Governor Defends Family Secretary Amid Senate Testimony on Contract Dispute
Suzanne Roig and former ADSEF head Blanca Medina Díaz gave emotional accounts to senators over the selection process for a multimillion-dollar Star Academy program contract that was never signed.
The short version
- NotiCel reported Suzanne Roig Fuertes and Blanca Medina Díaz defended their positions with tears and tension before the Senate on Oct. 7
- Medina Díaz said she was fired after refusing to sign a potential $38 million contract with NOLA Education LLC for the Star Academy program
- Telemundo Puerto Rico reported Governor Jenniffer González Colón defended Roig and pointed criticism at Blanca Medina
- Medina Díaz cited pressure from Roig, Norma Burgos and Gabriela Bofelli to award the contract and a separate $300,000 deal
Emotional Senate Hearing
Suzanne Roig Fuertes, secretary of the Department of the Family, and Blanca Medina Díaz, former administrator of the Administración de Desarrollo Socioeconómico de la Familia (ADSEF), testified before the Senate Commission on Family, Women, the Elderly and People with Functional Diversity and Disabilities on Wednesday, Oct. 7. NotiCel reported both women defended their versions of events surrounding the proposed contract for Star Academy, an academic intervention program to prevent school dropout that would have been implemented in 25 public schools and funded through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
Medina Díaz became emotional while recounting her dismissal, drying her tears as she described a call from her son after Norma Burgos, secretary of the governor’s office, held a press conference justifying her termination. She had worked more than three decades at the Department of the Family and was in retirement when Governor Jenniffer González Colón recruited her in April to lead ADSEF. NotiCel reported Medina Díaz said she initially declined the position but later accepted.
What the sources posted
Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.
Hay que dar un ejemplo al país, no estamos para servirnos, sino para servir siempre
Our translation: We must set an example for the country; we are not here to serve ourselves, but to serve always.
The source's own statement, as quoted by NotiCel. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
Disputed Contract Process
According to Medina Díaz’s testimony reported by NotiCel, Roig Fuertes pressed her to sign a contract with NOLA Education LLC, a company that had established a similar program in Louisiana. NOLA Education was one of three bidders evaluated by LAP Consulting Group; the others were Litoral Vivo Corp. and Coccoloba AgroEnvironmental LLC. NOLA received a weighted score of 95.7, Litoral Vivo 55.3 and Coccoloba 24.7 even though the latter company stated in writing it lacked the credentials. The potential contract could have reached $38 million. Medina Díaz said the number of potential students did not meet the threshold to request federal funds, so the contract was not signed.
Medina Díaz also refused to approve a $300,000 technical services contract with Strategic Consulting, a firm that already held multiple agreements with the Department of the Family. She told senators she faced pressure from Roig on her second day in office and that Gabriela Bofelli, director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA), also inquired why the contract had not been signed. Senator Juan Oscar Morales requested that Bofelli be summoned to a future hearing. NotiCel reported the most tense moment came when independent Senator Eliezer Molina pressed Roig about a trip to Louisiana that was allegedly at the invitation of NOLA Education.
Governor’s Position
Telemundo Puerto Rico reported on Thursday, Oct. 8 that Governor Jenniffer González Colón defended Roig “a capa y espada” (with all her might) and directed her criticism at Blanca Medina. Telemundo Puerto Rico reported the governor stated that Roig is not leaving her post.
Burgos had previously cited multiple deficiencies in Medina Díaz’s performance, including insubordination, lack of timely responses to official communications and failure to address referred matters. Medina Díaz closed her testimony by saying, “Hay que dar un ejemplo al país, no estamos para servirnos, sino para servir siempre.”
Where the sources differ
NotiCel and Telemundo Puerto Rico agree that Governor Jenniffer González Colón is defending Suzanne Roig Fuertes and that a Senate hearing occurred in which both Roig and Blanca Medina Díaz testified about the Star Academy contract selection process. NotiCel provides extensive details on the bidding scores, the $38 million potential value, the $300,000 Strategic Consulting contract, Medina Díaz’s emotional testimony, specific pressures from Roig, Norma Burgos and Gabriela Bofelli, and the reasons given for Medina’s dismissal. Telemundo Puerto Rico’s partial report focuses only on the governor’s strong defense of Roig and her criticism of Medina without detailing the contract amounts, scores or specific exchanges at the hearing.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not state whether the Star Academy contract was ultimately awarded to any company, the exact date Medina Díaz was dismissed, whether any investigation beyond the Senate hearing has been opened, the governor’s specific criticisms of Medina, or what actions if any will follow the senators’ request to summon Gabriela Bofelli. The outcome of the hearing and any potential consequences for the officials involved are also not addressed.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Official Defendieron hasta con lágrimas sus posturas ante el Senado, Suzanne Roig y Blanca Medina
- Reporting Defendieron hasta con lágrimas sus posturas ante el Senado, Suzanne Roig y Blanca Medina
- Reporting ¡No se va! Gobernadora defiende a capa y espada a Suzanne Roig
How we checked this
NotiCel provided the most detailed account of the Oct. 7 Senate hearing and the competing testimonies, while Telemundo Puerto Rico reported the governor’s continued support for Roig on Oct. 8. The exact nature of the governor’s criticism of Medina rests solely on the Telemundo report.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.