Unesco report calls for suspension of Cinta Costera expansion

A  devastating Unesco report on Panama’s Casco Viejo, warns that if the third stage of the Cinta Costera goes ahead, under or around  the old city, it will almost certainly lose its valuable World Heritage listing.It calls for the immediate suspension  of the  third stage of the Cinta Costera.

In scathing terms it refers to to the acute  and progressive deterioration of the heritage :”the precarious living conditions of  low income sectors, real estate speculation  and difficulties with management  and authority, all posing serious threats  to the outstanding  universal value , integrity  and authenticity of the historic district.”

It goes on to list government obduracy,  lack of proper consultation and the failure to respond to questions and concerns.

Of the many severe problems “the construction of the Cinta Costera is probably the most alarming one.”

The report describes the project as ambitious and costly  and refers to the almost completed $53 million phase 2 , running along Terraplen  as “a rather unnecessary and radical transformation of the waterfront.” {jathumbnail off}

The third phase it says  would either surround the peninsular of the historic district  or pass under it through a tunnel.

“The first option would aggressively modify the natural seascape of the

old town, and the second could result in risks to the physical conditions of the historic

buildings, some of which are in danger of collapse. “In both cases, the values and the integrity for which the District was included in the World Heritage List could suffer irreversible losses.

“Despite  several requests and warnings from the World Heritage Committee, the State Party  has not submitted the Cinta Costera Project for the review and approval of the World Heritage Centre and the advisory bodies, neither has it presented the requested impact studies.”

The report recommends that Casco Viejo should be listed as in danger of losing its Heritage status and calls for “a new, comprehensive and legally supported national policy … endorsed by the Government of Panama at its highest levels”

An INAC proposal for a National World Heritage Committee should be approved and implemented as soon as possible; and the proposal for the Historic District to be established as a special territory with a legal status should be defined and implemented urgently."

The report lauds efforts in Panama Viejo and says: “In addition to the recently signed agreement between Panama Viejo and the Historic District as two components of one World Heritage property, the responsible authority or entity to unify criteria and coordinate actions must be defined  with financial agreements, etc; as well as endorsed at the highest levels of the State Party.”

It also says  “A legal and satisfactory solution for those pending cases such as the Hotel Central and the PH Independencia must be elaborated with the support of the top levels of the State Party if necessary, in order to avoid the generalized feeling of impunity as it relates to the historic environment.”

The most ringing call says: “The  Cinta Costera Project Phase 3 should be immediately suspended and technical information on proposed alternatives submitted to the World Heritage Centre for further analysis and to start the consultative process.”

The report says a study of the impacts of all  alternatives for the  Cinta Costera Project should be urgently carried out and says the Heritage Centre and the reports authors  express their willingness to evaluate the projects in their entirety, in collaboration with the Odebrecht Construction Company, the Ministry of  Public Works (MOP), INAC and the OCA.