MEDIA WATCH: Panama scourge continues
Hoyporhoy La Prensa Jan. 14
TODAY the front of this newspaper is a reminder that corruption is in effect. The audit of the Agricultural Marketing Institute reveals that overpayments and questionable hiring by the Ministry of Housing and Land Management were made through the extinct National Assistance Program (PAN), today the Welfare Administration (DAS).
In addition, a group of senior education officials have been dismissed for “loss of confidence”. These are the first signs that the opportunistic political culture, the cronyism, and the quid pro quo of campaign contributions in exchange for favors and government contracts are a cancer that continues to plague the state.
Transparency and the fight against corruption are not only convenient clothes to chase some officials of previous governments.
The current administration has to restore confidence and legitimacy in the eyes of citizens, and commit, in depth, ethics and institutional transformation that Panama needs to eradicate corruption from their political reality.
There are no valid excuses or pretexts for impunity or indifference to this serious scourge that threatens the very foundations of the rule of law and loyalty to democracy. That’s how important this challenge must be for all Panamanians.
MEDIA WATCH: Corruption scourge a threat to Panama
Hoyporhoy La Prensa Jan. 14
TODAY the front of this newspaper is a reminder that corruption is in effect. The audit of the Agricultural Marketing Institute reveals that overpayments and questionable hiring by the Ministry of Housing and Land Management were made through the extinct National Assistance Program (PAN), today the Welfare Administration (DAS), offend common sense .
In addition, a group of senior officials for “loss of confidence”. These are the first signs that the opportunistic political culture, the cronyism, and the quid pro quo of campaign contributions in exchange for favors and government contracts are a cancer that continues to plague the state.
Transparency and the fight against corruption are not only convenient clothes to chase some officials of previous governments.
The current administration has to restore confidence and legitimacy in the eyes of citizens, and commit, in depth, ethics and institutional transformation that Panama needs to eradicate corruption from their political reality.
There are no valid excuses or pretexts for impunity or indifference to this serious scourge that threatens the very foundations of the rule of law and loyalty to democracy. That’s how important this challenge must be for all Panamanians.
