Open to dialogue, thus assures the President of the Republic Laurentino Cortizo, who is the Government, in the face of constant demonstrations by carriers and especially those from the province of Panama Oeste, who are on their second day of consecutive strike.
The president said that the doors of the presidency are open for all sectors and all unions. “This has been a government of open doors for all, there is a work table that I even set up and there is also an agreement that reaches $8 million and other benefits,” he said, reiterating that it is necessary to continue dialoguing.
However, it is precisely these agreements reached at the negotiation table that do not finish convincing carriers who continue to demand the freezing of fuel prices and the revision of the rate.
Carriers say that this rate has not been reviewed for more than 11 years, which makes it necessary in the face of the economic crisis facing the country and the constant increases in fuel and the basic food basket.
Meanwhile, users are also not satisfied with the increase in fuel, since this affects the high cost of living, Luis Torres, president of the National Association of Public Transport Users, asked President Cortizo to freeze fuel prices, ensuring that the pocket of the users would not support an increase in the ticket.
“Mr. President, within the constitution there is a paragraph that says that you can act loyally to freeze fuel,” he said, assuring that this constant increase in fuel affects the user’s pocket so much that students are being charged a dollar ticket. “This is affecting us users in the stomach and in the pocket,” he said.
This morning in Arraiján carriers closed the road in protest so that their requests are heard. During the protest there were clashes with the National Police.
Others who demonstrated were the students, parents and teachers of the IPT Fernando de Lessep, who demanded improvements to the campus and the acquisition of new furniture and also the hiring of personnel.
