Government consultant sends Cinta Costera support letter to Unesco and Martinelli

The extension of the Cinta Costera around the Panama’s World  Heritage site ,  has become “vital to the country” and “to the world” according to a business group leader.

Antonio Fletcher,   according to opponents of  the current extension plan, has multiple consulting contracts with the Martinelli government. In his role as president of  The National Council of Private Enterprise (Conep), he has fired of  letter to UNESCO in support of the third phase of the Cinta Costera.

On  June 23 Panama government representatives in Paris told Unesco that to avoid the listing of Casco Viejo as an endangered site, they would present plans and surveys of three alternative ways of carrying out the extension when the committee meets again in six months time.

Meanwhile  direct work on the extension has purportedly halted.

The letter, was addressed to Nuria Sanz, Unesco's regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean and  to President Ricardo Martinelli. {jathumbnail off}

The letter stated that the project is vital to the country."We have big dreams and we need successful projects for our country and the world," it read.

It mirrors the message seen on a$100,000  futuristic video  that can be seen on YouTube, showing a new Amador development, fronting Chorillo and abutting the Museum of Bio Diversity, which some supporters have  compared to making Panama look like Hong Kong. The source of the video is unknown and the government has denied any role in its production.

The letter has raised questions among defenders of Casco Viejo. They question whether the letter was sent with the majority of support by Conep. 

Ramón Ricardo Arias, of the Fundación Calicanto, questioned whether it was a unilateral initiative of Fletcher, who has several consulting contracts with the government.

"It seems to me that any communication from Mr Fletcher, taking into account that he has several contracts with the State, removes  total credibility from his initiative," said Arias.

Fletcher denied any conflict of interest. "This is a position of the organization and not Antonio Fletcher," he said.