Friends and Friends of Heritage Panama:

Thanks to Information System of the State of Conservation (SOC) enabled by the World Heritage Centre of UNESCO, of free access to all around the world, les traigo this update published this month of February 2014. This is a PDF file with the English summary of the report submitted by the State Conservation Panama, Portobelo and San Lorenzo on. It is thanks to the policies of public access to information from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), we can have secondary access to this national information about our world heritage sites.

This report was generated by the Panamanian authorities under their own responsibility and point of view, and is a separate and distinct report to Report Information System State of Conservation of the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS.

Here is the link: Dale click aquí, comes at the end of tabla, next to the boxes marked “2014 / SOC Report by State Party” & click, “Summary of the State of conservation report by the State Party / Summary Report of the State party on the state of conservation (29/01/2014)”. It is a four-page summary, one formato PDF, in English.

Portobelo. Fort Santiago de la Gloria (Photo of the Author)

SUMMARY SUMMARY

In a “abstract” and Salón “Summary Conservation Status Report”, the list as a PDF file in the List of World Heritage, the following fortifications: 1 – The fortifications of San Fernando: Low battery, superior battery, and strong house on the hilltop, 2 – Battery Fuerte San Jerónimo; 3 – Fortifications of Santiago: Castle of Santiago de la Gloria, Casa Fuerte battery and on top of the hill;. 4 – Former Fort Santiago; 5 – Fort Ruins Farnese; 6 – Site of the Trench; 7 – The site of San Cristobal; and finally, Castle of San Lorenzo El Real de Chagre and superior battery as separate structure, ambos a 43 km away from Portobelo, at the mouth of the Chagres River.

The report says the Panamanian authorities as elements that have adversely affected the property (Portobelo and San Lorenzo):

Panamanian authorities noted that the strongest risks related to climate, suggesting that these factors exacerbate risks caused by man (anthropogenic), as urban sprawl, Water pollution, illegal construction and conservation management incipient.

Titled, “Proposed mitigation measures”, the existence of an Emergency Plan mentioned, based on which an intervention strategy is set, where major mitigation measures are (translate verbatim the points 1 until 11):

1) Strengthen the maintenance work carried out by the Board Portobelo and San Lorenzo, adapting its budget to the scale of the necessary intevenciones.

2) Controlling urban pressure on the strengths of Portobelo, redefining buffer zones and land uses allowed (residential, commercial, parking, etc.) near structures.

3) Solve built environment pollution, as well as water pollution by solid waste, via a drainage system integrated. Required to build public health facilities within existing buildings, the scale of the city, all connected to the sewer.

4) Weed control and extermination and removal of all vegetation roots of invasive.

5) Remove all additions built with concrete, and replace them with traditional materials.

6) Waterproofing work on all ceilings, parapet walls, and any other structural elements to prevent the penetration of rain water and intensification of the deterioration of buildings and ruins.

7) Protection waterproofed surfaces, to allow pedestrian uses.

8) Repair and maintenance of drainage channels of water in and out of the strengths, to allow free flow of rainwater into the sea.

9) Repair rainwater tanks inside the strengths and installation of submersible pumps to discharge water directly into the sea or existing water channels, avoiding unnecessary water pressure on the outside walls and foundations.

10) Complete selective restoration of a limited number of strengths in order to determine actual costs of conservation and establish final standards for finishes and structural treatment to be followed in all future preservation work in Portobelo and San Lorenzo. Cal, wood, stone, brick, etc.. shall be procured locally as much as possible. The extracted material must also be reused when possible.

11) The second phase trabajo conservation will focus on rehabilitation for tourist purposes, Cultural Studies, educational workshops, etc.. in view of sustainable management and maintenance.

Titled, “Monitoring”, Panamanian authorities say the main action carried out during the year 2013 It was a slope stabilization project in the adjacent fortifications of Santiago that were affected by landslides in December hill 2010. This project was monitored by the “Technical Unit of the Office of Casco Antiguo”, in charge of monitoring the Management Plan for World Heritage Sites in Panama. The Management Plan was adopted by Resolution No. 186 DNPH (this means, which is a resolution, the National Institute of Culture through its National Heritage – DNPH), published in the Official Gazette No. 27387 of 3 October 2013. The abstract ends, indicating that the file monitoring presented below (in the full document, that is the internet) is presented in the format established by the Management Plan.

***End Summary Summary ***

ON THE PLAN OF MANAGEMENT OF PANAMA UNESCO SITES

For information on all of you, Resolution No. facilitated them. 186 DNPH de 2013 (Dé click aquí), and inserted in the Official Gazette No. 27387 of 3 October 2013 (Dé click aquí).

Although the title of the Resolution reads, “Whereby the management plan of UNESCO sites approves Panama”, only refers to two (2) of the five (5) Panamanian registry sites on the World Heritage List. The three natural World Heritage sites Panamanians still managed by the National Environmental Authority (The Centre), not by the National Heritage (DNPH) the National Institute of Culture (INAC). Means for, property consists of the Old Town of Panama and the Archaeological Site of Panama Viejo, and property consists of fortifications in Portobelo and San Lorenzo.

World Heritage Panamanian / Panamanian World Heritage

This plan is outlined in a simple resolution, elaborada for the DNPH. It consists of five paragraphs and three resolved, in the first of which consists of a list of 20 plan objectives.

The second pre-determined points to existing authorities to Resolution, somehow that will support compliance objectives listed in the first resolved.

It is very striking that the second does not mention resolved Patronage Portobelo San Lorenzo, nor the Patronato Panama Viejo, currently managing the respective sites present on the board INAC, everyone.

The third resolved signals the start date of the plan. It ends with the legal basis, which are the Constitution of the Republic of Panama (and general), and the basic laws of Panamanian heritage: Law 14 of 1982, Law 91 of 1976 and Executive Order 51 of 2004.

It is interesting that the Manual of Standards and Procedures for Restoration and Rehabilitation of the Old Town of Panama City, is supported by the hierarchy of Decree Law No.. 51 of 2004, by which it approved the Policy and Procedures Manual, containing inserts in articles some institutional resolutions DNPH. Certainly, Historical Monumental Complex of Old Town Panama Panama is the only monument that has its own manual of this type.

Give thanks to UNESCO for, whose transparency policies allow us access to this information publicly available both in Panama and abroad.

Regards,

Katti Osorio Ugarte

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NOTE:
The Report Information System State of Conservation of the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS, likely to be available in July 2014, will be generated jointly by the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS international reference material for the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO at its next meeting in mid- 2014. It will incorporate information provided by Panama in its report, reports and information and materials generated specifically for the case of international experts from UNESCO advisory bodies.

These are the latest SOC, generated by the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS: State of Conservation (SOC), in English.