(prensa.com) The route of the 2011 Carnival in the capital has not yet been defined; nonetheless, authorities are exploring the possibility of holding the celebrations along Vía España, as was done this past year.
According to Salomón Shamah, Administrator of the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP), Vía España is the best route, as it allows the authorities to provide better security to the Panamanian population.
While Shamah told news program “Telemetro Reporta” that this is his preference, he also indicated that the final decision would depend upon contributions made by other officials linked to the issue of capital Carnival.
Although the ATP director did not mention other alternative routes currently on the discussion table, he did disclose that officials had proposed Avenida Central and Justo Arosemena as a possible route, but said the National Police advised against it for security reasons.
Regarding the budget for next year’s Carnival, Shamah warned that it “should not cost more than a million dollars.”
He recalled that last year, the government designated $200,000 for the ATP to hire national artists and musicians, and asserted that the same would apply for the 2011 Carnival.