DRAFT BILL

Transit fines will increase

07-10-2009 | IRMA RODRIGUEZ REYES

Panama Star PANAMA. After finding that Rafael Ibarra smashed a bus on the Poly building last Monday, and had more than $3,000 in unpaid tickets, the director of the Transit Authority, Sandra Escorcia said she will modify the existing transit regulations to harden fines.

Ibarra, the drunk bus driver, racing along Calidonia early Monday morning, crashed into the Poly building leaving 10 injured people. Police later confirmed the driver was drunk.

Sandra Escorcia has been only a week on her post, but already planned to send a draft bill to the National Assembly to increase fines for drunk driving, missing stop signs, racing, skipping red lights and holding up traffic.

This initiative has the approval of the secretary of the Collective Transportation Drivers Union (SICOTRAC), Manuel Arguelles as long as they are allowed to evaluate and participate in the draft.

“Whoever drinks and drives must be thrown in jail” said Arguelles while announcing a plan proposed by SICOTRAC to order 10,000 anti doping tests for the collective transport system.

Next week Escorcia will produce plans to improve service, mobility and measures to stop the corruption she admits exists in the Transit Authority.