Business, labor, NGOs fight power hike

Universities, business associations, trade unionists, and NGOs are united in Panama,  in their disagreement over the increase in the electricity tariff, and more demonstrations were planned for Tuesday.

Among the disparate organizations who have called the price hike “unfair” are the  Panamanian Society of Engineers and Architects (SPIA), the Private Business Council  (Conep) and the National Council of Organized Workers (Conato).

The Conep anticipates that the increase will affect the production and commercialization costs of companies, so the decision will impact prices of products and services.

Conato announced that it  will hold a demonstration at the headquarters of the National Association of Public Services on Wednesday

Nelva Reyes, of Conato, said that the increase will hit the already fragile economy of the country.

Previously, there have  been  organized blackouts and accompanied by pot banging in districts like  San Francisco, Betania, and Pueblo Nuevo,

The Engineers and Architects Society issued a statement on Tuesday, calling the rate hike “unjustified” and “could have traces of illegality”.

Gustavo Bernal, president of the society, said that according to SPIA analyzes of electrical generation in the country, the tariff should have decreased and, in the worst case, remain the same.

The Panamanian Broadcasting Association announced that it is “unacceptable” that the consumer is punished again with the adjustment. It stressed that the subsidized population is supposed to believe that it will not be affected by the increase when inevitably it will be transferred to consumers through increased prices.