Pay raise for underperforming judges opposed

DESPITE  criticism from civil society about the effectiveness of the administration of justice, the  President of Panama’s Supreme Court  José Ayú Prado, wants his fellow judges to get a pay raise at the same time as  senior prosecutors of the Public Ministry (MP) who have been striving to cope with an overload of corruption cases, while many linger  on the desks of judges.

Ayú Prado’s request, which has been rejected by representatives of organized civil society, was sent to the Minister of Economy and Finance, Dulcidio De La Guardia.

Annette Planells, of the Independent Movement (Movin), considered that each official should be paid according to their responsibilities and then an evaluation of their work.

Planells detailed that it is impossible to apply these increases without implementing the judicial career, with which the magistrates of the Court are in open violation.

Freddy Pittí, from the Together We Decide Movement, estimated that from his perspective the magistrates of higher courts do not deserve any salary increase and, before that, the first thing to consider is whether they are really performing well.

He said that the Supreme Court is an institution with a bad image and credibility.

Carlos Lee, of the Citizens Alliance Pro Justicia, said that the request of Ayú Prado should be seen

from the perspective of whether the increase is feasible within the budget for 2018. If the measure is approved off-budget it would be nothing more than a political action, when a new election of the board of directors of the Court is scheduled to take place by the end of the year.

Ayú Prado. Who is renowned for his tax-payer funded overseas jaunts,  sent a note to, De La Guardia, in which he asks for the equalization. He notes October 13 that: “We have been well aware that the senior and world-level prosecutors, will be granted a well-deserved salary increase for 2018. ” Ayú Prado then states “I request you to simultaneously grant the same emoluments to higher court magistrates, judges, district and Circuit.”