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Local governments fund bridge reconstruction in Los Santos amid central government inaction
🇵🇦 Panama /Energy & Infrastructure

Local governments fund bridge reconstruction in Los Santos amid central government inaction

From TVN Panamá · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A collapsed bridge in Los Santos, Panama, has disrupted agricultural activities and the transit of over 2,000 people for about a year.
  • Three local governments have agreed to contribute funds from existing projects to begin reconstruction, as the Ministry of Public Works requires their participation.
  • The total cost of the new bridge is estimated to exceed $260,000, with local authorities expressing concern over the burden of funding infrastructure that should be a central government responsibility.

A vital bridge in Caña Brava, Los Santos province, has been collapsed for approximately a year, severely impacting agricultural activities and the daily lives of over 2,000 residents. The lack of a functional bridge has created significant challenges for producers who rely on this route to transport their goods and for the general transit of people in the region.

In response to the prolonged lack of action, three local governments, the Communal Board of La Villa de Los Santos, the Communal Board of Los Olivos, and the Municipality of Los Santos, have collectively agreed to allocate $15,000 from their already approved projects to initiate the reconstruction. This decision comes after the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) stipulated that local contributions were a condition for the project to move forward.

It's really not fair, but at this moment, for the welfare of the communities that are disconnected, we are practically doing it.

— Arcelio CalderónA local representative expresses frustration over local governments having to fund a national infrastructure project.

Local representatives have voiced their frustration over this arrangement. Arcelio Calderón, representative of the corregimiento of Los Bolívaros, explained that while they are sacrificing resources originally intended for other community projects, they are doing so for the well-being of the isolated communities. However, he also stated, "It's really not fair, but at this moment, for the welfare of the communities that are disconnected, we are practically doing it."

Communal boards, what we manage are practically the corregimiento of La Villa, it is the largest in the district of Los Santos and for us, in reality, we need more resources to be able to solve these issues.

— Gustavo VegaA local representative highlights the limited resources of communal boards and the need for more funding.

The total cost for the reconstruction of the Caña Brava bridge is estimated to exceed $260,000. The MOP's requirement for local governments to contribute $5,000 each highlights a potential disparity in infrastructure funding responsibilities. Gustavo Vega, representative of La Villa de Los Santos, noted that this situation is unprecedented in his tenure, emphasizing that communal boards manage smaller areas and often require more resources for such issues.

Despite the financial strain and the perceived unfairness of the situation, the local authorities are expediting the process. They expect the transfer of funds to be completed within 15 to 20 days, hoping to see the reconstruction of the bridge commence soon. The urgency stems from the continuous disruption to the livelihoods and connectivity of the affected communities.

We, the communal boards, have had to sacrifice money from already approved projects to seek a priority, which is the Caña Brava bridge.

— Gustavo VegaA local representative explains the difficult decision to reallocate funds for the bridge reconstruction.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by TVN Panamá in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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