Environmental agonies
THE people of Panama City are losing their battle against pollution. An everincreasing number of automobiles, overburdened roads, lack of housing and an apathetic local populace are making a problem with no easy solutions. Studies indicate that some sectors of Panama Bay, which receives the city's wastes through 21 sewage outlets, have over 200,000 times the acceptable level of pollutants.
The Panamanian health ministry's initiatives include bringing all the national councils together to solve the problem and a project to clean up the bay (estimated to cost us $500 million).
While experts stress the apparent uselessness of these initiatives without accompanying urban planning measures, Dario Delgado, environmental health representative in the ministry of health, points out that the projects could be delayed owing to the conditions imposed by funding organisations like the International Development Bank.