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Remon Park
Carnival preparations
Roads

Every five years the state of Panama's roads becomes a national campaign issue. Here in Panama we don't have a federal system of government and the municipalities have many fewer powers than their counterparts in most other countries, so responsibility for the nation's roads falls almost entirely upon the Ministry of Public Works (MOP), a part of the central government. The current state of disrepair of the nation's two main roads, the Pan-American and Trans-Isthmian highways, is therefore a favorite topic for candidates of the parties seeking to oust the current ruling coalition, and meanwhile President Moscoso is planning to spend a lot of money on road work between now and the May 2 elections in order to show voters that hers is an administration that gets down to business. The design and quality of Panama's traffic infrastructure are distinct issues that usually command less attention from politicians and the public, mainly because urban planning is an almost unknown art in Panama and because potholes and new roads are much easier concepts to understand. Above we see an overpass that connects Plaza Cinco de Mayo with the Avenida de los Martires, one of two overpasses built by the Moscoso administration that, among other things, serve to obstruct the view of and access to and increase the traffic noise at the nearby Fundacion Omar Torrijos. Notice, however, a couple of things that the politicians and pundits have not. Is the black stain on the bricks at the right-hand side of this new overpass the mark of a drainage problem? Will the work in progress in the foreground ultimately create a traffic safety problem? Photo by Eric Jackson



Also in this section:
Remon Park
Carnival preparations
Roads

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Panama Information, Hotels of Panama - Executive Hotel
Panama Information, Real estate in Boquete - Valle Escondido
Panama Information, Real Estate in Las Cumbres - Villa Concordia
Panama Information - Online guide to information about Panama - www.panama-information.executivehotel-panama.com
Panama Tourism - Online info for the Tourist Panama - www.travel-to-panama.com
Panama Pictures - Collection of pictures of Panama - www.panama-pictures.com