Without rest to get your solar panel system

At the hotel. Lucy González arrived at the registration center of the Department of Housing's New Energy Program in Hatilo on Monday afternoon at 3:00 p.m.

The 63-year-old and Hattilo resident was hoping to be the first to claim one of the 100 vouchers to install solar panels and batteries distributed at the centre. The mother lives in Barcelona and lives on a social security pension from her late husband.

He opined that the previous time vouchers were distributed they tried to apply online but it was impossible for them to get one. On those occasions, all the seats were sold out in just 45 minutes.

Gonzalez prepared himself and even came with some stamps intended to be distributed among those who came to distribute the vouchers, whose delivery was tomorrow.

“I have already prepared them (stamps). I said: 'I'm going at 7:00 this morning, I'm going to be number 1'. But the guy giving me the plates called me and said to me: 'Look, they're already lined up in San Juan' and I started here (Hatilo).“, he told Primera Hora.

Upon arrival, he took the 32nd turn on the list.

Since Sunday afternoon, people were already queuing in front of the small shopping center where the offices of the Nueva Energia project are located on PR-4490 avenue in Hatilo.

The first to arrive was Angel Rosado Centeno, 70 years old and a resident of the Cabez de Hatillo neighborhood.

Rosado Centeno arrived at the spot at 6:00 pm on Sunday and has been spending the night there ever since. Although there was an option to claim the voucher digitally on Wednesday, he rejected that alternative because “at my age, it's difficult for me to access the web pages. So, I decided to come here and apply in person. And I decided to come at least two, three days in advance as I knew there would be a rush here.” I did,” he said.

Rosado Centeno After a few hours, others began to arrive.

Janet Cortez, 61 and a resident of the Sabana Hoyos neighborhood in Arecibo, was the second person approached, but soon more joined.

Then, the woman said, they were told to register and take roll call at least three times a day.

“We decided to make a list and write down the people who came. And they explained to them that this is where they have to stay, that they can't sign in on Tuesday night, and because it's Wednesday, they have to come and stay here. They can eat, they can go to the bathroom, they can go home. They will come… but there will always be someone here.

Every time the roll was called, if that person was not present, or if no one was represented, the name was removed and sent to another of the more than 150 people present.

Cortés is another who, although he could apply for a voucher online, decided to do so in person because he felt that option was safer.

“It's a bit of an uphill climb on the internet. When you enter, there is no way to communicate. If you call on the phone, they are busy. And the chance to get voucher here is safe”, he commented.

A peaceful and friendly atmosphere prevailed even as people expressed their displeasure at the presence of citizens at the site a few days before the start of the process. Although no police presence was seen, residents said they felt peaceful during the night.

Some came with domino tables, water bottles, speakers and a snack bar.

On Monday, 70-year-old Gloria Soto, a resident of Arecibo's Santana neighborhood, prepared a pot of rice with beans and stewed cod, which her husband distributed among the participants.

“We came here yesterday around 3:00 pm and my husband said to me: 'Mom, go, cook, make yourself a pot of food and I will deliver'. “So I sent him everything, I sent him plates and glasses, and he distributed it.” story

On the other side of the road, in a Ford Transit vehicle was Jose Olivieri, 62, of Florida City. Since arriving there, he spends the night in his vehicle, waiting to be able to get an appointment for a voucher. During the day his wife comes to comfort him and he takes advantage of that time to go to his children's house in Camuy to have a bath and something to eat.

He commented that his wife does not stay with him at night, suffers from sleep apnea and uses a machine to sleep, so they want to install a photovoltaic system at home.

Like Olivieri, 65-year-old Ernesto Alfonso Garcia Camacho had been sleeping inside his work truck since Monday.

García Camacho, who lives in Ciales, said he left his home on Sunday with the idea of ​​finding out where the project's offices were, but when he realized people had already started arriving at the facilities, he returned home. A mattress, clothes, water and groceries in his truck, and Huttilo returned.

“On Sunday, I walked around here and saw four people. I returned to my house, prepared the vehicle for my stay, and here we are. “I've been here since Monday morning.”

Garcia Camacho, a barber and event coordinator, said he put up a sign in his barbershop that said business would not be open until Wednesday, come for a shift. The person indicated that he decided to seek the incentive to avoid a repeat of Hurricane Maria-like experiences.

Liaising with mayors

In this situation, Disaster Recovery Undersecretary of the Department of Housing, Maritzi Diaz, who oversees the New Energy Project, encouraged the participants, aware of the situation in various shopping centers where the project offices are located. Use alternative methods to apply for vouchers.

“We have taken precautionary measures. The fact is that Puerto Rico's need is clear and there is great interest among citizens to participate in this project, precisely because it is a project that provides photovoltaic and battery systems completely free of charge to people who are considered to have few or very few resources in this regard. So it is definitely a program of interest,” he said.

He added that in this situation, “we are in constant contact with the various mayors where these centers are located and they are offering support. Likewise, the Department of Public Safety is also alert and providing support. But, our call center, telephone panel, the 1-833-234-2324, or get their turn by page. American online portal, which newenergia.pr.gov. A call center system has the same system used at commercial level, which is 'callback' where one never misses their turn. When you call, there is no need to wait in line for a long time, but the call is returned,” he explained.

Beginning at 8:00 a.m. this Wednesday, 4,000 tickets will be available electronically; 1,000 and 1,000 tickets by the call center divided equally among 10 service centers located in San Juan, Mayaguez, Vega Alta, Aguadilla, Hatillo, Caguas, Fajardo, Ponce, Yabucoa and Orocovis.