91% three months behind in payment of garbage tax says mayor
From the Sidelines
Panama’s mayor, Bosco Vallarino, who seems to have suffered more arrows from critics in and out of government, than the martyred Saint Sebastian, has called on the people of the city to have a “little patience.”
And his worship, who by the end of the week will have been in office for 10 months, claims that taxpayers don’t pay their garbage collection taxes.
He made the comments on RPC radio on Saturday, when asked to explain when the problem of garbage collection in the capital city would be solved.
Vallarino passed the buck back to taxpayers, those same people who funded his over budgeted Christmas charade on the Cinta Costera.He claims that they owe $52 million to the Municipality of Panama.
"Of every 100 Panamanians, 91 are behind three months or more with their payments for garbage collection . Only nine out of 100 are in compliance and pay a day rate" he said.. And non Panamanians?
If his figures are correct, then someone is doing a terrible collection job not only in the garbage department but in the debt collecting office. But the mayor’s command of figures was not very clear when he rushed off to buy plastic Christmas “villages” for the city, or when he accepted what many believes was an inflated quotation for 51 trucks.
That of course was shot down because it was, in the tradition that seems to have been created at City Hall, a "no-bid" contract ( this time for $8.6 million).
Vallarino said that the Municipal garbage department of urban and household needs money to buy tires, fuel and spare parts for trucks.
He is also musing about setting up incinerators in the city, which experts claim would pollute the air, and point to recycling as a partial solution.
Setting up incinerators in different neighborhoods would also introduce him to the NIMBY (not in my backyard) syndrome from residents.
I wonder if he reads, and feels for Hamlet, as he continues to receive “the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” {jathumbnail off}
