Transit boss steps down

PANAMA. The Director of the Transport Authority (ATTT), Sandra Escorcia, has resigned after allegations of corruption in the office and two days of bitter fighting with her vice-director, Roberto Moreno, over the issuing of provisional operations permits to taxi drivers.

Riot police were called in to protect ATTT offices in Pedregal after around 100 taxi drivers protesting the suspension of their permits drove in convoy and blocked the entrance.

Escorcia, who had been in office for just 77 days, said she was resigning for personal reasons and refused to comment any further.

Roberto Moreno, who resigned 24 hours prior to Escorcia’s departure, said he had no intention of leaving the organization and had only stepped down so that the authorities could carry out their investigation. Escorcia had accused him of unlawfully issuing the provisional taxi permits and of accepting money “under the table”.

“I maintain what I said. I am an honourable man and I will wait for the results of the investigation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ministers Jimmy Papadimitriu and Jose Raul Mulino said that the taxi permits had been suspended for 36 hours pending investigations.