Tourism boss wants extra $1 million for Carnaval
Salomon Shamah, Panama’s tourism boss wants to increase the budget for the 2012 Carnaval celebrations to $2.5 million.
Shamah told La Prensa that he will submit an application to the first meeting of the Cabinet Council on January 3.
If approved, the figure would represent a $1 million increase over the amount used by the Tourism Authority (ATP) for organizing the festivities last year. The $1.5 million for 2010 was already $500,000 more than he had predicted he would need. And he was granted the increase bu the Cabinet Council in February.
During and after his election campaign, President Ricardo Martinelli has vowed that “not a cent” of government money would go to Carnaval.
Shamah said that if the ATP is responsible for organizing the carnival, arrangements on the Cinta Costera would be the same as last year.
The Cinta Costera was the scene of vandalism and overcrowding during the recent balloon parade and led to six hour traffic chaos and the moving of the New Year celebration to a sports stadium..
He said the Cinta Costera would be "big main stage" of activity. Where artists will perform and another will be called the "stage of memory." The Carnival will be held from February 17 to 21.
Carnival in Panama is usually preceded by a mass exodus of citizens, and over the years the NIMBY (Not in My Back Yard) approach has been taken by residents opposed to the noise, and bacchanalian street scenes.
Last year, when the Carnaval was placed at the end of the Cinta Costera near the Fish Market, Shamah dubbed it a success.
