“Garbage out” for city “garbage in” for government

(Newsroompanama.com) Panama  residents looking for a quick solution to the  city's garbage collection  problems may have to postpone their dreams a while longer.

“Garbage in, garbage out” is an expression used by commuter programmers and other technicians. In Panama it seems the saying applies both ways.

After the failure of the city under the direction of Mayor Bosco Vallarino, the control of the garbage problem has been snatched away and transferred to a new government entity ANA (National cleaning authority), Garbage out for the mayor.

But the new body is already facing problems. With barely three weeks to the deadline for the transfer of powers, it is faced with lack of budget, facilities, and equipment. Garbage “in” for the Government.

The administrator of ANA, Henry Ho, has confirmed the problems and says the Ministry of Finance has been asked for an extraordinary credit of $ 45 million, while the collecting organization seeks to rent facilities as time runs out.

The metropolitan garbage collecting body (Dimaud) says that they will have only 20 operational garbage trucks, as the other 30 have been damaged.

Dimaud also says that ANA will inherit $30 million in accounts payable and receivable and a debt portfolio for another $55 million. Among the accounts payable are $ 7 million for Urbaser Plotosa the company, which operates the Patacón landfill hill. The company has threatened to close if not paid, so ANA could start without a place to deposit trash. Garbage (locked) “out.”

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Original Source: Newsroompanama.com

Date Retrieved: December 7, 2010.