Assembly splurge on five Prados cut to three

Federal Comptroller Federico Humbert acknowledged Tuesday that he recommended that the National Assembly buy the vehicles for the board of directors, after considering that the rents paid by the Legislative Body are “onerous.”

THE SPAT over the near $307,000 splurge for five Toyota Prado SUV’s for board members of the National Assembly who are already allowed to import two cars apiece duty free, each year, has ended after an outcry by civil groups that enough was enough.

Federal Comptroller Federico Humbert, said Tuesday, Oct 24 that he “asked the chair of the Assembly, Yanibel Abrego,  to reduce the order to three.

The comptroller and the deputy held a meeting on Monday to discuss the issue.

Abrego said that they will accept the recommendation of the comptroller and  make the respective procedures for the presentation of the changes in the portal PanamaCompra.

Originally, the National Assembly wanted five Toyota Land Cruiser Prado vehicles for the five members of the board.

The transaction amounted to a total of $ 306,832, an amount questioned by various civil spokespersons who considered the spending ‘too high’, given the resource needs that exist in other state institutions  like education and health

According to the original proposal, the Presidency and the two Vice-Presidencies of the Legislature, as well as the General Secretariat and the Undersecretariat would receive a new vehicle. Finally, it was decided to leave out the Secretariat and the Undersecretariat.