The environmental protection bill that for the fourth consecutive year is attempting to make it through the Panamanian parliament has watered-down penalties for violators so much that it is meaningless, say environmental groups. The changes in the draft legislation aimed at punishing those who harm Panama's ecosystems have undermined the intent of the original bill, spokespersons from the Association for Promoting New Alternatives for Development (APRONAD) told Tierramérica.

The latest draft of the bill reduces the penalties and eliminates burning of forests as a crime, even though fires this year have wiped out 21,600 hectares of forest this year.

The original version of the legislation now up for debate in the Legislative Assembly was put together by non-governmental groups and adopted by the government of Mireya Moscoso.