HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
OPENING REMARKS BY
SEEMA M. SINGH, ESQ.
RATEPAYER ADVOCATE
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 21^ST 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!  

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