THE Panama Canal Authority (ACP) says it rejects the "pressures" exerted by contractor Grupo Unidos del Canal, S.A. (GUPCSA) in recent statements, to force the ACP to negotiate outside the terms established in the contract for building the new locks.
GUPCSA, the international consortium in charge of the new locks project, is demanding that additional funds be provided on top of those agreed in the contract, alleging over costs.
"To date, the contractor has not followed the claims and conflict resolution mechanisms established in the contract to support the claims," an ACP statement said.
"No matter what type of pressure is exercised against the ACP, we maintain our request that GUPCSA respects the contract that they accepted and signed," said Panama Canal Administrator Jorge Quijano.
The ACP reiterated that the only channels to process claims are clearly established in the contract. "A third party decides two of the three methods established in the contract for the resolution of claims. These contractual clauses were accepted by GUPCSA upon signature of the contract," the statement said.
The ACP also "trusts that the contractor is able to comply with the terms agreed upon under contract. The contract includes guarantees that will allow completing the new locks. With 65 per cent completion, the new locks project is at a stage that the construction may be completed with the mechanisms included in the contract, if needed."
Overall, the expansion programme is 72 per cent complete. GUPCSA has previously indicated that instead of completing construction in October 2014, as originally established in the contract, the new locks will be finished in June 2015.
GUPCSA has been formed by the companies Sacyr Vallehermoso, S.A (Spain), Impregilo, S.p.A. (Italy), Jan de Nul Group (Belgium) and Constructora Urbana S.A. (CUSA) (Panama).