Government acts creating crises slapped down
A further blow to the the Martinelli government came Friday with a unanimous rejection by the National Coalition of Development of a move to sell shares in joint enterprises.
The meeting on Friday, June 22 followed a week of discontent, demonstrations, and finally violent confrontations, as a government accused of authoritarianism got its first taste of “people power”
“We reject the sale of shares in the telephone company Cable & Wireless, utilities and land of the Free Zone of Colon and Amador" said the Coalition in spite of presentations from a battery of government and industry protagonists.
The report also came with a strong admonition to the executive to consult before rushing to push laws through the Assembly and creating crises.
The full board endorsed the rejection. after several hours of presentations by technical teams of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the National Secretariat of Energy, The Electric Transmission Company, Inc. and the National Authority of Public Services. They tried to convince the board that the sale of stocks and land, which has helped provoke nationwide protests should go ahead.
"The board decided that there are no arguments that show the need or urgency for funds through the sale of assets utilities, telephone and state lands that are our heritage,” said the executive secretary of the National Coalition Jaime Jacome. The board was in agreement requesting the National Assembly to reject projects No. 486 and No. 488 relating to the sale of the shares." The document also calls on the "Executive Body when presenting bills and initiatives to introduce structural changes in the national heritage, to submit them in advance to a nationwide consultation.
“We ask the Executive when it comes to these actions, prior to the presentation and discussion in the legislative forum or existing charges on that stage, they be submitted and debated with the Panamanian society to avoid this crisis of governance in terms of decisions that have not been adequately consulted so we cannot live in a climate of peace and harmony,” "said Jacomé. The paper concludes that "Social peace requires consensus building through public consultations, with a high degree of transparency and broad public participation by the appropriate authorities. “
The document ends” "It was the commitment of the President [Ricardo Martinelli], the Minister of Economy and Finance, [Frank De Lima], and the President of the Council, the Deputy Minister of the Presidency, [Mary Fabrega], that what is agreed here would be respected and we trust them so to do."
