The recent repeal of the management positions in the Colón Municipality has raised concerns about the future of municipal projects that were being carried out in coordination with various state ministries. Diógenes Galván, mayor of the district, warned this Wednesday, November 26, at a press conference that this measure puts "at risk" the efforts aimed at addressing the municipality's needs. On Tuesday, November 25, during an extraordinary session of the Municipal Council, eleven of the fifteen representatives from the districts approved the repeal of the manager positions within the municipality's administrative structure. This decision was criticized by Galván, who stated that it will directly affect projects in key areas for local development. The mayor indicated that the agreement requesting the repeal of these positions had already been received and vetoed by his administration. However, the eleven councilors decided to approve it again by insistence, which generated a conflict in the local administration. "What we are experiencing now is a reversal of a process that sought to give the Colón Municipality a more efficient structure. Based on that law, various management positions were created to address areas such as women, disability, youth, culture, sports, tourism, environment, and infrastructure, among others," explained Galván. According to the mayor, these manager positions were held by highly qualified professionals who were hired through a transparent, non-political process, in an open call managed by a specialized human resources company from Bogotá. Law 37, which regulates public decentralization, establishes the obligation of municipalities to create position manuals. In this context, Edward García, who held the position of tourism manager, expressed his sadness and frustration over the decision taken by the councilors. García pointed out that the selection process for his position was long and exhaustive, but after being selected, he took office in February with the intention of promoting tourism in Colón. "I feel sad about all the effort that many of us have invested in our positions. The work done in collaboration with communities and other sectors has not been recognized as beneficial, especially in the area of tourism, which is fundamental to the economic development of Colón," stated García.
