90% want all Anati land titling deals reviewed

Seven out of 10 Panamanians believe that the National Authority of Land Management (Anati) benefits businessmen and speculators out to grab state land and not the humble farmers or villagers and 90% want all deals reviewed.

The figures come from a survey by Unimer, made at the request of La Prensa, October 13 -16, 2011,  in which  1,202  people were interviewed around the country, excluding   Indian comarcas in Darien

Almost 90% of respondents believed it  was necessary to review all titles delivered by  Anati since it began functioning, and whose first manager was Alejandro Castillero.

The responses, with a margin of error of plus or minus  2.8%,  were made after discloure of the free granting of state owned land in  Punta Paitilla, but before details  were published of links to companies and high ranking individualsin the free allocation of 54 hectares in Juan Hombrón in CoclePrivince. authorized by the former Anati director Anabelle  Villamonte.

The Paitialla revelations in La Prensa led to the resignation of Villamonte and Castillero.

Yesterday, the prosecutor, Jose Prado Ayú reported that he  had opened three investigations: The  case  of the land in Paitilla on the edge of the Bay of Panama, and two of title grants for land in Juan Hombrón. The three cases are  being handled by his office directly.