Massive rejection of mining in Panama

Negotiations are being held behind the citizens' backs, this is not a private deal as they try to portray it. Massive rejection of mining in Panama. By Ricardo Wong. PROMAR Foundation. We have two mining contracts declared unconstitutional, drafted by negotiation teams from two different administrations with the best, prestigious, and renowned law firms. It is obvious that the negotiations were very good, the contracts were very well made; reviewed and approved by two different assemblies of deputies to become laws of the republic and thus be protected from any dissident. Due to the importance for the parties, mining must have priority over other laws and economic sectors of the country. Those two contracts were written against the country and there was no attempt to defend ourselves, all government administrations have had numerous members with a conflict of interest with the mining issue, and this one is no exception. Are we in a situation where we don't know the rules of the game we are playing? The audit must cover all aspects that can serve us for any future arbitration that the nation must face. Minerals are non-renewable resources, goods of the nation that require special management that we have not discussed as a society. The above reminds me of the weaknesses mentioned in the Panama Mining Policy Framework Evaluation by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, which concludes that Panama does not have the institutions to manage mining. Or not? We hope that the Presidency and the Minister of Commerce and Industries know that the draft of the National Mining Authority is not the solution that most Panamanians want and that it can produce protests like those in 2023, and that no sector wants. The best advertising the country can have to attract investment is to have open competition and a strong and effective fight against corruption, with an empowered, participatory, and committed citizenry demanding accountability, transparency, and vigilance over public affairs. Citizens have no interest in playing, blocking goals. I suppose so much discrimination with the rest of the country could not be seen by the negotiators for being focused on what is important, being a single team with a single objective, to get the maximum benefit possible, without caring about or protecting the assets and interests of all Panamanians. It is also clear that political and economic power marked both negotiations, the alignment of the executive power with the assembly is well known by all, I think that the influences prevailed and I cannot imagine the celebrations made by the negotiation teams on both occasions when their "contract" was approved successfully. I do not know if history will apply the title of traitors to some negotiators or if the citizenship has them present. But the rules are clear and we do not want to comply, the worst is that they persist in appearing to be legal a contract and to validate a "disloyal partner". The truth is that the unconstitutionality declared by the court left out other aspects harmful to the interests we have as a nation that are not talked about. Lying to us by saying that we will have a comprehensive audit when the terms say otherwise is incorrect and unworthy of government officials. Now our magicians want to create an institution with a magic wand, this magic act resolves our future or theirs? The government again fails us in several aspects. And it is true that Panama does not have it with what happened. I am also not clear if some think we are in a game where we have two strikes and it is time for the strike or a home run comes. The mine audit must be comprehensive, which covers things that go beyond the commitments of the environmental impact study and must have an analysis of the government's institutions in everything that happened. Please, correct it and let's be serious. The above is really a disaster.