national

911 number coming

Panama’s 911 number for emergencies will be operational in the second trimester of this year, said Antonio Domínguez, coordinator of the project for the Ministerio de Gobierno y Justicia.

"We are working on the coordination of pre-hospital services and acquiring five more ambulances in addition to the 24 donated by the Club Activo 20-30. And soon we will begin recruiting paramedical and call center staff," Domínguez reported.

The emergency number will be financed by large, medium, and small businesses, governmental entities, telephone companies, and commercial and residential internet users, who will pay 1% of their telephone and internet bills to the state in order to maintain the 911 system.

"Users of telephone services only will pay nothing," Domínguez clarified, "but those who have internet will pay a minimum amount. If you have a $20-a-month plan, for example, you will pay 20 cents."

The obligation to pay the new tax of 1% went into effect last Nov. 1, and the telephone companies will collect the charges retroactively.

"But they will have to make a series of adjustments to the billing system," said a representative from Movistar, "and that will take a few months." The retroactive charges will start appearing on bills beginning April 30. Cable & Wireless customers will see the retroactive charge on their February bills.