Panamas license plate problem may get German solution

Panama’s missing license plates mess may be on the verge of solution. 

After nearly a year of new cars without plates, and others going month’s without stickers, the Transport Authority (ATTT) is looking to an efficient German solution.

Jorge Ricardo Fabrega, director of the ATTT, said on Friday that he will make a decision this week.

Fabrega said the authority asked the Vocational School of Chapala for a quotation in February.
He said on TV had five months with the the request in their hands before he was scheduled to begin the process of issuing invitations to others to tender for the manufacture of the license plates.

"Three months ago I called the director of Chapala and asked how things were proceding and two weeks ago called him again before initiating the process to have a plan B, which I already have, "Fabrega said.

“If Chapal cannot fulfill its responsibility, we'll do what we must do for citizens to have their plates.”

Fabrega said there is a German company in Panama that manufactures and sends plates to different countries of Latin America.

The company has the capacity to produce 30 000 plates a day. "That makes it extremely easy to comply deliver plates on time” he said. However, there is a provision that compels us to address Chapala, as a form of State grant to a vocational school.
But we cannot sit with folded arms” he added.

ATTT this week will decide whether the German company will be contracted directly. "I will ask permission for it to be ordered, in the Cabinet or where appropriate, but by January there should be plates on cars.”