OPINION: Adios election ribbon cutters

Panama ’s sitting local council representatives, deputies, and mayors had an unjustified advantage over all the other candidates s for elected positions since they could use the inauguration of works carried out by the State or local governments to promote themselves.

The Supreme Court has declared as unconstitutional the last sentence of article 243 of the Electoral Code, which allowed this travesty. For decades we have witnessed how elected officials structured works and projects so that during the last year and just before the elections they could cut the tapes and project themselves as what they never were: statesmen concerned about the welfare of citizens. Maybe, without the incentive to be promoted with quick or unnecessary works, politicians could commit themselves to improving public services and execute long-term initiatives. The billions of dollars called “my works” . came married to bribes and overpricing, Without tape cuttings, we can have more clean hands in the governments … LA PRENSA, May 3.