Panama mayor wants to hang on to right to approve billboards

Panama’s beleaguered Mayor, Bosco Vallarino seems once again to be  tilting at windmills.

After losing his battle for the right to handle garbage collection he is now fighting to maintain control over the siting of billboards, and on Monday, November 1, took to the air to make his case.
The Ministry of Public Works (MOP) is promoting a law to regulate billboards which have caused citizen complaints about visual pollution.
A prime target was the giant illuminated billboard overlooking the Cinta Costera which has upset residents living in Paitilla on Avenida Balboa and in Casco Veijo.
Since then multiple illuminated signs have appeared on main thoroughfares, like Via Espana and Calle 50. In between are sandwiched hundreds of regular billboards, described by many as visual pollution.
In this fight, Panama’s mayor want to get the backing of other municipalities and has called on them to country to unite to prevent the municipalities take away the administration of the billboards claiming that the right to approve the lining of roads with billboards will generate local revenue which could be used for community work
"The municipalities in the interior, have remained strong, thanks to advertising," said Vallarino and urged mayors to seek good legal advice.

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