When city garbage collection stinks

From the Sidelines

It’s not the first time that President Ricardo Martinelli has stepped into the garbage debate, but this week he backed his words with a $3.1 million emergency grant. 

The money, approved by the Cabinet is for a short term solution for the Ministry of Health to address the crisis of garbage collection.
But Martinelli verbally passed the buck back to where it is supposed to belong, the municipalities.
“There is a manifest inability of municipalities to collect garbage and we see a growing danger to public health” he said. Another way to say it stinks.
He made similar comments months ago, when Panama’s Mayor Bosco Vallarino was concentrating on a million dollar Christmas charade that helped destroy the Cinta Costera
Romulo Roux, Minister for Canal Affairs and member of the high-level Executive committee addressing the question, said he wants the Municipality of Panama to amend the rules concerning the collection of garbage and allow companies to provide their services through private contracts.  

 Roux said he is considering adding the garbage collection tax to electricity bills because the high delinquency rate under the current system has had economic effects on businesses and the garbage collection service.
Martinelli asked the commission to make recommendations on the possible creation of an authority responsible to manage the collection of garbage and take the power from municipalities.
Another load off Bosco’s back.{jathumbnail off}