Boquete residents reject cell phone antennas

CHIRIQUI. Residents and environmentalists groups of Boquete closed the principal highway that lead to the Instituto Guadalupano, to protest about the installation of towers and antennas for cellular phones in the area.

The picketing lasted for almost four hours until the Mayor of Boquete, Manolo Ruiz, gave an order provisionally suspending the construction of towers for cellular antennas.

The Biosphere Conservation Association president, Ezequiel Miranda said that the telecommunications companies are building the structures without consulting the communities and many of them are being relocated to make room for the towers.

The environmentalist said that the proliferation of the antennas are, not only against the territorial plan of Boquete, but also will affect the value of the land, because nobody wants to live surrounded by these structures.

“We are not opposed to technology or development, but they cannot put the health of the residents at risk,” said Miranda.

The protestors will ask the Public Service Authority force companies with existing towers. to share them.