Assembly committee ups campaign donations limit

IN A MISH MASH of changes to rules governing campaign contributions The Government Commission of the National Assembly has increased the percentages of donations candidates can receive from individual donors.
It increased the limit that candidates for deputy, mayors and district representatives from any individual donor to 25 percent, increasing that amount from 5 percent for deputies and 10 percent for mayor and district representatives.
The original figure had been recommended by the National Commission for Electoral Reforms.
On the other hand, the Assembly Commission maintained the 1 percent cap on individual donations for those running for president.
Previously, the commission increased the limit on the amount that can be donated to a candidate.
Commenting on the increase of the percentage contributions from a single source, Tribunal Electoral Judge Eduardo Valdes Escoffery said that the limits had been established to reduce the influence of individual donors.
Waste policy
Carlos Gasnell President of the Panama chapter of Transparency International , warned that: “these new limits respond to a policy of waste and a lack of control, and they also inhibit the participation of those who have no resources or the possibility of obtaining them legitimately.”