Post -pandemic facelift  for Panama's historic Casco Viejo

President Laurentino  Cortizo has sanctioned a commission to design, plan and execute a post-pandemic emergency action to  give new life to historic  Casco Viejo and its immediate surroundings.

Led by the Tourism Cabinet (GT), attached to the Ministry of the Presidency. Its purpose is where they hope to take into account neighbors, visitors and tourists, their respective profiles and activities, s says an official bulletin.

A Decree – signed by Cortizo and Vice President Carrizo– establishes the development of “Emergency Plan 2020” with recommendations and actions in the short and medium-term.

Directed by the Ministry of Culture through the Casco Viejo  Office, short-term actions governing road and pedestrian traffic, use of public spaces, waste collection, security, parking, and cultural activities, among others, are expected on September 30 ”.

At the same time, it contemplates the “2021-2024 Action Plan”, which includes medium-term improvements that require significant investments from government entities and whose budget items will be coordinated through the Ministry of Economy and Finance. This last document must be delivered no later than March 31, 2021.

The Technical Secretariat of the Tourism Cabinet will be the government body in charge of monitoring and complying with the approved plans and will preside over the commission representing the Ministry of the Presidency.

other institutions in the commission are the Ministry of Education; Ministry of Public Security; Ministry of Public Works; Government ministry; Tourism Authority of Panama; Urban and Home Cleaning Authority; National Council for Sustainable Development;  TheTransit Authority(ATTT)  National Police; Institutional Protection Service(SPI) Mayor of Panama The commission will work together until 2024.

Among the projects that have already been identified to be carried out in the Old Town are awareness programs for waste recycling and its integral management, a workshop school for Santa Ana, cultural streets, gastronomic sidewalks, new lighting, a mobility master plan, electric public transportation, the recovery of beaches and mangroves, and a video surveillance system, which will be executed with financing from the Inter-American Development Bank.