Saga of the statues and parking woes

The value of the statues has been quoted as $1.5 million. Where did that figure come from? If ….. received that kind of payment, his heirs and successors must be anxiously awaiting the reading of the will.

And were the sculptures insured, and for how much? Just asking.

PARKING CHAOS. With increasing traffic jams, which will only get worse during the city wide construction of new flyovers, plus the completion of Cinta Costera, there is a crying need for multi story parking lots.

The entertainment pink/red zone of Marbella by night would be a prime location. But providing space means nothing if there is no enforcement of on-street parking. Wherever you go in the city yellow lines on the sidewalk are taken as an invitation to dump a car, and “no parking” signs are universally ignored.

The National Hospital on Avenida Cuba has thoughtfully provided an additional parking lot for outpatients, visitors and anyone else in the neighborhood looking for a secure place to leave a vehicle.

Has that done anything to reduce the blight of cars parked all around the hospital block? Sadly no. They continue to park in areas reserved for ambulances, on corners, blocking the view of drivers coming north on Calle 39, blocking the fire hydrant and pedestrian and wheel chair access. Meanwhile the parking lot sits largely empty.

Would someone in the treasury department please take a look at the cost of hiring traffic cops to enforce parking and driving laws (like jumping lights, lane changing with no signals, traveling the wrong way on one way streets, practicing for Formula 1 on Avenida Balboa). The resulting income would provide a strong return on investment. Maybe the task could be farmed out to an entrepreneurial businessman. After all companies are making big bucks from the armies of uniformed security guards in the city.

The resulting income, either for selling a franchise, or running a city owned traffic enforcement agency, could be supplemented with a tow truck operation for all those blocking roads during rush hours, and the profits applied to putting up no-entry signs on one way streets, fixing the holes on city thoroughfares, and giving incentives to the existing Transit Police, to encourage them to make the creation of a new enforcement agency unnecessary.

THE RUSSIAN TOUCH. While the development industry has been focused on North America, Venezuela and the European Union, there has been a slow but sure entry of Russians into the Panamanian market, to the point where here is now a glossy magazine, published in Panama in Russian. It is well supplied with advertisements, a sure sign that the real estate industry is ready to move its sights across the ocean or across Sarah Palin’s territory. After all, as she has pointed out, you can see Russia from Alaska.

A W MARINA. Those in the yachting community who like to troll the waters of the Las Perlas archipelago for the abundant variety of fish that occupy the waters there, or wish to enjoy the sight of whales with their infants or dolphins at play or flying fish, will be happy to hear that work has started on a new marina at Isla Viveros. It is the only full facility marina in the area and includes a refuelling station. It will be open for business for the new residents of the island and other sailors, by year end.