Prisons up for sale

PANAMA. The Minister of Government and Justice, Raul Mulino, took legislators by surprise with a proposal to sell two prisons, the El Renacer prison for men and Cecilia Chiari the female detention center.

At the last meeting of the budget commission of the assembly , Mulino explained the sale as part of the project of building a penitentiary city at the present location of the La Joya and La Joyita jails.

The project would cost $130 million.

Because of the city growing into the suburbs the “Cecilia Chiari” female detention center has ended up being in the middle of the city and in the case of an emergency it would be difficult to reach the prison because of heavy traffic. “Those 10,000 square meters could be sold for a commercial project”, said Mulino.

About the El Renacer prison, Mulino said this lot is a jewel with lots of potential to become a tourist attraction. “It can be sold for good money that can be invested in the penitentiary city”.

El Renacer is a lot of 16 hectares in Gamboa that can be transformed in a successful development due to its proximity to the Canal area.

The current Joya and Joyita jails were purchased during the Endara administration, and only half of its 2,000 hectares are in use.

The minister said there is a risk of losing the rest of land to squatters, so the penitentiary project could relocate the prison for sale and put the land to better use.