- 128 - concerning the price of the land. The Ministry of Housing informed the mission that titles of ownership would be issued this year. Loans are granted at an interest rate of 8 per cent, which is still very high in relation to the normal rate charged by banks (9 per cent). The city of Colón and its environs 49. The situation in this city has been critical for a very long time. In the city centre, "condemned houses" - old, dilapidated, totally insanitary wooden buildings- still exist. They are gradually being demolished and the inhabitants rehoused, often very far from the centre and hence far from sources of work. 50. In many cases, the inhabitants have used so-called "self-help construction" methods, with the support of non-governmental organizations or external assistance, at more competitive prices than for buildings erected with state funds. A majority of the inhabitants fear that they will be evicted without a practical alternative solution, which often creates fairly sharp tension. The community representatives all hope that ongoing consultation will be established with government representatives. 51. At the present time, there is no general urban development plan for this zone, where many houses will have to be demolished in the short or medium term. 52. The mission visited two communities situated not far from Colón in the "restored area": Sagrada Resurrección and Vista Alegre 2. These have somewhat different problems, but one similarity - the non-existence of titles of ownership. 53. The members of the Sagrada Resurrección community, intended for 537 families, of which 189 are already inhabiting the so far uncompleted site, do not yet have titles of ownership and do not know the exact price they will be charged. There is an agreement with the Savings Bank, which has, however, reportedly sold certain land to the Colón Internacional Company; since then, a conflict has existed and is creating tension. The community has invested much personal labour in making the district viable and hopes to reach an agreement with the Ministry. 54. The Vista Alegre 2 community is much smaller and is also suffering from the lack of legalization of the land, which was considered the property of the National Mortgage Bank but is in fact owned by a private individual. Thirty-six families are still not covered by the proposed transfer and, here again, legal proceedings are under way and an overall solution must be found. The Felipillo, Alto del Llano, Chorrillito and Nueva Esperanza communities 55. In the first community, which has not been completed, there are about 300 families who have no title of ownership. They are encountering several problems: non-existence of titles of ownership, difficulties with water and electricity, and the price of land.