$100 million to smooth the road to the cookie jar

PANAMA’S main political parties, whose deputies in the National Assembly have often been accused of feathering their own nests, have thumbed their noses at Civil Society  and decided to maintain  the level of subsidies for general elections at 1 percent of government revenues.

That will mean some $100 million in the 2019 elections, over $40 per per capita to suborn each of the 2.45 million registered voters, 30% of whom failed to turn out in the last election, and many of whom were also bribed with scholarships for their kids, food package’s and other goodies by candidates illegally using additional government funds but willing to do anything to continue to “serve the people”

The proposal to continue to use taxpayer money to grease the tracks leading to the trough was approved by the National Commission for Electoral Reforms, which will submit recommendations on changes to the electoral code to the National Assembly that will go into effect prior to the 2019 election. Don’t bet on how many will vote against the funding of the way back  to the cookie jar with its regular salary, and perks, even a paid stand-in for when the schedule at the Assembly is too arduous or boring.

The parties argued that keeping the subsidy the same in 2019 will discourage an influx of private donations. The group still has to discuss imposing limits on those donations.

The amount of the public subsidy is expected to reach $100 million in 2019. In the 2014 election, it was $70 million.

Representatives of civil society at the commission said they felt “overwhelmed” by the political parties. They had been seeking a reduction in the subsidy to .5 percent, as well as strict limits on private donations.

There was a spirited  debate y about the proposal, with the parties, which have a majority on the commission, for once speaking with one voice, prevailing.

When you belong to the “club” the rules are made to benefit members.

Hugo Polo, a representative from the CD party, argued that the public funding is needed to ensure the parties survive, giving Panama a true democracy, and said that the Tribunal Electoral should distribute the money.

“The TE demonstrated its capacity for independence and transparency during the last electoral process,” he said. Coming from a member of the CD whose  leader, Ricardo Martinelli has so often railed against the TE, that’s a big pill to swallow.