(PanamaInvestorBlog) There is a great deal of infrastructure investment going on in Chiriqui these days with the new four lane highway to Boquete well under way and the expansion of the airport in David. I flew out of the airport this past week and was told by some of the administrators that the renovated runway would be ready by the end of this month. In addition the foundation for the new terminal is nearly complete. Here is an article from La Prensa regarding the latest news on the subject.

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The rehabilitation and expansion of the airport terminal and runway Enrique Malek develop at a cost of 27 million 478 thousand 845 U.S. dollars.

Sources from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) reported that the first phase (taxiway) was finished and is expected later this month will be delivered the second phase corresponding to reinforcement, sealing cracks and prenivelación of the main runway.

Extension work at the Enrique Malek Airport. ESPECIAL PARA LA PRENSA/Teófilo González 1495734La tercera fase o extensión de la pista avanzaba en un 14% hasta el pasado 22 de diciembre, cuando se habían vertido 20 mil metros cúbicos de material selecto; y la cuarta fase o edificio adyacente de la terminal avanza en un 20%. The third stage or extent of the track progressed by 14% until Dec. 22 when they had poured 20 thousand cubic meters of material selected, and the fourth phase or adjacent to the terminal building by 20% advanced.

The work awarded through competitive bidding to the company Riva Argentina SA, in mid-2009, allow for the arrival of ships capable of carrying up to 300 passengers and will significantly improve conditions and services of the airport.

The Civil Aviation director, Rafael Barcenas, said the Enrique Malek airport expansion and construction of new airport terminals in Columbus and central provinces will serve as a hub to the national economy, mainly on the exploitation of tourism potential within the country.