Colón authorities seek legislative changes for regional development

Authorities in the province of Colón, Panama, are seeking legislative changes to improve regional development and resource management. A key priority is the modification of the Historical Heritage Law to allow for the intervention of deteriorating monumental buildings that pose risks to the population, while maintaining protections for significant historical sites.

Local leaders, including Colón District Mayor Diógenes Galván, are also pushing for reforms to Law 404. This law mandates a $6 million annual contribution from the non-tax revenues of the Colón Free Zone (ZLC) for provincial infrastructure projects. Currently, the funds are split equally between the Colón district and the rest of the province. Officials are proposing a new governance mechanism to allow local governments more direct participation in managing and distributing these funds.

Additionally, authorities are calling for the enforcement of Law 32 of 1997 to address outstanding debts to the municipality and district, which are estimated at approximately $60 million. Other financial concerns include a $10 million debt owed by the Municipality of Colón to the Social Security Fund.