Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont has signed a bill into law that formally establishes a trade commission between the state and Puerto Rico.
Lamont held a bill signing ceremony in Bridgeport on Friday for the Connecticut-Puerto Rico Trade Commission. It will focus on the relationship between the two and how to advance mutual economic support, bilateral trade and investment between Connecticut and Puerto Rico.
“By collaborating with the business community and those in Connecticut’s strong Puerto Rican community, this commission has the potential to develop the forward-thinking steps that improve trade and investment between our state and Puerto Rico,” Lamont said.
The commission was established to support exchanges for existing education and business opportunities and create new ventures. Lamont said the trade commission is the result of partnerships that have been built for years.
“When it comes to pharmaceuticals and when it comes to medical devices. We do a lot of that in Connecticut; we do a lot of that in Puerto Rico. We want to marry those two together. Reciprocity back and forth,” Lamont said
In addition to business within the medical field, Lamont said the state has worked with businesses and individuals in education. With nearly 300,000 Puerto Ricans living in the state, Lamont said many Puerto Ricans have added their contribution to a variety of jobs in the field of education.
“Today we have reciprocity to make sure more teachers from Puerto Rico can come up here and teach bilinguals and the meaning of history going back and forth,” Lamont said.
State Representative Chris Rosario was one of several legislators and advocates who championed the legislation. Rosario said the University of Bridgeport has partnered with the University of Ponce in Puerto Rico to launch a Master's program in medical sciences.
He said it is one of many partnerships that the commission will support.
“This commission gives us an enduring platform to strengthen those connections and to build new ones for education, business, health care and cultural exchange,” Rosario said.
The commission will consist of a 23-member group of appointed volunteers to develop policy recommendations. It will submit a report to the governor and legislature annually. The group is expected to have its first meeting in the fall.
