OFF THE CUFF: Judicial perks and junkets

 WHILE PANAMA’S Supreme Court struggles with an ever increasing backlog of cases some judges are finding time to flit around the world attending conferences.

 Judge Abel Zamorano has asked for paid leave of absence and for travel expenses to attend two events on procedural and civil law in the cities of Bogota and Pereira, Colombia.
Zamorano has sent two notes to his colleague, the President of the Supreme Court, Jose Ayu Prado, which were published on the website of the judiciary.
The first letter is dated July 23, in which Zamorano requested paid leave of absence supported by the Judicial Service regulations, and the payment of travel expenses to attend the XXXVI Congress of Procedural Law to be held in Pereira, Colombia, from September 9 to 11. Along with the note he annexed dated 19 May. Zamorano will attend as a speaker and president of the Colombian-Panamanian Institute of Procedural Law.
Another request for travel expenses and paid leave of absence was made on August 3, to attend the X International Meeting of Civil Responsibility in Bogota, Colombia, from August 26 to 28.
If he takes the two trips, Zamorano, who is a stand in for convicted former judge Alejandro Moncada Luna will have made 18 trips abroad.
Last week,  Ayu Prado completed 24 trips abroad when he attended Cartagena, Colombia, to participate in the XVIII Meeting of the Regular Courts.