IN AMADOR

Businessmen in trouble

07-14-2009 | MARIJULIA PUJOL LLOYD

Panama Star PANAMA. President Ricardo Martinelli is investigating all the companies that have concessions on the Amador Causeway to make sure that they are complying with the law and paying the money they owe to the state.

During the seizure of land from Brisas de Amador S.A. on Monday morning Martinelli said that what he found was that many of the companies which are operating in Amador are abusing the concessions creating illegal landfills and not paying any money whatsoever.

“These entrepreneurs are giving a bad name to all the business community and currently the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Panama Maritime Authority and the National Environment Authority are looking at the concession contracts to see if they are complying with them,” said Martinelli.

“We have found so far that the majority of the entrepreneurs that operate in Amador paid a miniscule amount for the concession, probably by bribing somebody and now they are even refusing to pay for them,” said the president.

“It is unjust that a group of rich men are becoming richer exploiting the State, when that money is needed to put into place programs that will benefit the population,” said the president.

Martinelli added that some of them are even asking for more concessions to fill the seabed and if it continues they soon will join with the Coastal Strip.

He added that nobody is going to have special treatment and those who do not obey the law will suffer the consequences.

Talking about the land concessions made to Herman Bern for the Intercontinental Miramar Hotel and the Playa Bonita Beach Resort, Martinelli said that he is planning to have a meeting with the him to talk about it and reach an agreement.

With regards to the audits that are currently being carry out by the government on the companies that manage the corridors, the president said that they will take approximately six months and that a lot of ugly facts are coming to light.

Brisas de Amador is second piece of land seized by the Martinelli Administration in less than a week.