Conflicting viewpoints on Coastal Strip extension through Casco Viejo

The extension of Panama’s Coastal Strip (Cinta Costera) which has largely become a high speed expressway, and is scheduled to pass through or by Casco Viejo, currently a World Heritage site, is raising concerns among residents, and in Unesco.

The government on being asked for a report from Unesco, with the threat of the old city losing the Heritage designation it received in 1997, has rushed to calm fears claiming there is “no problem” and the project was approved by Unesco, even though the UN scientific and cultural organization called for a stop.

 The Minister of Public Works, Federico Suarez, said on Wednesday that the concerns of Unesco were a result of "confusion" because, he said, "probably Unesco referred to the second phase of the coastal strip going to El Chorrillo."

Instead of squashing reports that the strip might be built on the old city walls, he said "We as a ministry have nothing definite.”
In October last year, when Suarez gave the no-bid expansion contract to the Odebrecht company for the expansion of the road, he said it was "the beginning of third phase that wouldtake the coastal strip to Amador. "
At that time it was reported that the third phase involved the construction of an underground tunnel. But now, the alleged lack of definition has opened the door to speculation about other plans says La Prensa.
Panama’s leading newspaper said: “Despite the contradictions and denials, the truth is that the Unesco report questions the Panamanian authorities for not providing information and refers to an international mission that visited Panama this year, and noted that the work had started without the Government providing the necessary information on the storage”
On the contradiction between his statements and the Unesco report Suarez said :"there is someone trying to distort reality and create unrest in the public “. He promised that the old town will not be altered.
He did not address concerns about some of the “restorations” that have already taken place which have been questioned by Unesco and have raised concern among agencies striving for the conservation of the site.

The Unesco report says that some restorations have led to "a serious damage to the authenticity of the place”. There hav been reports in local media, including Newsroom Panama about building exceeding official height limits, and the repeated caving in of the historic Central Hotel, during “renovation” with the building’s historic building completely gutted.
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