Government Minister, Ricardo Fabrega said today the bus drivers who are members of the National Transportation Board can feel confident they government will comply with the agreements reached with the former Minister of the Presidency Demetrio Papadimitriu, who resigned. Minister Fabrega, who was Director of the Land Transit and Transportation Authority, emphasized that the compensation will go ahead as soon as possible to complete the modernization of the public transport system. "The pact was made with the Government, and not with any one individual on a personal basis," he said. Esteban Rodriguez, leader of the CANATRA, had said the sector was in uncertainty because they were unaware if the government would comply with the compensation, and the management of the funds promised by Papadimitriu to pay for exonerated diesel fuel. (TVN)

For Sale By Owner - Toyota Prius 2011. Gas/Electric Hybrid. Only 5500 km – like new. Purchased less than 1 year ago. You can drive to David and back on 1 tank of gas! The owner is moving and has to sell this car. $23,500 Call 6675-4210.

The process to purchase the Northern and Southern Corridors by the Panamanian government seems to be coming to an end, after a process of more than one year. Thousands of Panamanians who use both roads hope they will be turned into escape valves from the metropolitan traffic facing great challenges, sustained in a vehicular reorganization plan and the construction of the new subway Metro Line 1. The acquisition of the two highways has a cost of approximately $700 million dollars, and the process is in its final stage.

The Southern Corridor was acquired by the National Highway Company SA (ENA), for a price of $420 million in August last year, without affecting the state's sovereign debt because the cost will be paid from tolls charged to users. Given the strong financial performance of the Southern Corridor, the debt could be canceled by 2020 and the Panamanians will be able to use the road for free.

ENA is now preparing to buy the Northern Corridor next September for the amount of $650 million dollars and over a period of 12 years it will be passed unencumbered to the State. The purchase of this highway will not affect sovereign debt, because it is not part of the budget of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. In the case of the Northern Corridor, the situation of debt and free use of it could vary depending on the coupon bond.

Rigoberto Effio, general manager of the National Company of Motorways, SA, said the buying process to buy both the Northern and Southern corridors is ongoing, and for that reason they are in compliance with the purchasing structure approved by the Cabinet Council, under Resolution #33 of 3 April 2012. According to Effio, this is a process that requires signing a series of contracts, including the views of guarantees required by banks structured by local and international lawyers to conclude the purchase of the Northern Corridor, in a manner that's safe for the Panamanian government.

He said the revenue generated by the corridors during the next 10 to 12 years, will be used exclusively to pay the debt for the purchase of both highways, and to comply with the commitments of operations and maintenance.

The corridors will be managed by two concessionaires: ENA Sur SA and ENA Norte SA, respectively. Responsibility for both concessions will be for the operation and maintenance contracts and other commitments to ensure smooth operation, he added. The company is responsible for instructing the trust to comply with the obligations generated by both corridors, according to a budget approved and regulated by the issuing trust. (Panama America)

The president Ricardo Martinelli announced that the first thirty days of using the second phase of the Alberto Motta Cardoze highway will be free. The sector that will be free of charge will stretch from Nueva Italia to the Cuatro Altos, said the president at the opening of the expressway. Later, Martinelli moved to the expansion of the Enrique A. Jiménez International Airport in Colon, where he said the gangs who are stealing the lights from the airport are doing a harm to society. (Panama America)

Editor's Comment: OK, the new part of the highway will be free for thirty days so people can check it out. And, people are stealing the lights from the airport? Wow, that says a whole lot about their security, eh? These are not gangs, but crack heads who will steal anything they can sell for five bucks to get their next rock to smoke.

President Ricardo Martinelli today asked business owners to change their work schedules to reduce the traffic jams in the capital. The president said that private enterprise and the government must adopt contingency plans so that in 2013 when the projects are expanded, there are less problems. Martinelli recommended tolerance because the projects are going to be getting larger, and there will be more traffic jams. (TVN)

Editor's Comment: Yup, that's right. It's going to get worse. I'm going to start working at night. But hopefully once it's all done, many of the problems will be fixed. With just the Metro subway system there will be about 500,000 people per day underground using the trains, and not on the surface using cars, buses, or taxis. The real solution is to move the jobs out of Panama City.

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Once again the government of Panama has adjusted fuel prices downward in response to decreasing costs worldwide. The new prices will be implemented as of today, Saturday, 30 June 2012.

• 95 octane gas will now cost $4.05 per gallon, a decrease of 17 cents per gallon.
• 91 octane gas will not cost $3.63 per gallon, a decrease of 13 cents per gallon.
• Diesel will cost $3.40 per gallon, a decrease of 14 cents per gallon.

These new prices will be in effect for the next two weeks, until 13 July 2012. Panama adjusts the rates (the maximum any gas station can legally charge) every two weeks, based on fluctuations in international markets. As a result, the prices for fuel in Panama generally mirror those in the United States, with a bit of a lag in both increases and decreases.

Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

Bus owners from the Western part of the province of Panama went with their legal representative, Silvio Guerra, to the office of the Attorney General to submit a complaint against the Director of the Land Transit and Transportation Authority (ATTT), Juan Pablo Mora, for the alleged offenses of abuse of authority and violation of the public servant and alleged failure of functions. Silvio Guerra, who is the legal representative of the carriers, said both the Director and the Chief of Operations of the ATTT are promoting "piracy" in the transportation service because they granted temporary permits for 30 days to people so they can operate. (Telemetro)

Editor's Comment: There have been all kinds of fraud and "irregularities" in the paying of the $25,000 dollar checks to people who supposedly owned the old "Red Devil" buses. These compensation checks are being paid in order to get these private individuals out of the public transportation business, so the implementation of the Metro Bus system can proceed smoothly. However now that the government is starting to investigate these cases and allegations of fraud, the bus drivers are taking actions like this to turn up the heat from their side, or at least try to. In one case in Colon someone signed off on the importation of about 90 new buses after a moratorium had been implemented. They are trying to steal as much money as they can.

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)

Jorge Ricardo Fabrega, director of the Land Transit and Transportation Authority, rejected the criticisms that have been made to the high percentage (65%) the company Safety Security de Panamá S.A. will received of each fine imposed by the new automatic camera system. This is the company contracted by the government that is responsible for the installation, operation, and maintenance of the speed trap cameras being installed in the capital city. "Those who are imagining that this is the great business are totally wrong," he said in an interview with RPC Radio, stating to the extent drivers are aware they are being watched and that they will be punished, the violations (frequency of fines) will decrease and the company eventually will have a lower income. About the popular clamor for there to be some kind of tolerance, Fabrega said "the law does not speak of tolerance ... if the maximum speed is 60 kph then it's 60, not 62, or 63. There is no range of tolerance in the traffic laws." He highlighted the success of this system in other countries, and reiterated that the objective of installing these cameras is to reduce accidents, violations and eliminate bribery. (Telemetro)

Editor's Comment: This is what the camera and radar gun set up looks like. It will clock you from behind.

Once you've passed by it, if you're doing more than the posted limit for that area, it takes your photo and the system issues the ticket. More than 2,500 have already been issued just by one single camera system installed as a test or proof of concept in the area of Costa del Este. The government of Panama has already contracted for the first 20 cameras which are being installed and made operational right now.

This is what the warning sign will look like. It says "Fine By Camera" and shows the posted speed limit for that area. If you see this sign, slow down to below the speed limit, because as you see in this article, the law makes no tolerance for being even a half a click over the speed limit. These machines are automatic and if you're over, your over - here's your ticket - robot style. Harder to bribe, too.

The Land Transit and Transportation Authority (ATTT) reported today at a press conference at least 2,000 drivers have been fined for speeding, using a new camera system that was installed on 6 June 2012 at the entrance to the Costa del Este. In this areas offenders have been ticketed for driving at speeds of 80 to 100 kilometers per hour, when the speed limit in the area is 60 kilometers per hour. The ATTT said there is a sign in the area indicating the posted speed limit, but drivers ignore it. The General Secretary of the ATTT, Nicholas Brea, said so far they have only installed the camera system on this roadway at the entrance to the Costa del Este, but he said they have purchased 20 sets of equipment that will be installed throughout the city. This new system captures speeding vehicles or those who illegally pass through red lights, and automatically performs the process of issuing the fine electronically which is then sent via e-mail, cell phone, or text message. (TVN)

Editor's Comment: Someone sent me the following yesterday via email: "Hey Don, I received this email yesterday, maybe it helps. Attached places where cameras are installed. They are working and are located with these traffic lights:

1. Two in Patacón, two on each side of the road in front of the institute of physical medicine (CRIT OF TELETON).

2. Two in the path of the corridor north Brisas del Golf, both facing each other on the side of the SMART ACADEMY

3. One in the exit of the south corridor in Llano Bonito, in front of Importaciones Universales.

4. One in the entry of the south corridor in Llano Bontio, before INGELMEC

5. One in front of Lumicentro in the Mall 24/7 after the Americas

6. One about 500 meters from the base of the metro bus from Dec. 24, toward to Pacora

7. One in front of Carolina Mall, in front of Rodelag

8. One where starts the marine section, south corridor in direction to the city

9. One in front of INADEH toward to the airport.