Comptroller continues freeze on Assembly staff payroll

The Battle between pocket- lining lawmakers and Panama’s  Comptroller, Federico Humbert continues as the current session nears its end with the announcement  that 080 and 172 payrolls for deputies remain suspended “for failure to comply with the controls required by this auditing entity.”

“Any appointment made by the National Assembly must be ascribed to the multiple reiteration notes of the Comptroller which refer to the fulfillment of requirements for the hiring of personnel,” the Comptroller said in a statement.

The Comptroller’s Office says  it has demanded the following information on all l  appointments by the National Assembly:

Identify the work location in which they will provide their services; Specify for which Deputy they work; Specify functions  that will be performed; Bear in mind that the work carried out by these public servants must be in accordance with the functions of the National Assembly; Because of their status as public servants, these personnel must not receive a salary lower than $600 a month; the daily signature of the public servant and acceptance of the Deputies must be recorded as responsible for the service being rendered; Staff cannot receive two or more salaries paid by the State, except in special cases determined by law; verify that the people included in this Form (080), are not beneficiaries of special subsidies from the State; submit proof of payment of salary to each public servant;”

“Unfortunately, the law does not allow us to prohibit the Assembly from appointing personnel; However, the law does allow us to put controls on their appointments to ensure the consideration of the service and we will remain firm and energetic with these demands, “said Humbert, in the statement.

“We have been firm in demanding from the National Assembly that it comply with all the controls presented

by the Comptroller’s Office. Nobody can be included in the State’s list if it cannot be proven that a service is

provided and the Assembly is not exempt from this requirement, “Humbert said adding that  at the time of an audit, any official of the Assembly who is not fulfilling his job, will be reported to the Public Ministry or presented to the Supreme Court of Justice, as the case may be. The Assembly is working with almost 5,000 fewer people and this has not affected its normal functioning: “What has been achieved in controls and savings has no way back,” said Humbert, adding that at the end of this year, the savings that will be achieved in the payroll amounts to about $70 million over last year