ATTT Orders Traffic Safety de Panama To Turn Off Speed Trap Camera in Costa del Este
The only operational speed trap camera installed by the company Traffic Safety de Panama had to be turned off. Yesterday, in a brief statement, the Land Transit and Transportation Authority (ATTT) reported they ordered the company to suspend the functions of the speed control camera, active since last June 6 in the area of Costa del Este. Without explanation, the ATTT disabled the device which had guaranteed an attractive business for the company Traffic Safety de Panama.
In only 18 days of operation the system issued more than 2,000 speeding tickets at a rate of $50 each. This represented more than $65,000 dollars for the company.
The government structured for this company a monopoly on the collection of fines for the infractions detected by these speed surveillance cameras. And, incidentally, they wrote a contract that leaves open the possibility to diversify their earnings with few limits.
According to the contract signed by Jorge Ricardo Fabrega, who at the time was the Director of the Land Transit and Transportation Authority (ATTT), and Ricardo Chanis Correa, a partner and friend of the Martinelli family, Traffic Safety keeps 65% of the fines for speeding and for any other offense detected and collected through the system on concession.
They could also have an active participation in the managing of the collection of fines, and to sell statistical information collected through the use of their systems to third parties, provided the information is not classified as restricted, although the contract does not specify what data would be considered confidential.
"If you do not want to give business to the company, drive well," said the current Secretary of the ATTT, Nicholas Brea, when questioned by Telemetro Reports in the morning about the business. Later, the ATTT took a step back and rescinded the only speed trap camera operated by Traffic Safety.
In the contract signed by Chanis the government demanded an investment of only $3 million dollars, and in return the company was guaranteed to earn 65% of each fine generated by the system. The State will receive 35% of the value of the infringements. (Prensa)
