Mayors garbage and money woes continue to mount

Panama’s mayor, Bosco Ricardo Vallarino,has returned to the debate on city garbage collection.

On Friday (October 15) he said: "we will collect the garbage, but we need the money to do so."
Vallarino said obstacles have been raised in the process of getting the job done, as the Comptroller has not yet eapproved the money for the Mayor’s Office to contract the garbage trucks that are needed.
This, he says, is despite the fact that the City Council has authorized the procurement in the order of $2.6 million dollars.
Vallarino said the city needs thefunds to obtain the trucks so that at least at least end the year the health of the population of the capital can be safeguarded.
Asked how garbage collection agencyty plans to face the huge build up of trash inDecember, Vallarino said he has "the soldiers and generals, but we lack the tools."
The mayor said the Government agreed to give the Mayor’s Office a total of $4 million to deal with waste collection in the capital city but no funds have been delivered. "To date, zero is what has come."