Lack of commitment to reduce corruption

The Panama chapter of Transparency International (TI) has questioned the lack of a commitment to reduce corruption by the government of President Ricardo Martinelli.

 July 1, marked the completion of three years in power.

In a statement, the organization pointed out that there is no plan to regulate the levels of corruption in the country.

TI said the coalition government of Martinelli and Vice President Juan Carlos Varela, which was formed in the 2009 elections and broke in 2010, did not come with any major structural commitment to reduce corruption, but "cosmetic proposals, most of which have been broken."

Among the failures were the lack of a system of motivation to exercise transparency and punishment of corruption, the exclusion of civil society organizations. and the National Council of Transparency Against Corruption.

According to TI, the Government failed to comply with the proposal which required management officials to submit an annual report of transactions in their domain. It also criticized the failure of the Government to disclose tp  the public information posted Transparency Ombudsman to counter nepotism and patronage.

The failure to reduce discretionary items, which according to TI, each year increase in size,  and uncontrolled public funds managed by the Social Investment Fund (FIS), which only underwent a name change, and lack of commitment by the Ministry of Education to spread the teaching of ethical values and morals.

A press release added:  "We do not believe that in the coming years the subject [of corruption] will be a priority, since from the beginning, the most widespread slogan in the political campaign of the President ‘politicians arrive with empty pockets and leave millionaires,’ needed to  accompanied by a National Anti-Corruption Plan to comply with international agreements signed by the country."