From a payroll of 5,672 officials registered in February 2024, the Mayor's Office of the capital district states that it has reduced it to 3,373 workers, achieving savings of more than USD 13.6 million.
In addition, it maintains that it eliminated privileges that represented excessive expenses for the institution, such as vehicle rentals for executives and mobile phone payments.
In the travel expenses line item, it also indicates that a significant saving is reflected, and that so far in this administration nearly USD 13 thousand have been spent, a figure that used to be in the order of one million dollars.
The entity justifies the savings thanks to the modernization of procedures, the digitalization of processes, and improvements in services to the population, although complaints from taxpayers persist.
In a report, the municipal authorities indicated that as of October of this year they have executed 201 work suspension orders and carried out 1,945 field inspections.
The figure comes from the balance sheet submitted by the Department of Inspections and Surveying of the Directorate of Works and Construction, which during the described period recorded 1,945 field inspections in different sectors of the capital district.
The municipal agency detailed that, of the total interventions carried out in that period, 215 corresponded specifically to work suspension orders.
The difference between what was issued and what was executed is due to the administrative timelines required by formal notification to the pro…
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The entity claims the savings are based on the modernization of procedures, the digitalization of processes, and improvements in public service, although complaints from taxpayers persist. (MP)Out of a payroll of 5,672 officials registered in February 2024, the Capital District Mayor's Office claims it has reduced it to 3,373 workers, achieving savings of more than USD 13.6 million. In addition to this, it maintains that it eliminated privileges that represented excessive expenses for the institution, such as vehicle rentals for executives and mobile phone payments. In the travel expense line item, it also indicates that a significant saving is reflected, and that so far in this administration nearly USD 13 thousand have been spent, a figure that used to be in the order of one million dollars. The entity justifies the savings through the modernization of procedures, the digitalization of processes, and improvements in services to the population, although complaints from taxpayers persist. In a report, municipal authorities indicated that through October of this year they have executed 201 work suspensions and carried out 1,945 field inspections. Inspections make it possible to detect irregularities and order technical interventions when a project does not comply with current regulations. (MP)The figure comes from the report submitted by the Inspections and Surveying Department of the Directorate of Public Works and Construction, which during the described period recorded 1,945 field inspections in different sectors of the capital district. The municipal agency detailed that, of the total interventions carried out in that period, 215 corresponded specifically to work suspension orders. The difference between what was issued and what was executed is due to the administrative timelines required for formal notification to the owners or parties responsible for each project. The report from the Directorate of Public Works and Construction specified that, in addition to the 215 suspension orders, the department issued 708 citations during the analyzed period. These citations are part of the ordinary oversight mechanism applied by the capital municipality to ongoing construction. In addition to the 215 suspension orders, the department issued 708 citations during the analyzed period. (MP)The information states that the count runs from October up to the date of the report, so the final figures for the month could vary once the full cycle is closed. Among the inspection requests received by the department, verification of construction permits ranks first in frequency. It was explained that through this review, municipal inspectors verify that each project has the corresponding authorizations before work continues, which makes it possible to detect irregularities and order technical interventions when a project does not comply with current regulations. The Mayor's Office maintained that this type of supervision is key to promoting compliance with municipal requirements. The oversight seeks to anticipate risk situations before a construction project advances without legal backing. Another of the department's routine tasks consists of conducting site inspections to issue technical opinions at the request of justices of the peace. Most of these requests originate from complaints about leaks between neighboring homes and alleged constructions built over rights of way or utility easements. The skyscrapers of the urban center line the coastal avenue and the bay of Panama City. (Illustrative image Infobae)These technical evaluations do not resolve the conflict by themselves. Their function is to provide objective elements that the justices of the peace then use to support their decisions in disputes between residents. The procedure connects two distinct spheres of municipal management: the technical, in the hands of the inspectors, and the judicial, in the hands of the justices of the peace. Both intervene when a disagreement between neighbors requires verification in the field before moving toward a formal resolution. In parallel to the construction inspections, the department recorded 136 surveying actions at different points of the capital district during the same period. This technical work focuses on the measurement and delimitation of land, a function that is decisive for resolving boundary disputes between properties. The municipality added that this work also aims to follow up on situations that affect the coexistence and safety of residents. The combination of citations, suspensions, technical opinions, and surveying actions makes up the set of tools that addresses citizen complaints related to construction and land use in the capital district.