business

At the end of August the "Casa de Mimbre" off Avenida Central near the Don Bosco Basilica began its final collapse, and one of the first things that Housing Minister Balbina Herrera did in her new post was oversee the demolition of the dilapidated wooden slum. The people who lived in the upstairs apartments were relocated, and several small businesses that had worked on the premises also went elsewhere. But all of the people who make and repair wicker and rattan furniture in Panama City had concentrated their little shops in the building and their dispersal would have been a fatal blow to this little micro-enterprise sector.

Thus, with a little assistance from City Hall, the wicker businesses set up little sheds on the sidewalk on the other side of the street. The proprietors told The Panama News that they hope to be back in their old location when the old slum where they used to work is replaced. However, it may be a matter of "if" rather than "when."

Because the old premises had been condemned for decades, nobody who lived or worked their paid any rent during their many years of occupancy. However, by Panamanian law it is not possible to accrue time toward obtaining squatters' rights over a condemned building. So now that the building has been demolished at public expense, private title holders may return and reclaim the property, and sell it or build upon it. But of course, the city and Housing Ministry might assert claims against the owners for years of building code violation fines, demolition costs, back taxes and other expenses. Thus there are legal matters to be resolved before it would be possible to rebuild on the site of the old slum in order to add to the public housing stock and give the wicker industry new permanent quarters.

Also in this section:
Wicker businesses continue in temporary quarters
Loans by Caja de Ahorros probed
Panama close to acknowledging that it's a Pacific Rim country
Business & Economy Briefs

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