STATE OF NEW JERSEY
Division of The Ratepayer Advocate
31 Clinton Street, 11th Fl
P. O. Box 46005
Newark, New Jersey 07101
Press Release
For Immediate Release Friday, October 10, 2003 |
For
Further Information |
HISPANIC
HERITAGE MONTH
OPENING REMARKS
BY
SEEMA M. SINGH, ESQ.
OCTOBER 9, 2003
GOOD
MORNING AND WELCOME, DR. MARTINEZ-FERNANDEZ, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, COLLEAGUES
AND FRIENDS. THANK YOU FOR JOINING
US AS WE LEARN AND HONOR THE COUNTLESS CONTRIBUTIONS, RECOGNIZED AND
UNRECOGNIZED, OF NEW JERSEY’S DIVERSE HISPANIC COMMUNITY TO THE SOCIAL,
CULTURAL, AND ECONOMIC FABRIC OF OUR STATE.
IN KEEPING WITH GOVERNOR MCGREEVEY’S COMMITMENT TO WORK AND INCLUDE IN
OUR ACTIVITIES ALL THE PEOPLE OF NEW JERSEY, WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON
PRESERVING OUR STATE’S RICH ETHNIC DIVERSITY, THIS MONTH THE GOVERNOR HAS
ENCOURAGED US TO EXPAND OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE VIBRANT
AND ENERGETIC HISPANIC COMMUNITY WHICH CONTRIBUTES SO MUCH TO THE WELL BEING OF
THE STATE.
WE, AT THE DIVISION OF THE RATEPAYER ADVOCATE, HAVE BEEN COMMITTED TO
REACHING OUT TO THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY AND ALL THE OTHER COMMUNITIES OF NEW
JERSEY TO ENSURE THAT NEW JERSEY IS A HOSPITABLE AND EFFECTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR
ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE STATE.
OUR MISSION IS TO ENSURE THAT RATEPAYERS ARE AFFORDED THE SAFEST, MOST RELIABLE SERVICE, AND REASONABLE RATES POSSIBLE FOR ALL ESSENTIAL SERVICES INCLUDING ELECTRIC, NATURAL GAS, WATER/WASTEWATER AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS.
THAT ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH. WE MUST ALSO ENSURE THAT SPANISH SPEAKING RATEPAYERS, THE LARGEST AND FASTEST GROWING ETHNIC GROUP IN THE STATE, ARE AFFORDED UNDERSTANDABLE INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND ADVICE ON HOW TO SEEK ASSISTANCE WHEN THEIR ESSENTIAL SERVICES ARE AFFECTED BY UTILITY FAILURES OR ECONOMIC PROBLEMS.
I PLEDGE THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE EVERY POSSIBLE EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT OUR RESOURCES ARE EVEN MORE AVAILABLE TO THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY IN THE FUTURE.
BEFORE I INTRODUCE OUR DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER, DR. LUIS MARTINEZ-FERNANDEZ, I WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND THE COMMITTEE, CHAIRED BY STAFF ATTORNEY, JOSE RIVERA-BENITEZ, JOINED BY IVETTE ALTAMIRANO, JOSE SELAYA AND MICHELLE GILES WHO ORGANIZED THIS EXCELLENT PROGRAM.
IT IS AN HONOR TODAY TO WELCOME DR. LUIS MARTINEZ-FERNANDEZ, THE
DEPARTMENT CHAIR OF THE PUERTO RICAN AND HISPANIC CARIBBEAN STUDIES AT RUTGERS
UNIVERSITY IN NEW BRUNSWICK. DR.
MARTINEZ-FERNANDEZ ALSO SERVES ON THE GOVERNOR’S HISPANIC ADVISORY COUNCIL. A DISTINGUISHED AUTHOR, LECTURER, HISTORIAN, AND EDUCATOR,
DR. MARTINEZ-FERNANDEZ WILL SHARE SOME OF HIS INSIGHTS ON: “HISPANICS/LATINOS
IN THE 21ST CENTURY; CHALLENGES WE FACE AND OBSTACLES WE CONFRONT”.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING DR. MARTINEZ-FERNANDEZ AND AFTER HIS
PRESENTATION LET’S CONTINUE TO SPEAK WITH EACH OTHER OVER PASTELES Y CAFÉ/PASTRY
AND COFFEE.
DR. MARTINEZ-FERNANDEZ, WELCOME!