On the trail of $9 million missing map

A $22 MILLION CONTRACT  included $9 million for  a digital map that has gone missing.- was signed in 2010. It was supposed to “complement” a controversial  $250 million coastal surveillance defense plan.

It was signed  during the Martinelli asinistration,by  then-Minister of Public Works Federico José Suárez with Telespazio Argentina, a subsidiary of the Italian contractor Finmeccanica that included 19 radars and six helicopters.

Suárez on Saurday September 19  distanced himself from the issue.

“I don’t remember any technical or financial details of the map,” he told La Prensa.

According to the contract, this map should have been delivered and installed by April 27, 2014 reports La Prensa.

President Juan Carlos Varela suspended payments once he took office due to alleged irregularities in the deal.

The government will request the Supreme Court to declare the contract “null and void” as was done with the purchase of the 19 radars.

That contract was signed by former Minister of Public Security José Raúl Mulino. The radars never worked properly as they were unable to detect speedboats used by drug traffickers, which was their primary function.

In its claim against the Telespazio contract, the government is claiming there was a lack of proper analysis to justify the purchase. It also states that the company paid kickbacks to former government officials in exchange for the contract.

Panama Ambassador to Italy Fernando Berguido has said the contracts are void because “because they represent a misuse of power.”