Esta ley enmienda la Ley Orgánica de la Compañía de Turismo de Puerto Rico para establecer la coordinación entre la Compañía de Turismo y el Departamento de Educación con el fin de crear una escuela de administración hotelera y turismo a nivel vocacional y técnico. Busca promover la capacitación y recapacitación de recursos humanos en la industria turística de Puerto Rico y crea una Junta Asesora para recomendar al Departamento de Educación el contenido curricular y los programas de formación y recapacitación según las necesidades de la industria.
(Approved January 4, 2003)
To amend Section 6 of Act No. 10 of June 18, 1970, as amended, known as the "Organic Act of the Tourism Company of Puerto Rico" for the purpose of providing for coordination between the Puerto Rico Tourist Company and the Department of Education for the establishment of a school of hotel management and tourism at a vocational and technical level; to promote the training and retraining of human resources in Puerto Rico's tourist industry; and to create an Advisory Board to recommend to the Department of Education the content of the curriculum and training and re-training programs according to the industry's needs; and for other purposes.
According to the investigation performed by the Tourism Committee concerning House Resolution 1888, an insufficiency of programs at a technical and vocational level directed at the tourist industry is evident. This is a consequence of the closing of the School of Hotel Management in 1997.
It is necessary to broaden the offerings of training courses and to strengthen the awareness of the human resources that perform services in the different areas of tourism. Concerning training and re-training at a technical and vocational level, the lack of the following becomes apparent: knowledge of languages emphasizing fluency in Spanish and in English, basic skills for serving the client, drivers, tourist guides, and other specialized tasks of tourist activities in each sector of tourism.
It is urgent for the Department of Education, consulting with the Tourism Company, and the private sector, to re-establish one or more teaching centers at a vocational and technical level for training and retraining of human resources rendering services in the various areas of tourism, as well as hotel employees, taxi drivers, excursion operators and guides, travel agencies and tourist police, among others.
Section 1.- Sub-paragraph 5 of Section 6 of Act No. 10, June 18, as amended, is amended to read as follows: "Section 6.- Responsibilities The company shall be responsible for: (1) ... (2) ... (3) ... (4) ... (5) The Promotion of the training of the personnel needed for tourist activities, as well as to promote the opportunities and executive training of employees in the hotel industry. To coordinate with the Department of Education, the establishment of a hotel management and tourism school at a vocational and technical level, to promote the training and re-training of the human resources of the Puerto Rican tourism industry.
(a) To establish an Advisory Board to recommend to the Department of Education the content of the curricula and programs according to the needs of the tourism industry. This Board shall consist of seven (7) members: The Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company; who shall be President of same; the Secretary of the Department of
Education; the President of the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association, the President of the Puerto Rican Travel Agents Association; The Director of the Program of Hotel and Restaurant Administration of the University of Puerto Rico in Carolina; the Administrator of the Administration for Future Workers and Entrepreneurs Training; and the Secretary of the Department of Labor and Human Resources."
Article 2.- This Act shall take effect immediately after its approval.
I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 63 (H.B. 2520) of the $4^{ ext {th }}$.Session of the $14^{ ext {th }}$ Legislature of Puerto Rico:
AN ACT to amend Section 6 of Act No. 10 of June 18, 1970, as amended, known as the "Organic Act of the Tourism Company of Puerto Rico" for the purpose of providing for coordination between the Puerto Rico Tourist Company and the Department of Education for the establishment of a school of hotel management and tourism at a vocational and technical level; to promote the training and retraining of human resources in Puerto Rico's tourist industry; and to create an Advisory Board to recommend to the Department of Education the content of the curriculum and training and re-training programs according to the industry's needs; and for other purposes, has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, today $18^{ ext {st }}$ of February of 2004.
Elba Rosa Rodríguez-Fuentes Director