Transparency International calls for end to deputy patronage

The Panama chapter of Transparency International, has called on the government led by president, Ricardo Martinelli, to suspend grants to deputies to make hand outs in their constituencies.

Angelica Maytín, president of the organization, said that deputies were chosen to make laws and community works. "But they cannot be deputies and hand out gifts.. We must cut patronage," she said.

Maytín statements came following reports that detail t Martinelli spendin$156 million between 2010 and 2011 in respect of "items circuital" for use by 71 MPs without proper oversight.
Deputy Jose Isabel Blandon Panameñista asked the Minister of Economy and Finance, Frank De Lima, to make public the detailed amounts of items received by all Members, since 2009 to date.