Authorities of the Government of Panama are trained for the implementation of public-private projects

In order to promote the management of projects under the mechanism of public-private associations, CAF -development bank of Latin America-, and the British Embassy, carried out the seminar "Developing the capacities to implement Public-Private Associations in Latin America" with governmental entities linked to the finance, energy, infrastructure, and housing sectors in Panama, as well as staff from CAF. The participants received knowledge regarding the institutionat structure of public-private associations (PPA) in the United Kingdom, the project development process, financing istruments, legal framework, as well as practical examples, among other topics. 

Lucia Meza, CAF´s Northern Region Project Director, emphasized that CAF, as part of its commitment with the development of the region, has accompanied natinal governments in their processes to generate legal, regulatory, and institutional frameworks, to implement infrastructure investments and public services through public-private participation. 

Ian Collard, British Ambassador in Panama, pointed out that to reach the private investment level needed in public infrastructure, the public and private sectors in the United Kingdom worked as partners in the development of a PPA model which has served as an inspiration to similar models in more than 50 countries in the five continents. 

Among the main conclusions of the meeting, the success of the British model stands out as a result of a long process which started with thepolitical decision of the State, and includedan intensive capacity development program for the staff of the different levels and sectors of government, and actively involved the participation of society in all the stages of the PPA processes, applying communicational strategies and transparency mechanisms.  

In addition, it was pointed out that the lessons learned in past decades have allowed the model to have detailed manuals, guidels, and protocols for the development of diverse activities implied in the carrying out of the PPA processes; although the realities in the countries are different, the standards may be applicable to Panama through a correct adaptation process by the entities involved, respecting the peculiarities of each project and society. 

The first level speakers included Javier Encinas, Infrastructure Project Director of the British Finance Ministry; Tim Jones, Director of the Division of Infrastrucuture and Government for Deloitte United Kingdom; Jeffery Barrat, Norton Rose Fulbright consultant; Manjit Kahlon, international consultant for environment and technology; and Dennis De Cala, Market Analyst and Project Manager at the Mott MacDonald Group.