Protests against electricity hikes

The citizen movements against the increase of the electricity tariff continue adding new protagonists.

Yesterday, students of the University of Panama and members of the National Council of Organized Workers staged protests against the price adjustment. Both groups agreed that the measure "is unconscionable and unjust" and demanded that it be suspended immediately.

The director of the National Authority of Public Services (ASEP) , Roberto Meana , received an official notification by the National Assembly (AN) to come next Monday July 16 to that chamber. The objective is for Mena to support the announced increase in the electricity tariff -at an average of 8.3 %- to a total of 274 thousand 554 customers of the electric companies Edemet and ENSA.

Meanwhile, the citizen movement against the increase intensifies.Yesterday, for the second consecutive day, students from the University of Panama (UP) decided to close the Transístmica highway to demand that the increase be dropped. .The students were removed by the National Police after  more than an hour on the road.

On the other hand, the rector of the UP, Eduardo Flores , indicated that in the context of what has been done it is urgent to create the necessary incentives for the generation of renewable energy.

He requested that the National Assembly make a comprehensive review of laws and regulations related to the energy market in Panama, in order that the prices charged to the consumer be fair and that the profits of the companies be reasonable.

Others who demonstrated and closed the Espana route in the vicinity of the ASEP were representatives of the National Council of Organized Workers (Conato), who indicated that the measure is "unconscionable" and "unfair".
Rafael Chavarría , one of Conato’s spokesmen, said the increase is a measure that will affect the entire population, because it will have an effect on the entire economy. The same was done by representatives of the National Union of Construction Workers and the like (Suntracs), but at the end of thTe afternoon.

Today, the National Association of Poultry Farmers of Panama has scheduled a protest in front of the facilities of the Electric Transmission Company, located on the Ricardo J. Alfaro road. Tomorrow, a massive protest is being promoted in the Urracá park, in the Bella Vista corregimiento, at 7:00 p.m.