Puerto Rico

perceived as the same. Perception is re- ality, and we should all take it as a huge opportunity. No matter how you place the map, all the Caribbean countries will ap- pear at the center of the Americas. Center is a powerful word and we must use it to our advantage with carefully designed business collaborations to become the world’s center for the new economy. As such,we can be the focal point where forward thinkers of all matters and expertise coincide to exchange knowledge and create ideas. We have invested time and energy over the last three years to restart key sectors of the economy that hold tremendous poten- tial to generate growth. With the right leg- islation and leadership we partnered with the likes of Lufthansa, Honeywell, Price- waterhouseCoopers, Santander, and other well-established investors who decided to break ground in the island to do business much beyond the short term. They are world leaders in technology, real estate, and finance. They did it because they are convinced that Puerto Rico represents a sound investment. The unemployment rate has gone down from 16.5 percent to 11.4 percent, the lowest for this time of year since 2008; retail sales have had a steady increase over the past years and will reach a projected $39.5 billion by the end of the year; and we are finally closing the gap between revenue and expenditure. PUERTO RICO