Toucan Museum: new battleground

PANAMA. Among the casualties in the Taiwanese funds controversy, is the Toucan Museum, which was to be built with some of the millions Taiwan donated to Panama.

The Museum project was never finalized, and from the initial objectives only the construction of the museum building was achieved.

After some years and ideas bounced back and forth, the Anthropological Museum Reina Torres de Arauz was moved to the new premises, and the Toucan Museum’s idea was dropped altogether.

In this case, the donations were administered by the Fundacion Pro Educacion Integral de la Niñez y la Juventud, a foundation headed by Ruby Moscoso, former first lady and sister of former President Mireya Moscoso.

The entire project was handled as a family enterprise. The project’s engineer was no other than Luis Fasano, husband of the former Presidency Minister Ivonne Young, who also happens to be the niece of the former first lady.

The Comptroller’s Office tried to audit the funds for the Museum due to allegations that they were used to pay personal expenses of the first lady and other government officials.

But the Supreme Court has not yet ruled on whether this portion of the Taiwanese donations are private, or can be subjected to public scrutiny.

Stay tuned.