Vice Mayor Michael Rama is seeking to penalize establishments along city streets in that do not leave their facades lighted during the night.
Rama yesterday raised a concern over dark sidewalks in the city, which he said is very dangerous to pedestrians at night. He said that the sodium lights in the streets are not sufficient to fully light the sidewalks; thus, establishments should be compelled to have their façades lighted to further illuminate the sidewalks.
“There ought to be sanction if the sidewalk is less lighted,” Rama said, adding that he will ask the members of the City Council to study the city’s existing ordinances to determine if there is an existing ordinance to this effect.
If there is none, Rama said he will ask the council to pass an ordinance that would address the problem and lay down sanctions to those who refuse to follow it.
If such an ordinance does exist, however, Rama said it will have to be revived and fully implemented.
“We will make it something actionable if the sidewalks are not lighted…we will bring in legislation to address the concern,” Rama said.
Rama said he saw the problem when he participated in a dawn procession during the Sinulog celebration.
He pointed out that it is very ironic that sidewalks cannot be properly lighted these days when in the 1960’s downtown Colon was already well-lighted. — Joeberth M. Ocao/MEEV