Committee in a hurry — 9 approvals in three hours

In a room packed with worker representatives and environmentalists the  Transport and Communication Legislative committee passed three codes and six-laws in three hours.

The four man committee kept up the helter skelter rate despite the complexity of the issues said  La Prensa. A proposal to promote commercial aviation was presented only a day earlier by Interior Minister, Jose Raul Mulino.
Representatives of some 30 environmental organizations and unions complained that the committee chairman, Rep. Marcos González, only gave them five minutes to explain the reasons for rejecting the amendments to the Labour Code and the General Law of Environment
The deputies involved were: Marcos González, Luis Eduardo Quirós, Carlos Afu son and Francisco Rios.
Felix Wing of the Center for Environmental Advocacy, said they will demand changes to the Environmental Law, "because it violates international conventions signed by Panama."

Union leaders warned that they will return to the streets.

The bill also amends the existing Laws governing the Police, Public Procurement and the establishment of a Court of Auditors.