Jobs on the line at Panamas oldest newspaper

THE JOBS of 250 workers of the Editorial Group El Siglo and La Estrella (Gese)  are on the line and the company has asked the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury for an extension of the license allowing  them access to the US financial system.

Eduardo Quirós, president of Gese, said  that since the inclusion of Abdul Waked, the main shareholder of the editorial group, on an OFAC sanctions list, Panama’s oldest  newspaper (La Estrella) has had to cut 30 percent of its staff.

He warned that the employment of the remaining 250 workers is currently at stake.

On May 5, Abdul Waked was identified by the United States as the ringleader ­ along with his nephew Nidal Waked ­ of a criminal organization aimed at money laundering.

On that day, the Wakeds and 68 corporations, including Gese, were included on the list, also known as the Clinton List.

The United States prohibits its companies and citizens from maintaining commercial or financial relationships with anyone on the list.

Since then, the Treasury Department has licensed both newspapers to allow them to access to markets.

The latest license expires at midnight on Jan. 5. US Ambassador to Panama John Feeley has said that his country will not adopt measures that affect the operation of the newspapers and that its government is willing to renew the licenses.

“We do this out of respect for their journalistic integrity and for our commitment to protecting press freedom,” he said in a statement issued May 13.

Quirós said Monday, Dec 5  that they have maintained contact with officials of the government to express their concerns.

“The next 30 days become a defining stage for a newspaper (El Siglo) with more than 30 years of being ‘the newspaper of the people’ and for the oldest newspaper in Panama and the third­ oldest on the entire west coast of the American continent,” said Quiros.