Foundation for Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce Host Event in Culebra to Find Solutions to Business Barriers and Strengthen Human Capital
Culebra, Puerto Rico — Foundation for Puerto Rico (FPR), together with the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce, held the event “Transforming Challenges: Barriers to Doing Business and Human Capital Development” in Culebra on Wednesday, October 22, as part of the efforts of the Community Innovation Hub (CIH). This initiative, developed under a grant from USDA Rural Development, seeks to facilitate multisectoral collaboration to develop solutions to systemic challenges that limit the full participation of tourism stakeholders in Puerto Rico’s eastern region within the visitor economy.
In this sixth CIH event, participants addressed two of the region’s main challenges: the barriers entrepreneurs face when doing business and the lack of sufficient human capital needed to achieve sustainable economic development in Culebra and the other 14 municipalities that make up the Eastern Region.
The event brought together representatives from various nonprofit organizations, community leaders, local business owners, government and municipal representatives, and subject matter experts. Throughout a day of guided visits, attendees explored key points of interest in the municipality, including the Government Center, Flamenco Beach, the Center for the Arts and Events, Fundación de Culebra, Mujeres de Islas, Villa Pesquera, the Public Plaza, and the Puerto Rico Tourism Company’s Information Center.
“This visit allows us to examine key factors such as access to financing, mobility and transportation, permitting processes, the cost of doing business, service culture, and destination development, among other critical elements. We also aim to identify local initiatives that are producing concrete results and can serve as models or inspiration for developing scalable and replicable solutions in other municipalities across the eastern region,” said Javier De Jesús Martínez, Innovation Strategist at Foundation for Puerto Rico.
As part of the visit, a discussion space was also created where participants could identify challenges, opportunities, and share insights about the real-life dynamics of running a business or organization. This session was facilitated by members of the Community Innovation Hub and the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce.
“At the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce, we firmly believe that entrepreneurship is one of the most transformative forces for the economic and social development of our communities. This collaboration with Foundation for Puerto Rico’s Community Innovation Hub reinforces our commitment to the SME sector, which is growing with great dynamism in the island municipality of Culebra. By supporting initiatives that foster creativity, innovation, and the creation of new local businesses, we are contributing to a stronger, more inclusive, and sustainable business ecosystem for Puerto Rico,” stated Attorney Margaret Ramírez Báez, President of the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce.
The event was organized with the support of En Culebra and featured the participation of representatives from various agencies and municipalities, including: Autoridad de Acueductos y Alcantarillados, Barrio Eléctrico, Cámara de Comercio de Puerto Rico, Carlos Jeep Rental, Casa Carmen Culebra, Club Seabourne, Cooperativa Ahorro y Crédito Oriental, Cooperativa de Ahorro y Crédito Roosevelt Roads, Equinoterapia Flamenco Air, Foundation for a Better Puerto Rico, Fundación de Culebra, Gammy’s Water Tours, Kokomo Hotel/Le Deli Bleu, La Jíbara Pizzería, Mujeres de Islas, Salsa y Sazón Culebra, Snorkeling Puerto Rico, The Spot, The Spot Bar and Grill, and Williams Pizza.
Transforming Challenges is part of a series of gatherings organized by the CIH to drive solutions to the ten priority challenges identified in the eastern region, promoting a participatory and cross-sectoral approach. The series aims to catalyze initiatives that strengthen resilience, sustainability, and equitable growth across the region.
The efforts carried out in Culebra will continue in two additional phases: an ideation session, where strategies based on the findings of this visit will be validated and co-designed; followed by a regional call to action, where a work plan will be formalized and executed to address the identified challenges.
For more information about the Community Innovation Hub, its projects, and upcoming events, interested individuals can visit foundationpr.org/community-innovation-hub. They can also join this collaborative process through the virtual platform, which allows them to participate in discussions and become part of the solutions.
Contact:
Patsy Ramírez-Arroyo | John Brian Vélez Vega
Teléfónos: 787-415-0317 | 787-691-5388
Emails: patsy@foundationpr.org | john.velez@foundationpr.org