People power saves park, Teatro next?

PEOPLE POWER  won out over the bureaucracy in Panama on Friday, Jan 13.  After two hours of strongly voiced  and sometimes acrimonious  opposition from over 200 citizens and civic groups, The Ministry of Goals, attached to the Ministry of the Presidency, retreated  and  canceled plans for  an expensive  remake of Parque Omar, in San Francisco.

Carlos Duboy, Secretary of the Ministry faced the objections, denunciations, and criticisms of enraged opponents of an ill-conceived  plan to spend $35.7 million on  remodeling the iconic “lung” of the city including adding some 12 percent more concrete in areas currently occupied by grass and trees.

After receiving multiple broadsides he finally lowered the flag and announced that the tender to remodel the  Park, , will be withdrawn from PanamaPorta Compra  at 8 am on Monday January 16.

He went further, and said that next week the Ministry will evaluate suggestions made during the meeting  such as transferring the administration of the  public space away from the Office of the First Lady, Lorena Castillo, to the Municipality of Panama and  developing a preventive maintenance plan for the green site.

“The consultation process will continue with the citizens,”  said Duboy.

But he didn’t pick up on a  suggestion that the $35 million would be better spent on other needy projects  like the rehabilitation of  the Teatro Nacional   in Casco Viejo, suggested by Alfredo Belda, of El Kolectivo.

National Theatre
In a city with a shortage of theatre facilities the near two year closing of the theatre has thrown a blight on activities of performing groups like the Panama Opers Foundation, and the projected Broadway style musical,  “Panama” currently in  the midst of a kickstart fund raising campaign, and seeking a suitable theatre for its premiere performance early next  year

María Chávez, president of the Urban Citizen Network of Panama, said that millions were going to be spent on superficial works, increasing the concrete footprint in the park,   when there are other priorities, like Teatro Nacional …  Back to the barricades