Hidden  Trophies in Panama Lottery

The National Charity Lottery was established in 1919 to meet the pressing needs of the young country. The distribution of books of tickets was made with a social sense, so that humble people earned their livelihood. Over time, politics and clientelism appropriated this institution and turned the books into trophies, bargaining chips or political bribes. La Prensa asked the Director of the Lottery to know the identity of the holders of the books of the institution, and we were told that this was confidential, because it could represent a danger to the owners of the books. This declaration of confidentiality was established by the current government just weeks after entering into office. Why do you have to hide these names? Buyers of Lottery products complain about hoarding, conditional sale and even overpricing on chances and tickets. A dose of transparency in the management of the Lottery would be a great prize for the integrity of Panamanian politics. We need to know the identity of the holders of the books to be able to demand accountability on the allocation of these goods that belong to all Panamanians.- LA PRENSA, Dec, 12