Time running out for Carnival

Last year the inhabitants of the community asked the then president of the Carnival Board, Minghtoy Giro to move the event somewhere else, but their request got the cold shoulder.

This year, they are prepared and have sued the Panama City Carnival Board in the Supreme Court, which means that the God Momo’s festivities in the capital could be cancelled altogether.

The legislator, Mireya Lasso, who lives on Balboa Avenue has joined forces with some of Betania’s inhabitants to change the Carnival route and has had meetings with the president of the Carnival Board, Ricardo Guerra, on several occasions to try to get the route changed.

Before the court case, Guerra claimed there had been no complaints about the route.

Lasso said that not everybody is fond of Carnival and many people dedicate those days to rest.

Therefore when a place is selected for the activity the inhabitants of the area should be taken into account. “Many revelers urinate in the streets, have sex in alleys and create havoc along Transistmica.”

The legislator said that she is not against the Carnival, but it should take place in a non residential area such as Albrook or Amador, where there is space and where few residents would be affected.

Guerra said that it is too late to change the Carnival route, as the event is only three weeks away.

“We have spoken with the spokesmen of Betania’s residents and we have reached a compromise with them, but the neighborhood appears to be polarized with two groups claiming to be talking for the people.”

However, this year there will be more police presence and permits that will allow residents to move freely around the area will be distributed from next Monday. “We have even moved one of the dancing places to a location away from Betania’s entrance, so the nearest houses to Transistmica will not be affected,” said Guerra.

The Carnival president said that Transistmica is ideal because the police can control the entrance of the public to the area, unlike Via España, which is narrower and can become very crowded.

Guerra concluded by saying that the Carnival route is a political subject.

“It is quite coincidental that in an election year suddenly it has become very important, I am not implying anything but it makes you wonder.”