In his Community Work Tour (GTC) No.138, the President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo Cohen, inaugurated two new agro-distributors in the Ngäbe-Buglé region —one in Kankintú and another in Pueblo Nuevo, Jirondai district—, thus giving Fulfillment of its promise to set up stores of this kind in the nine regional municipalities so that its inhabitants have quality basic basket products at affordable prices close to their homes.
With a total investment of B/.242,572.38, President Cortizo Cohen, accompanied by the Vice Minister of Agricultural Development, Alexis Pineda and the director of the Agricultural Marketing Institute (IMA), Carlo Rognoni, opened the agro-distributors of Kankintú and Pueblo Nuevo , the latter in the village of Tu Gwai, Jirondai district.
With these two new centers, the National Government fulfills the commitment to install these stores in each of the districts of the region: Mironó, Besikó, Nole Duima, Ñurum, Muna, Santa Catalina, Kusapín and now in Kankintú and Jirondai.
The total investment for the nine agro-distributors amounts to B/.1,107,722, for the benefit of more than 170,000 Panamanians who live in the Ngäbe-Buglé region. “Once again, our administration fulfills its commitments with the Panamanians of the Ngäbe-Buglé region,” said President Cortizo Cohen at the opening ceremony.
The more than 200 owners of stores and establishments in these districts will be able to stock up on products such as rice, salt, sugar, beans, oil, meat and canned goods, which generates significant savings for them and thus they can sell their products at reasonable prices to the population.
The objective of these agro-distributors is to provide support to established businesses, allowing them to purchase basic food baskets at affordable prices. To supply them, the IMA buys the merchandise from national producers and industries, thereby supporting the productive sectors and boosting the economy and job creation.
The execution of this initiative has been possible with the support of an inter-institutional team and local governments, and it has been possible to promote national production and generate jobs in the sector.
On his 17th visit to the Ngäbe-Buglé region, President Cortizo Cohen also delivered a 4×4 “pick-up” vehicle to the Ministry of Culture, for use by the entity’s regional office in this region.
At another point of GTC No. 138, the president and the Vice Minister of Public Works, Librada De Frías, inspected the study, design, construction and financing project for the Coclesito – Kankintú highway, which is being developed with an investment of B/ .71.9 million.
The 28-kilometre-long work, under the responsibility of the Kankintú Consortium, includes the construction of 17 vehicular bridges, sidewalks, 11 bus stop booths, cross drains and their heads, and 26 storm drains, as well as road signs.
