Business sector demands government action on mine closing

 One month after the historic ruling that declared the contract between Minera Panamá and the State unconstitutional, Panama’s business sector demanded that the Government take necessary action.

The Chamber of Commerce, Industries, and Agriculture  issued a statement Thursday for the “Government  to take control of access, to supervise correct and timely management of care and maintenance, demanding the responsibilities that correspond to the company.”

The union requested the Government to “urgently” initiate an audit by an independent firm to establish a definitive baseline regarding the current state of the mining area in environmental, economic, and social matters. At the same time, the mining operations closure plan is detailed transparently and technically and transition decisions are made towards said process.

“As we have been pointing out, the Government has to control access to the site in Donoso so that the necessary care and maintenance activities can be carried out as soon as possible and prevent an environmental disaster,” said Adolfo Fábrega, president of the Chamber.

“We require that a care and maintenance plan for the site in Donoso be urgently executed in the first days of 2024,” he added.

He reiterated that what is proceeding at this time is the appointment of a commission to carry out the formulation of the mining closure plan, with its respective civil oversight, which could be made up of

On November 28, the Plenary Session of the Supreme Court of Justice unanimously declared Law 406, on the contract between Minera Panamá and the State, unconstitutional.

The contract was authorized by the Cabinet Council on October 10, 2023; endorsed by Comptroller General Gerardo Solís on October 13; presented to the National Assembly on October 16, and finally approved in the third debate, sanctioned by President Laurentino Cortizo and promulgated in the Official Gazette on October 20, all on the same day. This motivated the rejection of the citizens and led to month-long countrywide protests.