Ex-Education Minister under investigation

FORMER MINISTER of Education Lucy Molinar, is the latest high profile member of the Martinelli administration to come under investigation for activities linked to the National Assistance Program (PAN).

 The Fourth Anti-Corruption Prosecutor is working on two investigations against her for irregularities in the purchase of 600 000 school bags with potential cost overruns through PAN.
The complaint wasfiled last September by the Panama Association of Teachers Panama (ASOPROF) for the excess funds in the purchase of backpacks worth seven dollars each, and more than $7 for transporting each unit.
In the complaint ASOPROF educators also raised the alleged crime of embezzlement by the former head of the Ministry of Education (Meduca) after the construction of 30 school classrooms without required plans.
The lawsuit is based on an article published by La Prensa on September 6, in which it was reported that among investigations being conducted by the Public Prosecutor for possible illegality in PAN was a related payment of $12 million for the purchase of school bags.
But before the complaint filed against Molinar by ASOPROF the Fourth Corruption prosecutor, William Parodi, had initiated a summary for alleged irregularities in the purchase of 600,000 backpacks that were allegedly purchased with premiums and paying 1.7 million dollars in a contract for the collection of hazardous hospital waste.

Following the remarks of investigations over the purchase of backpacks, former Minister Molinar said: “Everything ran through the National Assistance Program.”