PUERTO RICANS:
CITIZENS DEPRIVED OF CIVIL RIGHTS
by Jesus Ramos
The United States has made few attempts to improve the economy of the
Island. To the United States Government, Puerto Rico is merely an
important
strategic location used by the U. S. Navy. (Presently, the Island
of Vieques off the coast of Puerto Rico, is undergoing economic decay at
the
whim of the Navy. The Navy has occupied 80 per cent of Vieques since
1941
and used the Island for bombing practice and war games. This has
injured the fishing industry which the people of Vieques depend on for
survival.) Because of the unstable economy, the Puerto Rican people
have no
alternative but to leave their mother country to migrate to the land of
the
Americans in search of employment to support their families. Most
of the
new arrivals to the United States are members of large families undergoing
severe economic stress. The majority of the Puerto Rican migrants
settled
in the large Northern cities, but a minority moved to more rural areas that
more closely resemble the towns of their mother country. Generally,
the
Puerto Rican people settled wherever jobs were available. Migration has
not
been an adequate solution to the problems of the Puerto Rican people. To
our dismay, the Puerto Ricans have been confronted with the same serious
problems in the United States as they faced in their mother country.
By the latter part of the 1960's, the Puerto Rican population in Manchester,
New Hampshire was becoming more visible. The migration to Manchester,
like
most Puerto Rican migration, had been primarily for economic reasons.
Manchester was experiencing a period of economic growth, and the demand
for workers was great. Puerto Ricans were offered employment in a number
of work places, primarily factories and mills, and Puerto Ricans moving
to
Manchester were promised decent housing, health benefits, and an education
for their children.
There are 3,000 Hispanics in Manchester. Through the years, the population
of Hispanics has increased until they now constitute 3 per cent of the
population of Manchester, New Hampshire. Those Hispanics who settled
here
sent for their families and friends, and in this manner the population
increased. This has been a common pattern among all migrating groups. The
Hispanic population is comprised of Uruguayans, Chileans, Mexicans,
Colombians, and Puerto Ricans. The Puerto Rican population constitutes
approximately 3/4 of the Hispanic community of Manchester, New Hampshire.
The Puerto Rican community faced, and continues to face, the hardships of
discrimination in Manchester. The only available housing that Puerto
Ricans
could afford on their low wages was (and still is) located at Kimball and
Pine Streets. Kimball Street residents are poor white, poor blacks,
poor
Puerto Ricans, and other Hispanics. Kimball street is considered by the
general public to be the "ghetto" of Manchester, New Hampshire. The "ghetto"
classification of Kimball Street has attached a stigma to all the residents
of Kimball Street, the majority of whom are Hispanics. One resident of
Kimball Street states, "Whenever a resident of Kimball Street goes into
downtown Manchester and says she lives on Kimball Street, she is rejected
and not helped. She is rejected to the extent that she cannot obtain
employment and move off Kimball Street into improved housing in another
area." Many Puerto Ricans are turned away from jobs simply because
they
live on Kimball Street, are tan skinned, and speak in broken English. Many
are patronized with the "come back next week" response. This experience
places the Puerto Rican citizen on the fringe of the community. She knows
her needs, but can find no one to assist her in meeting them.
The Puerto Rican population in Manchester is confronted with a number of
complex and inter-related problems in the areas of education, housing,
employment, social services, and law enforcement. The City of Manchester
has made no attempts to remedy these problems. The Puerto Rican people
have
been victims of benign neglect. The City of Manchester, New Hampshire
has
not even bothered to prepare a census of the Hispanic community to encourage
the creation of government programs to assist the community. The Puerto
Rican and Hispanic community is an important part of the Manchester
community and should no longer be ignored.
The remainder of this report will focus on the problems facing the Puerto
Rican and Hispanic community. In conclusion, a list of recommendations will
be presented.
EDUCATION
The Hispanic community is in need of bilingual education in the public
schools. The Puerto Rican child is being deprived of the opportunity
to
learn because successful methods of teaching Puerto Rican children in their
native language, Spanish, are not used in the Manchester schools. Nearly
all of the Spanish-speaking children are one year or more behind their grade
level. This is one of the reasons why so many of our children do not
finish
high school. There are children of sixteen who have been placed in
a grade
with fourteen year olds because they do not speak English. Their inability
to understand, or their teacher's inability to teach the Puerto Rican
student because of the language barrier, created in the Puerto Rican child
an inferiority complex which often prompts him to quit school. Another
reason why our children do not finish high school is that too many of them
are being pushed out. In the past, they have been placed in one classroom
(all ages mixed) with one teacher. Some were placed in the Maynard
School
where handicapped children are taught. The Puerto Rican children are
considered handicapped, "slow learners," or "retarded" because they could
not learn quickly when taught in a language they did not understand.
Children who attend Webster School are transported to school in a taxicab.
The taxi transports 14 children in one trip. The Department of Education,
rather than fully developing a Title VII bilingual program, provides only
a
program in English as a Second Language (E.S.L.). The E.S.L. program
essentially provides a course in English language skills without cultural
overtones. The emphasis in an E.S.L. program is to make the Puerto
Rican
student forget his or her language and cultural values, even to the extent
that the student begins to resent his or her parents speaking Spanish. The
E.S.L. program provides only a few hours per week of instruction, and little
attention is given to the value of preserving the student's own language
and
culture.
Communication between the school and Hispanic community groups is lacking.
These groups, which might be able to aid the school department in enrolling
students, counseling dropouts, and determining the future of bilingual
programs, are treated as if they do not exist. Thus, the Hispanic
community
is ill-informed and lacks input into decisions effecting the education of
its children.
In summary, the Puerto Rican child faces an identity crisis in the schools
because positive role models (such as Hispanic teachers or guidance
counselors) are not available, and none of the schools offer courses on
Puerto Rican or Latin American history and culture. Such courses would
instill a sense of pride in the Puerto Rican student and make other students
aware of the value of cultural differences. Before innovative courses can
be
implemented however, there must be a change in the Manchester schools
system's failure to maintain adequate records on Puerto Rican students.
The
schools might then be better prepared to plan programs and to hire
Spanish-speaking and Puerto Rican teachers and staff.
HOUSING
The housing problems that confront most Puerto Ricans are the same as those
which confront most slum dwellers, except they are more acute. The
housing
is sub-standard with insufficient heat in the winter. Apartments have
chipped paint on the walls and are infested with cockroaches. If the
tenant
doesn't pay the rent on time, the manager will not notify the tenant and
try
to work the problem out. Instead, the tenant simply receives an eviction
notice from the Court. Because of their low per capita income, Puerto
Ricans in Manchester and Nashua, New Hampshire are also forced to pay an
above average portion of their income for rent. This large expense affects
all other facets of their lives. It takes needed money away from such
necessary items as food, health services, clothing, and education.
In Manchester, most of the Puerto Ricans live in one area -- the west side
of Kimball Street in a Housing Authority Project. Puerto Ricans are
discriminated against in the private housing market. Many Puerto Ricans
find that adequate housing is not available to them, even if their income
will permit it, because they are Puerto Ricans.
Another factor relegating the Puerto Ricans to the slums is their strong
cultural ties. The people wish to remain in touch with one another,
and
retain their native language and culture.
Puerto Ricans are the victims of a vicious cycle of housing shortages,
housing deterioration, exorbitant rents, and discrimination that precludes
their exit from the cycle. While this pattern generally effects all
poor
Americans, it is particularly hard on the Puerto Rican because of the
language barrier and the Puerto Rican's low level of income.
The major impediment for the Puerto Rican community, however, is that
public housing isn't a realistic alternative to low income housing. Public
housing and publicly assisted housing are scarce, and the tenant admission
policies make Puerto Rican occupancy difficult. The result is a lack
of
Puerto Rican beneficiaries in programs supposedly designed for all poor
Americana. The language barrier is again a problem here. Its
effect is to
restrict Puerto Rican access to public housing.
In Manchester and Nashua, applications for public housing are not available
in Spanish, and tenant handbooks, instruction materials, and leases are
printed in English only. A more serious obstacle is the absence of
Spanish-speaking and Puerto Rican personnel among city employees.
Spanish-speaking applicants are rejected because they cannot speak
sufficient English to qualify for employment, while at the same time, the
need for Spanish-speaking city employees is great.
One area of concern already alluded to is the need of Puerto Rican families
for large apartments. In both Manchester and Nashua, there is a shortage
of
four and five bedroom public housing units. Puerto Ricans continually
complain of long delays in application processing, lost applications, and,
if they do live in public housing, of being forced to pay for needed repairs
on the apartment. They are charged for litter in their area even if
it is
not theirs. They are charged for the issuing of house or mail keys.
Should
they loose theirs, they have to pay a service charge of $1.00. They are
denied transfers from one housing unit to another. They have to present
a
doctor's certificate saying that the environment is bad for their health
in
order to get a transfer. The housing authority does not provide adequate
playground or recreational facilities for the children. When Hispanics
apply for occupancy in private homes/apartment buildings, they are denied
because:
Housing agencies could do much more to assist Puerto Ricans. Applications
and other literature could be written in Spanish. The employment of
more
Puerto Ricans and Spanish speaking people by the city and consideration
of
the needs of the Hispanic community when programs are formulated are
essential actions that these agencies should already be taking.
In the final analysis, the housing problems of the Puerto Ricans are
similar to the problems of the poor, the racially discriminated against,
and
the new migrant to the urban north.
EMPLOYMENT
The major factors contributing to the employment problems of Puerto Ricans
are the language barrier, limited education, lack of job training, lack
of
experience in factory-type employment, and the failure of employers to
cooperate. The inability to speak English greatly restricts or eliminates
job opportunities for Spanish speaking Puerto Ricans. Employers do not have
applications in Spanish or Spanish-speaking personnel. If a Spanish
speaking Puerto Rican does obtain a job, it is often difficult for him to
communicate with his supervisor or other employees. This often leads to
early dismissal. Most Puerto Ricans are employed as service workers,
laborers, and operatives. In some areas, no Puerto Ricans are employed
in
the building and construction trades, in heavy industrial work, or in civil
service positions. Puerto Ricans, in short, are relegated to the lowest
paying, unskilled, and most expendable sector of the American labor force.
Most Puerto Ricans earn the minimum wage and have no medical health plans.
They work in various companies and factories such as Carol Cable, a
factory; R.C.L. and Amtuteck, electrical power plants; Previe Products and
Myrna's, shoe factories; Waumbec, a factory; Pandora, a clothing factory;
and Granite State Packing and Fiber Processing Company. A small number are
members of the union who have often not been informed of their health
benefits. Outreach efforts provided to the Puerto Rican community for job
placement and employment programs have been limited. The failure of
the
department of Employment Security to employ an adequate number of
Spanish-speaking staff also contributes to the problem. Throughout
the
government agencies and public service institutions (hospitals, health
centers, and the like), the need for Spanish speaking and Puerto Rican
employees should be evident. Without Spanish-speaking staff, the agencies
and institutions are unable to communicate with the community they hope
to
serve. Without Puerto Rican Employees, the agencies are unable to
provide
the Puerto Rican with the friendly face and knowledge of Puerto Rican
history and culture that only a kinsman can offer. The need for Spanish
speaking and Puerto Rican employees in the Department of Employment
Security, Welfare Department, police department, courts, schools, hospitals,
and supermarkets is obvious. But, even where obvious, the need goes
unmet.
The Puerto Rican is neither helped nor employed. If the state and
local
government is unable to employ Spanish-speaking and Puerto Rican citizens,
then a lion's share of the blame must rest with the Civil Service
Commission.
In summary, the City of Manchester's attempts t help a group of American
citizens without attempting to communicate with them is astonishing and
impossible. Yet, this is the everyday story for the Puerto Ricans.
If the
cycle is to be broken, the public service employment of Puerto Ricans must
begin. A small first step might be some initiative on the part of
the Civil
Service Commission and all State and local government employers to hire
some
Spanish-speaking employees to serve the Spanish-speaking community. From
this meager start, education, health care, and employment prospects for
Puerto Ricans in the private sector might improve.
SOCIAL SERVICES
The Welfare department, medicaid, and medical clinics are commonly thought
of
as synonymous with poverty in America today [at this writing, it is June
11,
1995], and no institutions are more involved with the problems of the poor
than hospitals and public assistance offices. For Puerto Ricans, these
institutions evoke the same emotions of hope and frustration that millions
of their fellow poor have felt. The differences for Puerto Ricans
are in
terms of their understanding of the operation of the system and the system's
inability to overcome their language barrier. English speaking caseworkers
have little understanding of the idiosyncracies of the Spanish language
and
little sensitivity to the problems of Puerto Ricans. The result is
an
attitude of contempt on the part of the caseworker, and distrust as well
as
dislike on the part of the client. The attitude of most caseworkers
can be
classified as "treating the clients as low-class people." Some Hispanics
have revealed that they are afraid to go to the Welfare Department because
of the degrading treatment they get from the social workers.
Since Manchester does not have any public or municipal hospitals, Puerto
Ricans cannot receive full medical service. The only hospitals available
to
Puerto Ricans, Elliot and Catholic Medical Center, are private hospitals.
When a Puerto Rican Arrives at the emergency room of the hospital, he often
has to wait three of four hours before he is treated, and he may not be
treated at all if he cannot pay the admission fee. If he cannot pay
the
doctor or is late making the payments, he is not dismissed until full
payment is received. Private doctors operate in a similar manner.
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND POLICE BRUTALITY
Constitution of the United States, Article XIV, Section I
"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the
jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State
wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which
shall
abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor
shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without
due
process of law, nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the EQUAL
protection of the laws."
Many Puerto Rican's Constitutional Rights have been violated in the City
of
Manchester by law enforcement officers. In this part of the presentation
in
particular, we stress and ask for your help. When we claim that our
rights
have been violated, the court system is biased and does not give weight
and
consideration to our testimonies. We are in great need of lawyers
who are
experienced in working in the Hispanic community who are familiar with these
issues. Many Puerto Ricans do not know their rights, and even if they
did
know them, they would continue to be abused. A Puerto Rican when arrested
either is not read his Miranda rights, or does not understand them if they
are read to him, because they are read to him in English. Many are
arrested
without probable cause; it is probable cause enough that they are poor and
Hispanic. Many are arrested, beaten and then released because the
police
thought or say they "look like someone else," or they "resisted arrest."
The Courts of Manchester do not provide interpreters to the
Spanish-speaking person. Instead, the judge ridicules Puerto Ricans, saying
"Why don't you go back to Puerto Rico?" which has nothing to do with the
fact that they are in Court. At least one Puerto Rican was not allowed
to
call his attorney at the time of his arraignment. Disparity in sentencing
is also a problem. Puerto Ricans receive longer sentences than "Americans"
convicted of the same offenses. The judges threat Puerto Ricans as
if they
were aliens, instead of United States citizens who have as much right to
be
here as they do.
Constitution of the United States, Article IV
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers,
and
effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated,
and no warrant shall be issued except upon probable cause, supported by
oath
or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and
the persons or things to be seized.
The Puerto Rican community has suffered years of illegal searches and
seizures. The police have broken into non-English speaking family's
homes
at all times of the day and night and without consideration that the family
is sleeping. Furthermore, the police break in and take Puerto Ricans
into
custody without allowing them to get dressed for the outside cold climate,
to
which they are not accustomed. The police search Puerto Rican homes
to the
extent of dismantling dresser drawers and other items with no warrants at
all. The police regularly perform illegal searches and seizures of
Puerto
Rican's cars and persons with probable cause, and have beaten them.
Constitution of the United States, Article I
"Congress shall make no law respecting establishment of religion...or
abridging the freedom of speech... or the right of the people to peaceably
assemble, and to petition the government for redress of grievances."
One outstanding element of the Latin American culture has been close
community ties. We are accustomed to gathering at the "Plazas" in the
afternoons to play such games as dominoes or just to gather and converse.
The northern states do not have the "Plazas" and hence, the Puerto Ricans
substitute the street corners or the porch of a building for their
conversations. To the Puerto Ricans, this is a way of life, but to
the
police, it is considered Disturbing the Peace. When the police see
a group
of Puerto Ricans on the street, they promptly push them and tell them to
move along and stay off the streets. The police are constantly harassing
the Puerto Ricans for what is to them simply a part of their culture and
way
of life.
The Puerto Ricans are frequent victims of police brutality. They are
both
beaten and shot at more often than their caucasian counterparts. It
is as
if their lives are not worth as much because they are of another color and
culture.
Life in Manchester is a constant struggle for survival. Many have
left the
city for other areas of the country or have been deported back to Puerto
Rico. Newcomers from Puerto Rico face the same problems. The
Puerto Rican
lives in constant fear, hoping every day that they or a member of their
family will not be the next one to be beaten, harassed, or run out of town.
They feel that the police department is not there to protect them, but to
harm them.
We ask for your help with these problems.
Editor's note: I want to conduct classes in English for Spanish speaking
people
at a reasonable fee for those Hispanic peoples who wish to remain in the
mainland
of the United States, especially in New York City. If the Hispanic community
would
enjoy learning English who do not speak it at the present time or if those
who speak
some English wish to learn it better, please advise us where you are located.
Any reputable Sociologist in a college or university knows the reason
that
Hispanic people never learned English. It is because the job possibilities
for responsible positions have not existed for many in the Hispanic
community.
Naturally, there are considerable amounts of Hispanic people who have
excelled in the United States becoming doctors, judges, lawyers, and other
professions of noteworthiness, however, it is this writer's opinion that
the
potential of all people should be developed to it fullest extent.
As the author of the article you just finished reading stated, the police
need to understand the Puerto Rican culture. It is just as acceptable as
any
other culture.
An excellent book that the editor read regarding the police is entitled
The
Iron Fist and The Velvet Glove. The police need to learn sensitivity
training as well as the cultures of the various ethnicities they serve.
Moreover, the people who do not have health insurance, must be given it
by
their employers.
An employer deducts it from his or her business expenses, in fact every
penny is deducted. The cost of health insurance in the United States
would
greatly diminish if everyone had health insurance because the emergency
rooms would not be needed nearly as often clearly saving immense amounts
of money for the insurance industry.
Recommendations for education:
1. That the New Hampshire Commissioner of Education, in conjunction
with
the local school districts, conduct a census to determine the number of
Spanish speaking children in the public schools as accurately as possible.
Recommendation on Housing:
1. That the State legislature revise the New Hampshire Sanitary Code,
minimum standard of fitness for human habitation, to require landlords to
make adequate and safe repairs.
Recommendations on Employment:
1. That the New Hampshire Civil Service Commission conduct an
investigation, with the assistance from the New Hampshire Commission Against
Discrimination, to determine the number of Spanish speaking employees within
the civil service system. In order to make this assessment, the civil
service commission should gather and review comprehensive information, by
nonminority-minority classification, on employee distribution among the
various agency components, job levels and locations, as well as data on
referrals, applications, acceptances, promotions, and other personnel
actions.
Recommendations on Social Services:
1. That the Governor appoint a committee to deal with health problems of
the
Puerto Rican in the State of New Hampshire. The mandate of the committee
would be:
Recommendations on Law Enforcement:
1. We demand a Class Action Lawsuit to be prepared against the police
department for the illegal searches and seizures, illegal arrests, police
brutality, and harassment.
Editor's note: The foregoing article and demands were written by a
highly
articulate Puerto Rican gentleman who was a political prisoner in the state
of New Hampshire. Many of the demands and wishes coincide with those
demands of the Editor in Chief in the first issue of True Democracy. Some
of the foregoing wishes may have resolved themselves, however, it is the
opinion of the Editor in Chief that most of these demands and wishes are
still viable demands. We are, therefore, adding them to the DEMANDS
page
for threat of boycott of New Hampshire and any other state which treats
Puerto Ricans and other minorities is such a shameful way.
Puerto Ricans, who are U. S. citizens, are a mixed race of Spanish, Taino
Indian, and African blood, who speak a Romance language, Spanish, migrated
to the United States not because of political or religious persecution,
but
primarily for economic reasons. Because they came to the United States
for
reasons distinct from other immigrant groups, the newcomers did not easily
accept the American way of life. Cultural differences and the Puerto Rican
peoples' strong sense of identity with that culture, the language barrier,
and color all proved to be obstacles to the Puerto Ricans' assimilation
into
the mainstream of American society. In addition, most Puerto Ricans who
immigrated to the United States had no intention of remaining in the United
States permanently. Because Puerto Ricans are U. S. citizens, they
may
travel between the two regions easily.
The Puerto Rican people became United States citizens with the passage of
the Foracker Act in 1900 and the Jones Act in 1917. Actually, citizenship
was not so much granted as imposed. Before the passage of these acts,
Puerto Rico was a military territory of the United States, and the Puerto
Rican people were not given a voice in the other decisions affecting their
lives. Puerto Rico is not a colony of the United States and its government
is a Commonwealth.
This is one of the streets in Isabel Segunda, the part of Vieques
that is inhabited.
1. They have children;
2. They come from Kimball Street;
3. They are Hispanics/Puerto Ricans; and
4. They cannot afford the high security deposits
that are required.
2. That the local school districts keep records on Puerto Rican students
as
"Puerto Ricans" separate from other classifications including attendance,
dropout rates, and achievement levels.
3. That local school districts guarantee non-English speaking children the
right to learn through the language of their birth. Efforts should
be made
so that special programs, such as the work-study programs and the vocational
education classes, be made available on a bilingual-bicultural basis.
4. That local school districts begin to transfer the funds not used to
support "English as a Second Language" programs plus additional Title I
monies to develop and implement bilingual-Bicultural education programs.
(Bilingual education differs from the ESL in that it uses the two languages,
English and Spanish, for language instruction as well as for teaching
subject matter and it does contain a substantial bicultural component.)
5. That the school districts of Manchester and Nashua create an advisory
committee on bilingual education in which representatives of the school
district, Spanish educators, and parents in the Puerto Rican community can
cooperate in working to educate the children of that community.
6. That the local school districts seek waivers of certification requirement
and the provisional certification be granted to all Puerto Rican and other
ethnic Spanish speaking teachers who have the equivalent of a B.S. degree.
7. That the local school committees continue to recruit teachers in Puerto
Rico and the recruits are truly bilingual before offering teaching
positions.
8. That pending employment of a sufficient number of bilingual teachers,
the
school districts recruit and train bilingual Puerto Rican para-professionals
for teacher's aide positions, and the school districts should consider a
career opportunity program that would permit districts to hire Spanish
speaking guidance counselors to encourage Puerto Rican students to stay
in
school and follow college preparatory curricula.
9. That the commissioner of education seek modifications of the civil
service regulations so that the City may employ Puerto Ricans and other
Spanish speaking persons at all levels within the agency.
10. That the local school districts begin to make all school forms and
information handouts available to parents in Spanish.
11. That local school districts institute ongoing training sessions for
teachers and administrators who work with Puerto Ricans and other Spanish
speaking children to sensitize them to Puerto Rican culture and family life.
12. That local community action agencies select representative Spanish
speaking pupils and teachers for their Head Start programs, and initiate
experimental bilingual-bicultural programs for such children.
13. That additional appropriations for bilingual education be available
through Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
14. That titles I and VII funds be available for bilingual teacher and
teacher aide training programs.
15. That the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) allocate
funds for the creation of a regional curriculum development laboratory which
would develop bilingual curricula suitable for the Spanish speaking student.
2. That the local housing task forces of Manchester and Nashua form a
special subcommittee to study in depth the problems of the Puerto Rican
community, with adequate representation of Puerto Ricans on the
subcommittee.
3. That local housing authorities increase their allocated budgets to
improve maintenance service and social services programs.
4. That the local housing authorities increase the number of public housing
units with four or more bedrooms.
5. That the local housing authorities employ a representative number of
Puerto Ricans, especially in public contact position.
6. That the local housing authorities distribute to tenants and prospective
tenants all materials in Spanish as well as English.
7. That the Manchester Housing Department recruit Puerto Rican inspectors.
8. That the Department of Housing and Urban Development allocate urban
renewal for Manchester and Nashua.
9. That there be construction of recreational facilities in the housing
projects for all children, improvement of playgrounds, for the projects
which do not have any.
10. That an inspection be made of the heating temperatures that the tenants
receive during the winter months, and the chipping of the wall.
2. That the civil service commission employ Spanish speaking persons in
policy making positions, interviewing, and other public contact positions,
and that all announcements of civil service vacancies be distributed in
Spanish.
3. That the civil service commission consult with employing authorities
and
the Spanish speaking community to determine what examinations should be
available in Spanish.
4. That the New Hampshire Division of Employment Security employ Spanish
speaking interviewers in the Manchester and Nashua offices and provide
applications and other job information in Spanish.
5. That examinations administered by the division of employment security
and
the civil service commission provide a Spanish version if language is not
an
essential requisite to the job.
6. That Congress should amend Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
by
including State and local governments in the coverage of Title VII.
a. To survey available data on the health conditions of the Puerto
Rican
and design programs to meet these identified needs with the active
participation of Puerto Rican community leaders;
b. To explore sources for funding programs;
c. To work closely with the New Hampshire State Legislature, board
of
Registration, the Office of Employment Security, professional organizations
such as the centers of higher education to encourage the licensing of more
Spanish speaking health professionals in the Commonwealth.
2. That the department of public welfare create the position of director
of
Spanish speaking affairs to coordinate all programs for Spanish speaking
people and establish a direct channel for communications between the
department and the local bodies serving the Spanish speaking clients.
3. That the department of public welfare establish an arrival center booth
where immigrant Puerto Rican families can receive basic information about
housing, jobs, health resources, schooling, English classes, and social
and
recreational activities and be given any immediate emergency aid they
require. This program should be maintained by Puerto Rican personnel.
4. That information brochures and pamphlets in Spanish explaining the rights
and limitations of welfare applicants be offered to the Spanish speaking
community to provide the information and guidance that are now lacking.
5. That the New Hampshire Department of Public Welfare notify the civil
service commission that examinations for social work positions should be
available in Spanish.
6. That the New Hampshire Department of Public Welfare improve its staff
by:
a. Hiring Spanish speaking, particularly Puerto Rican, workers and
social
service technicians, including an exchange program with the University of
Puerto Rico School of Social Work and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
Department of Social Services;
b. Training all staff to understand the unique aspects of Puerto
Rican
clients, including familiarity with their culture and values and problems
of
adaptation to the mainland.
7. That training programs which provide para-professional personnel for
the
department of welfare formulate their curriculum toward preparing Spanish
speaking people for the civil service examination.
8. That the Manchester Department of Health and Hospitals and the Nashua
Department of Health actively recruit Spanish speaking health professionals
from Puerto Rico and from other areas of large Spanish speaking populations
and, if necessary, seek certification requirement which would include field
training in lieu of the present academic requirements.
9. That the Manchester Department of Health and Hospitals and other
participating hospitals provide additional staff and funding for community
health clinics to enable expansion into other services as well as to
increase services to a 24-hour basis.
10. That the hospitals in Manchester and Nashua equip themselves to deal
with the problems of tropical diseases; and that they provide interpreters
so that Spanish speaking patients may utilize the full range of available
health services.
11. That the local hospitals and health departments cooperate with the local
antipoverty programs in establishing additional social work technician
training programs for Puerto Rican trainees.
12. That the Department of Public Welfare and the State legislature consider
modification of the flat grant system to allow for the special needs of
Spanish speaking Aid for Dependent Children recipients.
13. That the Office of Federal Contract Compliance in the Department of
Labor, under Executive Order 11246, conduct an investigation of the
employment practices of public or private hospitals which are under contract
with the Federal Government.
14. That the civil rights division of HEW conduct an investigation under
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to determine whether proprietary
and public hospitals receiving Hill-Burton Funds have an adequate
representation of Spanish speaking employees at the professional level.
15. The HEW establish a grant program to universities in the area and the
University of Puerto Rico to attract Puerto Rican and other Spanish speaking
persons to the various areas of the medical profession.
2. We demand the Civil Rights Commission to re-open all the Hispanics' cases
that were brought before the courts, and do an investigation.
3. We demand the placement of Spanish interpreters in the courts and police
stations.
4. We demand Puerto Rican and Black lawyers, to be recruited in the State
of
New Hampshire.
5. We demand Puerto Rican and Black policemen to be recruited into the State
of New Hampshire, and serve the cities of Manchester and Nashua.
6. We want the Constitution of the United States and bill of Rights, and
general community rights to be translated and written in Spanish.
7. We demand that the police department also provide their officers with
some education on the background, and culture of the Puerto Rican community.
8. We demand protection, not harassment from the police department. We
want
to be respected, not abused.
9. We demand that an investigation be performed on how the courts operate
when a Puerto Rican or other Spanish speaking person attends.