Protector of the people on a spending spree

THE OFFICE of Panama’s ombudsman dedicated to protecting the rights of citizens, is under attack from human rights organizations because of scandals associated with the current director.

They have harshly questioned the role of Patria Portugal over the many scandals she has been involved in since taking office.

The groups have also accused the official of failing to address the various problems that affect the daily lives of Panamanians.
The most prevalent scandal involves the $250,000 no-bid contract awarded to a politically-connected company to redesign the agency's web site. Other issues involve the purchase of a $3,000 sofa and $150 pens.
The decision to relocate the office, where the agency pays annual rent of $634,809, has also been questioned.
The most recent scandal involves the award of a $200,000 contract to the firm Avant to train staff in customer service. This company has family and political ties to Imaginarium Studio, the firm that re-designed the web site.