Police and prison authorities moving on different tracks

 
223Views 0Comments Posted 13/04/2010

Are the authorities in charge of police and the prisons moving on different tracks, or are they flying trial balloons?

The question seems appropriate when within a couple of weeks one official announced that the island of Coiba, a World Heritage site, would revert to being Panama’s Alcatraz for the country’s toughest criminals.
There was a predictable outcry from conservationists, and a second leader quickly scotched the idea.
Then came reports that another protected area the Metropolitan Park, was to become the location for the new National Police HQ. More public outcries followed.
Now the director of the National Police Gustavo Perez, denies that the HQ will be built there.
The  statements  by Perez follow the reports that the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) was considering moving the headquarters to the park.

 The idea was expressed by the Economy Minister, Alberto Vallarino. But Perez said the minister Vallarino is not calling for this.

But worries still abound. Dionora Víquez, manager of the park, expressed concern that the Minister himself had been to the park to inspect the area where the new Police Headquarters could be built.

Víquez said that on March 2 , the Minister arrived at 7:45 am to "verify" the park. "We are concerned about the visit of the Minister," he said.

The MEF first made known its intention in October 2009 when an an aide went to the park to make the first evaluations, said Víquez.

Viquez said the government would have to build a new infrastructure, because that area has no water system, electricity or telephone. He said that 12 hectares of the park would be affected by the possible construction.
Environmental activists have set up a Facebook challenge. So far more than 400 people have joined the group “For the Metropolitan Park.”
 



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