Slow Government payment stalls construction industry

In the midst of a  reopening that is moving at a snail’s pace, the construction sector is pressing the Government to pay off the debts that it has with contractors that carried out large-scale state works before the pandemic and who hope to complete them in the new reality.

José Ramón Icaza of the Panama Chamber of Commerce board of directors asked the Government to update the accounts of the state contractors, to enable construction companies to reactivate more workers with suspended contracts.

” We are aware of multiple companies that have not been able to reactivate their large projects due to the backlog of accounts, ” said Icaza in an interview with TVN-2.com .

Gabriel Diez, president of the National Council of Housing Promoters, joined Icaza’s call and asked the Government to make payments so that companies that were developing state

projects can finish the stalled works. The sector has been reopening some of its state works since July but so far, just under 60% of the projects have been able to resume the new normal and the reactivation of only 25% of the workforce has been achieved said, Icaza.