Boondoggle keeps theatre restoration in wings

AFTER OVER A YEAR of inaction The restoration of Panama’s iconic  Teatro  Nacional (National Theatre) continues waiting in the wings,  delayed until the National Institute of Culture (INAC) corrects various deficiencies in the bidding for the management of the project.

The agency was slated to put the $1.2 million project out to bid on Monday Aygust1  but it was cancelled after flaws were detected in the specification drawn up by the institution.

INAC Director Janelle Davidson said that the tender published on the portal PanamaCompra showed “some errors that we had to correct.”

She said the new specifications will be published this week.

This situation was described as “unjustifiable” by historian Rommel Escarreola, who notes that the restoration of the historic building should begin as soon as possible.

The civil defense agency Sinaproc detected problems in the building in June 2015 and recommended its closure.

The government aims to complete the restoration of the National Theatre in December 2018.