The consortium of companies for the doubling of the Panama Canal (GUPC), of which Salini Impregilo is a member, proposes to the Canal Authority (ACP) a way to resolve the dispute over the extra costs of the construction site. He does so with a letter dated December 27, in which he underlines the serious consequences that would result from a split in the contract on the Panamanian side.
The document denies the recent statements by the number one of the Canal Authority, Jorge Quijano, who in an interview with El Pais complains that he only learned of the Gupc's proposals through the press, therefore in a "very irregular and disrespectful way ”.
In the letter, the Gupc makes "two simple proposals" to complete the project "in a reasonable time and with a reasonable amount". The consortium "is ready to accept a deal covering all requests and to complete the work by mid-2015 for a payment of one billion dollars in addition to the contract price".
In this scenario, the Consortium would be giving up "the many millions of dollars it is entitled to." However, if the ACP were to “illegally” break the contract, the consequences would be very serious – underlines the consortium – for Panama itself. Finding a new contractor would be even more expensive than paying the extra costs to the consortium, the works would be postponed by 3-5 years and the legal disputes would drag on for years in the US and European courts.
