Opponents of Financial Tower call for investigation of Heritage Director

Panama’s Financial Tower, described by observers as the strcture that nobody wants, will soon be underway as a demolition team completes it’s work on the former American Embassy on Avenida Balboa.

The 70 story building, intended to house the Ministry of Finance and other government departments, including a presidential office on the 62nd floor has been opposed by citizens groups, historians, architects and engineers, who lobbied for retaining the old embassy building as a cultural museum. {jathumbnail off}

The government has lauded it as the tallest office building in Latin America.

The new structure will tower over  the historic gardens of Panama’s Santo Tomas Hospital, originally dubbed the “white elephant” because detractors thought it was too big for the city. It will also take over some of the property of Santo Tomas, which has again brought opposition as an infringement on a national institution.

Members of “El Colectivo” (The Collective) – an independent movement of citizens, artists, students, and professionals, who lobbied to to the end against the demolition of the former embassy, and  who earlier painted  the entrance with murals  and the fences with the Panamanian flag, calling for its use as a museum, on Monday, May 9, submitted a complaint to the Attorney General's Office. It was against Sandra Cerrud, National Historic Heritage Director of Panama's Institute of Culture (INAC).

The Collective is calling for Cerrud to be investigated for giving the green light to the construction of the Financial Tower.

The Collective also filed a complaint against officials that have contributed – directly or indirectly – to the approval of this project, "by incorrect action and breach of the duties of a public servant."