“Tortoise” sprints to open unfinished projects

President Juan Carlos Varela labeled the “tortoise” by detractors has become the hare in the closing days of his presidency as he rushes to inaugurate projects started during his administration but many still unfinished.

Preliminary calculations indicate that he has delivered at least 19 works totaling $3.231.5 billion reports La Estrella.

The haste for the delivery of works ignores that many are not finished. reports La Estrella  “An example is Line 2 of the Metro. Although it is a transportation solution for thousands of residents of East Panama, and it cannot be ignored that part of the access of the overhead air stations resembles a war camp with trenches, machinery, workers, and clusters of land that shows that the complementary works have still to be completed.

Another case is the Specialized Higher Technical Institute, in Tocumen, which was handed over in a first stage with and two of the three schools still pending.

 Terminal 2 at  Tocumen International, was “delivered”  on Monday but it will take months to complete the work.

The Urban Renovation of Colon is still causing anger among the residents of the city due to the inconveniences of circulation it causes.

“I did not stop to answer the attacks of those who said that the works would not be ready, I dedicated myself to work …”, the president said on his Twitter account

“Varela’s performance suggests that he tries to assume a leading role that corresponds to the candidates in 60 days of campaigning.

From Chiriquí, passing through Veraguas, the Ngäbe-Buglé, Colón, Los Santos Santos and Panamá Oeste regions to Panama City he has opened roads, schools, homes, water treatment plants, and sports complexes.  Although the pro-government candidates have not been present at these acts due to legal prohibition, everything points to their intention to capture the attention of the voters, say analysts

Meanwhile To all this is added the restlessness of some sectors of the population who complain about at least half a dozen schools that have suspended classes because of unfinished work.

The hasty action is described as a strategy to change the perception of the population

“With the rush to inaugurate   he is trying to erase the nickname of Tortoise,” says market analyst Jaime Porcell. “The president tries to leave a good memory of his management, he adds. Rate this strategy as ‘the last farewell hug’.

Lawyer Ernesto Cedeño considers that “in its final stage all governments try to inaugurate works to influence the electorate” In the past, Ricardo Martinelli in the days leading up to the elections, inaugurated the mega projects of the Panama Metro and the Cinta Costera 3.