Investigative journalist threatened by Labor Minister

A Panamanian journalist has been threatened by the Minister of Labor, after La Prensa published  research revealing anomalies in the Mi Primer Empleo (My first job) program administered by her department.

Alma Cortes, speaking on Telemetro warned  Santiago Cumbrera of La Prensa: “Cumbrera be careful with me, my reputation is priceless.," She made the statement publicly on Telemetro on Tuesday, June 21.

According to research conducted by the newspaper,  companies contracted by the ministry for the program, were  lawyers, bound by family ties or professional activities, to  Cortés. The companies, some of which were created on the same day, have benefited from lucrative contracts. {jathumbnail off}

"I respect who respects me, and he [Cumbrera] is not on that list," said Cortes.

The minister that Doctor Ruben Dario Moreno, who claimed to own two companies that have won contracts totaling more than $500,000 had a  computer stolen three weeks ago. "And he said that the information that was on the computer is the that used Cumbrera. I wonder how Cumbrera has access to that information? " she said.

The former editor of Panama America, Guido Rodriguez said  that in September 2010, when he left the Panama America newspaper, he commissioned an investigation and the journalist had the data since last year.

Grisel Bethancourt, president of the Journalists Association, aid “It is unfortunate that without proof the journalist is accused. "We will not allow new threats."

The president of the CNP, Norma Nunez Montoto, said the government is calling for a dialogue on the freedom of expression is contradicting itself by attacking journalists.

Meanwhile, the secretary general of the opposition Democratic Revolutionary Party, Mitchell Does, called for the firing  of Cortez after the revelation of  irregularities in the program.

Although the Minister of Labour, Alma Cortez, said yesterday that start-ups companies with no experience earned contracts because they no one exhibited interest"  the International Maritime University of Panama (UMIP ) contradicts here version. The University appealed to the Court of Public Procurement when they were  rejected by the evaluation commission of the Ministry of Labor, which gave a $114,000 contract  to a construction company to give a course on operating small craft.