Rio San Felix & Playa Las Lajas Disaster
Aug 14th, 2006 by Don Ray
Below you will find an email I have received with information on the status of impending disaster for the residents in the Playa Las Lajas area. This is not a good recommendation for those thinking of investing their lives and their futures in Panama. This is a follow up to my entry requesting help.
Linda’s email is a Panamanian example of Nero fiddling while Rome burns. Any investor that looks at what is going on and has been going on for some time now in Playa Las Lajas, would have to conclude that there is a serious problem with the lack of action displayed at all levels of the Panamanian Bureaucracy.
Linda’s email and photos follow:
Hi Don Ray,
We want to thank you for your previous postings regarding the problems with the Rio San Felix at Playa Las Lajas. We also wanted to give you and your readers an update on the happenings there.
First of all, thanks to the reader who responded with a contact address for Sr. Ruben Blades, Minister of Tourism. Sadly, all e-mails sent to this address as well as the general IPAT addresses have not garnered a response of any kind. For the Yahoo group user who wondered why we wanted to contact Sr. Blades - kind sir, if you look at the IPAT web-site, you will see that a section is devoted to investment in Panama. Additionally, the development of tourism, accommodation, attractions, etc. is also a concern of IPAT - therefore a concern of Sr. Blades. Hence, the desire to contact him.
In the past week, a great deal of work has taken place at Playa Las Lajas. A sea-wall, consisting of over 90 loads of boulders, has been constructed at the leading edge of the Rio San Felix. This wall has mostly held its own, but the river was eating its way through the banks at both ends of the wall. On Monday, August 7th a force of 12 workers began a band-aid sandbagging operation to shore up the bank before the wall. Over the next 4 days, 2,000 sandbags - each containing over 125 lbs. of sand - were placed. To date, the property owners of Playa Las Lajas have invested over $25,000 to save this wonderful beach and its future! (See attached photo).
In the few short weeks since the river’s course changed and the first lots & HOUSE was taken, we have attempted to contact EVERYONE we can think of. The Municipio de San Felix has not even recognized there is a problem - the Alcalde and his deputies have had too many meetings. SINEPROC declined to inspect saying this situation was not their area of responsibility but have provided many sound bites to the media. The district’s elected diputado has been contacted three times, saying twice he’ll look into the situation and call back. On our third call, he expressed surprise that there had been any development of any kind on Playa Las Lajas, let alone anything in imminent danger. He’ll get back to us. The Governor of Chiriqui has met twice with the property owners - he appears to be genuinely concerned and has made numerous contacts on our behalf, including MOP here in Chiriqui and in PC - to no apparent avail. MOP, the Ministerio de Obras Publicas, has been aware of the situation since the first losses; the Provincial Director, Ing. Luis Lombardo, has been a study of contradictions since our first contact with him - one day offering a resolution and 150 hours of heavy equipment time, only to retract it 2 days later, saying the order had only been a “suggestion” (See attached photo - Luis Lombardo is on the left).
Our current info from MOP indicates that Ing. Lombardo has been in consultation with the Minister of MOP (Sr. Colmarco) - and that they are “studying” the situation via archive photos and an hydrologist. We have been advised by Sr. Lombardo to continue raising funds amongst the property owners and continue the work to save this area ourselves!
We are frustrated; we are broke.
What more can we say?
Thanks,
Linda & Stan
Don Ray,
I forgot to mention our contact with the Autoridad Maritima de Panama; they were contacted due to the fact that we were dealing not just with the river, but the ocean as well. Their response to us was immediate - they sent an engineer and lawyer to inspect the area the day after they were called. Their report was completed immediately and submitted to Panama City; whatever permits were required would be granted immediately. However, their division lacks equipment and the budget. Same song, different singer.
I was planing investing in las Lajas untill I came across this report my question is all this beach unsafe?. kind regards and best wishes Brenda De-Biasi.
This post is now well out of date. I have doubts that it reflects any current situation. I haven’t been to the area in a long time. My advice, as with any considered investment in Panama, is to go to the area and look at it in a non rushed manner.
I’m planing on moving to David (Chiriqui) and will like to invest in las Lajas. Who should I contact .
Thank you
I have no idea. But I am sure when it is know that you have money that you want to invest anywhere in Panama, there will be plenty of people that will standing in line to help.
Hi Lisa
We have a real estate agency near Las Lajas. We can show you some properties in the area. chiriquicoastal.com
Note on the changing river: it was extremely unfortunate that some property owners lost their investment when the river changed course. And of course it is equally unfortunate that the local authorities did little to help. But I don´t think this should affect the future of Las Lajas beach. It is a great beach, the best in Chiriqui. Rivers do periodically change course, especially when they are very shallow, like the Rio San Felix where it empties into the Pacific. The moral of the story isn´t to avoid buying in Las Lajas. The moral is to avoid buying near the river.
Allen
Just a few comments. I am the owner and developer of the highly successful project “Sol y Mar” at the Playa Las Lajas. We have developed a wounerful project far away from the river that is causing the problem and I have a vast amount of experiance in dealing with erosion control and enviromental issues. The problem with the river goes back years when the owners of land around the mouth and up the river cut the manglars and the native vegetation causing the river to change it’s course. It is unfortunate that Stan and Linda had to face that problem, but the government is now stepping in to redirect the river and it seams to be working.
The Playa Las Lajas is 14km long and the best beach in all of Panama. The Problem with the river is less than 1 km at the very end of the Beach. If anyone is considerating investing in the beach it would be a fantastic opertunity to do so. The beach is developing quick and I can assure that the the future is very bright for Las Lajas. Allen is correct, stay away from the river.
Larry
Hi Larry. Yes, this post is very out of date. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. I need to get out your way again. I agree that this is the nicest beach in chiriqui.