PUERTO RICO: SAN JUAN: ELECTIONS HELD TO CHOSE NEW GOVERNOR

Описание: (5 Nov 1996) Span/Eng/Nat

Puerto Ricans have taken to the polls to elect a new governor, more than 70 congressmen and 78 mayors.

Pre-election polls gave Governor Pedro Rosello of the New Progressive Party a slight lead over his main contender - Hector Luis Acevedo of the Popular Democratic Party.

More than 80 percent of registered voters were expected to vote.

Rising at dawn, thousands of Puerto Ricans lined up to vote Tuesday.

Residents of this U-S Commonwealth will elect a new governor, more than 70 Congressmen, 78 mayors and their sole representative to the U-S Congress.

Governor Pedro Rosello, the candidate for the New Progressive Party -- the P-N-P -- arrived bright and early at the polling station in San Juan to cast his ballot.

Rosello's party wants Puerto Rico to become the United States' 51st state.

Pre-election polls put him slightly ahead of his main challenger, San Juan mayor Hector Luis Acevedo of the Popular Democratic Party -- the P-P-D.

Daniel Noriega- candidate for the Independence Party-- is expected to get just five percent of votes.

Rosello urged Puerto Ricans to participate in the voting.

SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
Do not allow others to decide - you have to go exercise your privilege to vote, take this decision and let the best man win.
SUPER CAPTION: Pedro Rosello, Governor of Puerto Rico

The governor announced he would promote another referendum to define the final status of the island.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
The state matter is central to our view of what Puerto Rico should be. This issue is discussed in Puerto Rico all the time - every day it is discussed in Puerto Rico. It will be decided - not in this election - it will be decided when the people of Puerto Rico have another chance in a plebiscite to choose among the different options for their status.
SUPER CAPTION: Pedro Rosello, Governor of Puerto Rico

It was then Acevedo's turn to vote.

Acevedo has blamed Rosello for not fighting to keep tax breaks the U-S Congress removed earlier this year.

The incentives -- which allowed U-S based companies to operate tax-free in Puerto Rico -- paved the way for the island's industrial success.

Puerto Rico is a U-S Commonwealth, but although residents are U-S citizens they do not vote for the U-S president or other federal officials.

However, residents will vote for their only representative in the U-S Congress known as the Resident Commissioner.

Celeste Benitez is the P-D-P's candidate for such position.

If she wins, Benitez has promised to fight to convince Congress to extend another tax break for U-S companies investing in the island.

The election campaign concentrated on issues from health and education reforms to a tough stance on crime and tax cuts.

Puerto Rico's political parties are battling to define a final political status for this Caribbean island.

The P-N-P hopes favours statehood, the P-P-D an associated republic and the P-I-P full independence from the U-S.

Two-point-three (m) million islanders have registered and more than 80 percent are expected to cast ballots in sharp contrast to the mainland.

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