Xavier Romeu

Xavier Romeu is a Puerto Rican politician.

Biography

Romeu grew up in Puerto Rico and attended Haverford College in Pennsylvania where he was Student Council President in 1986. While Student Council President he opposed the administration of the Quaker-founded university on a proposed campus-wide alcohol ban. After receiving a law degree from Columbia University, he worked for the Sullivan & Cromwell law firm in New York.

He married and divorced fellow Haverford alumni Margrita Garcia. He had since remaried and currently lives in New York.

Public office

Xavier Romeu was the last Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company and Secretary of Commerce of Puerto Rico during the administration of Governor Pedro Rosselló. During this time he also served as the President and Director of the Puerto Rico Industrial Incentives Fund (PRIIF). He previously served as the Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration in Washington, DC.

Legal proceedings

Mr. Romeu's actions while in government have been the subject of several audits and investigations during his tenure in the Puerto Rico Industrial Incentives Fund (PRIFF), used to provide tax incentives to companies.cite web |url=http://blueribbonpr.org/noticias/starcom.php |title=Informe detalla los chanchullos del ex-director de PRIDCO |accessdate=2007-10-30 |author=Oscar Serrano |date=2003-10-11 |work= |publisher=Primera Hora] cite web |url=http://www.puertorico-herald.org/issues/2003/vol7n31/Media2-en.html |title=Blue Ribbon Committee Finds Misuse Of Public Funds In Pridco |accessdate=2007-10-30 |author=Joanisabel Gonzalez-Velazquez |date=2003-07-30 |work= |publisher=Puerto Rico Herald.com] Among the controversies were Mr. Romeu's use of government credit cards for personal expenses and the creation and management of the PRIIF.cite web |url=http://www.puertorico-herald.org/issues/2004/vol8n40/Media1-en.html |title=Romeu Sues PRIDCO |accessdate=2007-10-30 |author=Associated Press |date=2004-09-30 |work= |publisher=Puerto Rico Herald.com] [cite web |url=http://decisions.courts.state.ny.us/fcas/fcas_docs/2006mar/30011439720051sciv.pdf |title=Court Motion |accessdate=2007-09-22 |type=pdf |author=Supreme Court of New York |date= 2006-03-14 |work= |publisher=|format=PDF]

The Comisión Independiente de Ciudadanos para Evaluar Transacciones Gubernamentales also known as the Blue Ribbon Committee, established by then Governor Sila Calderon of the Popular Democratic Party, investigated Mr. Romeu during his time in office under the opposing political party, New Progressive Party.

The Committee concluded that Mr. Romeu improperly disbursed approximately $30 million in PRIIF funds to private companies who did not meet all the qualifying factors for such incentives, and for whom some companies had contributed to the NPP party. However, Romeu was not the only person accused by the committee, which also included public figures from other agencies as well as those from the opposing PDP party. However, no official charges have been brought against him as of 2007 for the accusations brought as part of the Committee investigations. Romeu subsequently sued the public agency he directed for alleged violation of his civil rights.

Current proceedings

In August, 2007, the Puerto Rico Justice Department filed a case against Mr. Romeu claiming negligence in the performance of official duties. The charges were filed in absentia. The Puerto Rico Justice Department’s case centers around alleged issuance of duplicate checks paid to an external consultant during Mr. Romeu's last days in office at PRIDCO.

References

External links

* [http://www2.haverford.edu/publications/fall98/romeu.htm Haverford Alumni profile]
* [http://blueribbonpr.org/informes/9-PRIIF%20II%20-%20Informe%202003-04a.pdf Blue Ribbon Committee report on Puerto Rico Industrial Incentives Fund]