Stagnant renovation project leaves merchants in limbo

 Another of the flagship projects of Panama’s former mayor, Jose Isobel Blandon has failed to reach completion and is currently abandoned. With local merchants having to reach into their pockets to repave the road in front of their businesses on Salsipuedes,  once a thriving street market and a  tourist magnet in the district of Santa Ana. Stallholders have been exiled to Santa Ana Park for over two years.

The highly touted  $2,5 million is renovation project for the sloping alleyway, was awarded by the Municipality to the Delosa-Espcon, SA consortium

However, earlier this year, the local government canceled the contract for breach and tried to tender the rest of the works, but it did not materialize as the work was 85%  completed and no one wanted to pick up the pieces.

Now several merchants in the area by the paralysis of the project, are asking the new Municipal administration of the Municipality of Panama to resume the work, as part of the works are deteriorating.

Librada de Vargas, one of the merchants that was relocated around the Santa Ana park while completing this renovation, said they sent a letter to the new mayor, José Luis Fábrega, to discuss the issue, but have not received a response.

“We need to clarify in what condition this project is, because we have been waiting in Santa Ana Park for two years, when they told us that we would only be six months. We need to finish [the work] to return to our positions, ”he said.

The merchant said that the first meetings they held with the last mayor, José Isabel Blandón, began in 2014 and the work started in 2015 reports La Prensa.

Merchant  José Gerstenhaber stressed that people do not want to walk around the site and they had to allocate resources to fix the frontage floor of their businesses, since, as they were not completed, the area was impassable for pedestrians.

Deputy Mayor  Judy Meana explained that the company responsible for the work went to the Supreme Court and won in a dispute with the Municipality, which is why they must resume the project with the same consortium. “We have to resume work with them,” she said although he did not define when.