Compensation delay holds up exit of red devils

Another deadline has come and gone and still the owners of Panama’s aged and polluting Diablos Rojos (red devils) are waiting to be paid to exit the current system.

"We will not take any action," said Torrijos-Carter route carrier leader, Johnny Mosquera, after the expiration  of the time  limit set by the Transit Authority (ATTT) for compensation set by the Transit Authority (ATTT).

Mosquera told La Prensa on Sunday, September 30, that the owners don’t plan  acts of force, but asked for the cooperation of the Government to indemnify carriers as soon as possible so that the "Red Devils" can allow transition to the new transport system. “The only thing we asked the authority manager Ventura Vega, is that he must push the entities that deal with this issue, because we are very much overdue"
Among outstanding issues holding up the compensation payments are a $127,000 debt to the Social Security Fund by the Union of Public Transport Drivers (Sicotrac), for the payment of labor-management feea, and lack of documents by some drivers.
Mosquera said that if 95% of Diablos Rojos on the Torrijos-Carter route are not compensated they cannot exit the system and that is a responsibility of the government "that promised the Panamanian people a better transportation system.”