Antonio Tercero González, executive secretary of the National Council for Sustainable Development (Conades), confirmed that the 'Recuperando mi Barrio' program, executed under the previous government, is currently being audited in its entirety and is complete in some places. He stated that this case and others warrant technical follow-up for the remaining program works. Tercero González admitted that it is unclear how the ongoing audits will conclude. In Barraza and El Chorrillo, where the program began five years ago, some contracts are being settled. The outcome of the audits will determine the next steps for Conades, which has already rescinded contracts and filed complaints with the relevant authorities over other pending works.
In the Paraíso area of the San Miguelito district, the building slabs are being covered, as the initial work removed the roofs, causing apartments in the multifamily buildings to leak. However, the lack of funding has taken its toll, and several projects have been delayed due to non-payment to contractors, as happened in San Joaquín.
In this sector, the program did not reach all the multifamily buildings.
'Recuperando mi Barrio' was conceived as a project for the country's economic recovery after the halt caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It began in several stages in El Chorrillo, Santa Ana, Barraza, and San Miguel (Calidonia), and later expanded to other points in the capital and even reached Colón. It had a social component that involved hiring residents of the buildings to participate in rehabilitation work, as well as providing other training to their families for harmonious coexistence.
'We have to see if it is liquidated or how to justify the time of that project,' the authority admitted. The official noted that in this project, Conades acts as Project Management, being the entity responsible for the technical review of the work carried out. The executive secretary of Conades reported that they are analyzing how to complete the works in this Pedregal area, as budget is a limiting factor. 'We are exchanging documentation with Miviot to take the appropriate actions,' he said.
