Bill 533.

Summary.

The bill designates the Festival Folclórico de la Pollera Veragüense as a national folk festival to be held each year on November 1, 3, 4 and 5 in Soná District, Veraguas Province. Its purpose is to preserve, share and promote regional and national traditions, particularly the Veraguas pollera and the work of Soná’s women and men. The Ministry of Education (Ministerio de Educación), the Ministry of Culture (Ministerio de Cultura), the Panama Tourism Authority (Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá), artisans, the Soná Folklore Association (Asociación del Folclor Sonaeño), and other nonprofit organizations established for those purposes would hold events with district authorities. The festival would promote pollera clothing, jewelry and accessories, as well as men’s traditional dress. During the festival, bars, beer gardens, cantinas and nightclubs, including mobile ones, would be prohibited from hosting artistic performances or playing loud music inconsistent with its cultural and folkloric values. The state would contribute, through the Ministry of Culture and the Panama Tourism Authority, a combined amount of at least 25,000 balboas (B/. 25,000.00).

The bill creates the Festival Folclórico de la Pollera Veragüense Board (Patronato del Festival Folclórico de la Pollera Veragüense) as a nonprofit entity with its own assets, legal personality and administrative autonomy. It charges the Board with organizing, managing and carrying out the festival; ensuring it is held annually; including regional and national cultural expressions; involving authorities, the private sector, the education sector and civil society; and using its resources solely for the festival. The Board would also have to establish the Soná Cultural Center (Centro Cultural de Soná) within five years of the proposed law’s entry into force and ensure proper use of traditional dress. The Board would include representatives of educators, cultural and tourism institutions, folklore and civic organizations, the Soná Municipal Council (Consejo Municipal de Soná), and the transport sector. Its members would be appointed for three years, have alternates, and approve decisions with at least five members.

Its assets would comprise property, donations, inheritances, bequests, income from investments, services and activities, and the combined annual contribution of the two public entities. The Board would be exempt from taxes and levies; contributions and donations would be deductible expenses for the donor’s income tax purposes. Its Board of Directors would have a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and auditor serving three-year terms, adopt internal rules and meet at least five times a year. It would carry out the Board’s plans and publish an annual financial report at the offices of the Soná District Municipal Council.

Of the state funds, 10% would cover the Board’s administration, 30% the construction and/or operation of the Soná Cultural Center, and 60% the festival. Direct contracting would be authorized for activities benefiting the festival. The Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic (Contraloría General de la República) would oversee state funds and assets, could inspect them, and would receive an audit report before the close of each fiscal year; the report would also be published at the Board and the Soná District Municipal Council. The proposed law would take effect upon promulgation. Its provisions concern the named public entities and the cultural, education, tourism, artisan and transport sectors, as well as entertainment establishments.