plans to provide training on the use of technological assistance programs and equipment.
Nearly 40% of participating libraries indicated that they do not have computers or electronic equipment required to comply with a technological assistance program for people with disabilities.
Although 67% of participating libraries claimed that their library meets the requirements established by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regarding the accessibility of physical spaces for people with disabilities, all indicated that they do not have official certification for these purposes.
Among the reasons that participating libraries established for not complying with Act No. 63 of 2011 are: Lack of financial resources, lack of guidance, lack of support from the administration and lack of human resources.

The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute is an autonomous governmental entity tasked with coordinating the government's statistical production service to ensure that the data collection and statistics systems, on which public policies are based, are complete, reliable, and accessible quickly and universally. To access this report or to learn more about the Institute of Statistics, you can access the website: www.estadisticas.pr.gov. On social media through Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) accounts.

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Contacts:

Idia M. Martinez, R-28

787-603-3200

Lourdes Burgos, R-27

787-562-2932

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Puerto Rico present at the largest meeting of United States Statisticians

Puerto Rico present at the largest meeting of United States Statisticians

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La Ley Núm. 209-2003, según enmendada, creó al Instituto de Estadísticas de Puerto Rico como una entidad gubernamental autónoma con la encomienda de coordinar el servicio de producción de estadísticas del Gobierno para asegurar que los sistemas de recopilación de datos y estadísticas, en los que se basan las políticas públicas, estén completos, sean confiables y de acceso rápido y universal.

Access the Public Transparency Portalto request access to information, receive notifications and follow up in a secure and transparent manner, in accordance with Law 141-2019.