OFF THE CUFF: Pay day for Panamas alternates”

ON MONDAY, May 28,  nearly 500  National  Assembly alternate representatives  will be able to stuff their wallets  with their  first share  of $4.3 million approved by the National Assembly Budget Committee

The  quaintly  named  “alernates’’ are paid to stand by like whipping boys of yore  when the true  lawmakers, are overcome  by their  onerous duties, or otherwise engaged when it comes to forming  a quorum to enable a debate  and do what they were  elected to do.  

Not surprisingly, many of the alternates have their eyes on the real job of being  a higher paid deputy, and in time having their own alternate.

In the meantime, they can aspire, as one  recently did, to having private hospital bills, paid from the presidency discretionary slush fund.

The  Budget Committee approved the transfer of $4.3 million and The National Decentralization Secretariat (SND) says  the payment will be made in the Yellow

House of the Presidency. The first payment will be about $1.2 million.retroactive from January. It represents a monthly salary of $600 and will benefit at least 485 alternates.