Non-paying power users pelt police

RIOT POLICE   called in to open a road closed by protesters in Cabo Verde in Panama city were greeted with a hail of rocks,  bottles and metal rods hurled by residents of neighboring buildings on Monday, November 27. Police responded with tear gas.

The residents are objecting to the installation of electric power meters claiming that the system is unsafe and that they were not properly consulted. The meters are being  installed in  an area where  there are 350 apartments, in five towers, and more than 90% do not pay for electric power, getting it instead  through illegal connections, better known as “spider webs.”

“Natural Gas Natural has the responsibility to put an end to this bad practice,” the company said in a statement while denying the residents’  safety claims. “The whole project has been developed under strict safety and quality standards and has the respective inspections and permission of firefighters, ” said a company spokesman.

On Monday, Ave Nacional was closed and work on installations was suspended, for the second time.