Ancon quarry might open

The Ministry of Trade and Industry has approved the transfer of the concession to a Korean company giving them all the rights to exploit minerals.

On July 4, 2003 the Ministry of Commerce granted the concession to the Development Corporation Panama-Korea and gave them permission to exploit the site.

After a barrage of criticism from environmentalists and the public, it was suspended indefinitely.

On July 28, 2008 the Development Corporation Panama-Korea decided to transfer the concession to Alfa Construction and the contract was supported through a resolution signed by then Minister of Commerce, Carmen Gisela Vergara and the Deputy Minister Manuel Jose Paredes.

The president of Alfa Construction is a well known businessman from Chiriqui, Alberto Gonzalez Jurado.

The deputy vice-president is Rodrigo De la Cruz Alvenda and the Secretary is Sara Rodriguez de Muñoz.

What is most surprising about this case is that the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Economy and Finance have talked about the case, but refuse to give any more information about their findings.

Both ministries just said that the Ministry of Economy and Finance is managing the land in question where the concession of the quarry is located, which includes an area of a little more than 64 hectares.

In a press release the Ministry of Trade said that the concession had been inactive for a long time.

However due to the construction boom the quarry was re-activated in 2008.

According to the environmentalist Raisa Banfield the current situation is not simple and the case is full of irregularities.

The authorities have not given the necessary regarding the existing environmental regulations.

When the United States was operating the Panama Canal they used the quarry to obtain material for the maintenance of the inter-oceanic way.

Ancon has become a desirable residential area and a site of interest for tourist and Panamanians.

Some people believe if the quarry is exploited then the beauty of the area will be spoiled and will create a high amount of pollution generated by the quarry operation.

Nobody knows for certain when the quarry will open again, because few details have been released about the project, its operation or further expansion.