Paitilla building permits frozen

PANAMA City  Council has unanimously approved a resolution that instructs the planning department not to approve any building permits in San Francisco.

The measure was submitted by the representative of that jurisdiction, Carlos Pérez Herrera, and will be in effect until the Directorate of Works and Buildings and the National System of Civil Protection finish a report concerning the entire infrastructure of the city.

during a regular  session of the council,  Pailtilla residents testified about problems caused by the numerous construction projects in the neighborhood.

Damaris Young said that projects have failed to comply with safety, environmental, maritime and health regulations which have impacted people living near them.

Mayor José Isabel Blandón shared the concerns of the inhabitants and said that the main problem is a lack of planning.

He added that today’s problems are ones “that we have inherited.”

Blandón said that to remedy the situation, he recently tendered a land-use plan for San Francisco. The goal of the initiative is to determine, among other things, the capacity for new projects and the type of construction that may be approved.