A never ending hospital city story
WORK on the problem plagued Hospital City, once a flagship project of former president Ricardo Martinelli, and controversially once set to carry his name, will fully resume in March. In the meantime, work continues at a snail’s pace
Social Security Director Estivenson Giron in making the anouncement , confirmed that the Spanish construction firm FCC firm has been paid $240 million so far for the project.
Negotiations with the firm have not been finalized as the two sides are at odds over several points, including the material that is going to be used in interior walls.
Ministry of Health official Temístocles Díaz said the most contentious issue has been the material to be used for the walls. The contractor wants to use drywall, but that has been rejected by the government based on opinions that it is not suitable due to the risk of contamination by bacteria. The Ministry is demanding the contractor use concrete.
Ulises Lay, of the Panamanian Society of Engineers and Architects, said that the drywall is a precast material that “is not an option for use in the construction of hospitals. The best material for this type of structure will always be concrete.”
Work was supposed to fully resumed on the project on Jan. 15. That would mean about 2,000 workers would be on the site. But there are currently less than 200 workers there reports La Prensa.
Giron said that it will be fully up to speed in March. The project is about 45 percent finished. Its budget is $517 million.
