Proposal to hold mayor criminally responsible for garbage problem voted down

An attempt to hold Panama’s mayor criminally responsible for Panama’s garbage problem, was defeated in a vote at a meeting of the City Council on Tuesday (October 19)

The problem of garbage collection dominated the meeting as garbage continues to pile up on streets and authorities voice health concerns.
The debate focused on why the municipality has fallen so far behind on waste collection.

Sergio Gálvez said that Mayor Bosco Vallarino should be held responsible for the problem, and said that the growing piles of garbage in many communities are creating a public health hazard.

He submitted a resolution that would have criminally denounced Vallarino, but it was voted down.
The embattled mayor noted that three contracts to hire additional garbage trucks approved by Council in Septemberr had been delayed by the Comptroller's Office.
Vallarino said that these contracts are essential to improving garbage collection.
An earlier report says the comptroller delayed the contracts because they did not meet the official guidelines for no bid contracts, an area in which the Mayor has has previous problems.