Bus Owners Complaining About Late Checks For "Red Devil" Buyout
The leader of the National Transportation Board Dionel Broce said Friday morning the Government has failed to comply with their agreement, and they have not paid compensation to bus owners who turned in their buses and the routes in Pedregal. After the entry of the Metrobus system and the failure to pay the owners of the "Red Devils" of Pedregal, carriers of El Valle and Santa Librada could refuse to give up their buses, said Broce on TVN. Meanwhile, the bus owners in Pedregal turned over their buses eight days ago and they still have not received their checks from the government, because the Comptroller is delaying everything, Broce said, adding that only about 64 bus owners have been paid and the other 100 are still waiting, whose buses are sitting in a holding yard at Howard. Moreover, Broce said he did not understand why there are so many inspections that remain to be carried out, because the buses will be sold as scrap metal, and what's more it has already been confirmed that they have paid all of their taxes to the municipality and the ATTT, and what's more they have taken photographs of everything. (La Estrella)
Editor's Comment: The government of Panama is paying the bus owners $25,000 for each and every "Red Devil" bus that's being taken off of the road. In reality this is a one time "payola" for these guys, in order to buy their agreement and complicity to allow for the Metrobus system to enter into force. We are now in a period of transition, where the Metrobuses and the old "Red Devils" are still rolling on the streets, sometimes side by side. With each passing month there are less and less "Red Devils" on the road, and more and more Metrobuses replacing them. Under the old system the bus owners had the power and ability to shut down the country by declaring a transportation strike, and now that power has been removed. Broce owns God knows how many buses so he's going to be getting a very substantial check from the government, eventually. Once that's done, then he will go away.
