The ups and downs of Carnival

THE  CARNIVAL BUDGET  will continue its upward climb in 2016,  but this time around,  some of the money will go to events in the Interior which in the past have had to make ends meet without government support.

The Panama Tourism Authority (ATP) has been allocated $2.2 million forthe bachanalian  Carnival,  Feb. 5-9. Of this amount, $1.5 million will be for events in Panama City, and $700,000 will be spent in the rest of the country. Last year the government spent $1.6 million on Carnival.  The decision was published in the Government Gazette.

When ex-president Ricardo Martinelli was on the campaign trail he vowed that Carnival would not receive one dollar of government funds, but under the leadership of his now missing Svengali, Salomon Shamah, the budget continued to climb in spite, or because of, some expensive blunders reportedly involving companies linked to the Martinelli family.

Shamah, who publicly acknowledged he had no knowledge of the tourism industry when he was appointed to the job, and at one stage, when his US Visa was lifted following reports from the DEA,  tearfully announced his resignation, which was not accepted, and he continued in his role of enlarging on his tourism achievements, massively overspending on an inefficient computer program and managing dirty tricks for the CD Party. Others are facing sanctions. Shamah has dropped out of sight.

ATP Director Gustavo Him will be the general coordinator of this year’s City  Carnival He will be tasked with forming a commission to promote the event and hopefully will not follow in the footsteps of his predecessor ballooning the figures of tourists coming to the city and filling hotels and restaurants as scores of thousands of residents head for the Interior or further afield, while the stay-at-homes enjoy driving in traffic free streets and avoid the “fun, noise and games” on the Cinta Costera. Nine months later the Hospital del Nino maternity wing will gird itself for the annual consequences of carnival fun.