Assembly to give way to metro

PANAMA. One of the mega projects of the Martinelli administration could result in the eviction of the National Assembly from its building.

The location of the Assembly at the 5 de Mayo plaza means it could end up being a metro terminal.

Jose Luis Varela, president of the Assembly, said that the move is imminent although details are yet to be defined.

This is not the first time the idea of moving the National Assembly has been studied - past administrations have also recognized the need to move the legislative organ out of the 50 + year old building.

President Martinelli is proposing building a government city in the canal reverted areas and to relocate most public offices there, including the National Assembly.

José Batista, president of the Architect and Engineers' Association (SPIA), said that although he proposed a monorail project as the solution to Panama City's transport problem, he sees the metro as a viable solution.

However, he sees the proposed 5 de Mayo Plaza site as suspicious, because the metro terminal site was originally proposed in a different location away from the Legislative Palace.