The 81 municipalities of Panama will stop working on May 15 – more than 12,000 officials will be unemployed
The 81 municipalities of Panama will close operations on May 15, and therefore more than 12,000 officials will be dismissed because of the COVID-19 situation, because of no support from the National Government, reported the president of the Association of Municipalities of Panama (AMUPA), Rolando Alexis Lee.
The mayors met last Sunday, April 26, and agreed that if they do not receive help from the Government, they will have no choice but to close their offices.
The mayor of Colón, indicated that as a result of the COVID-19 crisis and the quarantine imposed by the authorities, most businesses have closed their doors and everything indicates that the same will happen with the municipalities.
He explains that in the municipalities the collections have dropped by 95% and they live from day to day, making it impossible to support the payroll and the operation of the Municipalities.
Until Monday, the mayors and their leaders have made countless efforts to try to have a meeting with the decision makers, but so far they have received no response from the Government.
Alex Lee considers that it is necessary to find a financial solution so that the municipalities can subsist and do not stop providing the services they provide. He made it clear that the deadline is until May 15, since they as mayors are responsible for the districts and have this concern.
He recalled that the mayoralties are the ones that pay the justices of the peace. In addition to the issue of garbage that is administered by 85% of the municipalities, it is also another latent problem, same as municipal slaughterhouses, where a large number of municipal officials are going to stop operating. He adds that the work carried out in municipal cemeteries is another service that will no longer be provided, since there is nothing to support these workers.
In addition to this, Lee said that the more than 12,000 employees who work in the different municipalities will be the most affected by this measure, so before May 15 they expect a response from the decision makers.
Previously, mayors from different parts of the country have expressed their concern that they do not have the funds, not even to pay the payroll, much less to provide the services they provide to the population on a daily basis.
Even some mayors have had to rely on the goodwill of certain groups or sectors that have made donations to provide immediate support for population that is waiting for the help of their municipal authorities.
The mayor of Colón, indicated that as a result of the COVID-19 crisis and the quarantine imposed by the authorities, most businesses have closed their doors and everything indicates that the same will happen with the municipalities.
He explains that in the municipalities the collections have dropped by 95% and they live from day to day, making it impossible to support the payroll and the operation of the Municipalities.
Until Monday, the mayors and their leaders have made countless efforts to try to have a meeting with the decision makers, but so far they have received no response from the Government.
Alex Lee considers that it is necessary to find a financial solution so that the municipalities can subsist and do not stop providing the services they provide. He made it clear that the deadline is until May 15, since they as mayors are responsible for the districts and have this concern.
He recalled that the mayoralties are the ones that pay the justices of the peace. In addition to the issue of garbage that is administered by 85% of the municipalities, it is also another latent problem, same as municipal slaughterhouses, where a large number of municipal officials are going to stop operating. He adds that the work carried out in municipal cemeteries is another service that will no longer be provided, since there is nothing to support these workers.
In addition to this, Lee said that the more than 12,000 employees who work in the different municipalities will be the most affected by this measure, so before May 15 they expect a response from the decision makers.
Previously, mayors from different parts of the country have expressed their concern that they do not have the funds, not even to pay the payroll, much less to provide the services they provide to the population on a daily basis.
Even some mayors have had to rely on the goodwill of certain groups or sectors that have made donations to provide immediate support for population that is waiting for the help of their municipal authorities.