Angel Valdes | March 9, 2023
The Minister of Commerce and Industry, Federico Alfaro, in the company of the Minister of Labor, Doris Zapata, and the Minister of the Environment, Milciades Concepción, explained the agreement with which the National Government reached an agreement with the company Minera Panamá for the next 20 years. .
Minister Alfaro explained that the terms agreed in January 2022 were fully complied with “Which ensure, among other things, a fair payment with the natural resources that belong to all Panamanians, it must be put in context that this is a 20-year renewable contract After 20 more years, it was a period of intense work, where by instructions from President Cortizo, we remained firm in defending national interests in our commitment that Panamanians benefit fairly from those resources and firm in not accepting any change. that would impact what was previously agreed and what the Panamanian people would receive”
I also inform that there is an anti-corruption clause to avoid acts of corruption and that they can terminate the contract «This anti-corruption clause allows the state to terminate the concession in full right if acts of corruption incurred by the company are verified, in this way ensuring that this contract is carried out under strict legality.
The Minister of the Environment, Milciades Concepción, indicated that they will be permanently in the mine area to protect the region’s environment: “We are going to have officials permanently in the area 24 hours a day for any contingency to prevent and monitor the processes that they occur that do not violate environmental standards.
While the Minister of Labor, Doris Zapata, referred to the issue of the mining workers who experienced weeks of uncertainty in the midst of the negotiations “We continue to guide each of the workers in direct communication with each of the unions and with each of the workers of this company who has seen fit to seek guidance from the Ministry of Labor, we have complied responsibly with the legal processes that have been established, we continue with the responsibility of complying with the labor regulations established in the Republic of Panama “
