Tierras Altas in Chiriquí Province Panama. MiAmbiente Launches a Plan for Paso Ancho.
The Ministry of Environment (MiAMBIENTE) established the first technical committee to analyze the social situation of the families and communities of Paso Ancho, located within the limits of the Volcán Barú National Park (PNVB), in Tierras Altas, Chiriquí. The initiative brings together public institutions, local authorities, community representatives and productive sectors, with the purpose of evaluating the different needs of the population and seeking alternatives that allow addressing the reality of the community, without neglecting the protection of the protected area.
During the first day, led by the regional director of MiAMBIENTE, Ernesto Ponce, topics related to health needs, insecurity, socioeconomic conditions, housing, land use planning, wastewater management and agricultural activities were addressed. The occupation of land within the protected area was also analyzed, a situation that has been part of the problems facing Paso Ancho for several years. “The problem we inherited in Paso Ancho has been going on for decades, like many others, and this government, under the instructions of President José Raúl Mulino and the Minister of the Environment, Juan Carlos Navarro, is going to confront it to find solutions hand in hand with the community,” Ponce said.
As part of the initial agreements, the technical committee will conduct an inventory of the occupants of the homes in Paso Ancho to obtain up-to-date information on the socio-economic reality of the community. The data collection is scheduled to begin on Monday, August 31, and will be carried out by three inter-institutional groups, made up of representatives from the participating institutions and members of the community. The fieldwork will take place from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, until the survey of the community areas located within the PNVB is completed.
Data to be collected includes the number of residents, length of residence, socioeconomic conditions, and their activities. Once the fieldwork is complete, the information will be tabulated and reviewed before being presented during the second week of September. At that time, the members of the committee will evaluate the results and define the next steps.
Also participating in the meeting were the mayor of Tierras Altas, Alexander Chavarría; the alternate deputy for circuit 4-3, Alexander Moreno; the representative of Paso Ancho, Elvin Montero, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA), the Ministry of Housing and Territorial Planning (MIVIOT), the Municipal Planning Board, the Association of the Producer Community of Tierras Altas (ACPTA), independent producers and residents. The process seeks to establish a space for dialogue and agreement that allows decisions to be made based on verifiable information and with community participation, within the legal framework and under the objective of guaranteeing the protection of the Volcán Barú National Park.
