Protests escalate against building of Financial Tower

The Financial Tower, to be erected on the site of the former American Embassy, now reduced to rubble, is continuing to raise hackles   and protests across the city. {jathumbnail off}

Activists, artists,  and citizens' groups protested for weeks at the demolition of the embassy and legal denunciations have been made against the director of INAC, Panama’s cultural authority alleging incorrect procedures when giving approval.

Now as details emerge of the erosion of Panama’s historical “White Elephant” (Santo Tomas Hospital) the protests are getting louder, with suggestions that the government has ridden rough shod over protests and has side stepped legal requirements.

Doctors, nurses and administrative staff of the Hospital Santo Tomás (HST) demonstrated on Avenida Balboa on Friday May  20, demanding respect for the hospital the heritage that is to be used for part of the mega building and the Catholic Church warns of the political costs that will follow the whim of those creating the building.
La Estrella de Panama says that According to experts, in resolution 033-11, for in which the director of Heritage, Sandra Cerrud, endorsed both the construction of the tower and  the use of the gardens of St. Thomas she skipped  skipped a process that would slow down the effort to build the 70 story, $250 million building overlooking the building.
“Furthermore, there is no indication that  the issue has been consulted by the Commission of Archaeology and Historic Monuments (CONAMOH), nor that this body has issued a favorable view.” 
La Estrella says  sources have confirmed thatapproval of the tower was never subject to review by the committee. 
 “This contradicts Act 26 of 1986-which list St Thomas as a historic monument to St. Thomas, and provides that CONAMOH must advise Heritage on all decisions on the HST.” 
La Estrella said The Tower project will also engulf the land where vaccines are stored at the Ministry of Health (valued at $7 million), and, according to law, is for public use. There can only be lifted, according to the pattern established by the Urban Development Division of the Ministry of Housing.

 “Moreover, while the government ensures that the project will go ahead there is  no known still no environmental impact study.” 
Fernando Aramburu Porras, grandson of former President Belisario Porras e rejects the intention of raising the financial tower next to the monument, because it affects the 'historical memory' of the country. “This is nothing personal” he said
According to the plans of the project, designed by Mallol & Mallol, the gardens of St. Thomas Hospital will only be used as parking lots, as have touted by the architects and the finance minister. Even the smaller building of the tower, which would surpass the 40 floors,  will also take from the gardens of 'white elephant'.
The two buildings that make up the skyscraper would be separated by the promenade to be built on the Calle 37, now exclusively used by the hospital.