OPINION: Drowning in debt and corruption

The public debt of the State, excluding state-owned companies ENA, ETESA, and Tocumen, exceeded 30 billion dollars last November. This is not cause for celebration, or cause for holidays. On the contrary, it must be one of the fundamental concerns of the citizens of this country, to ensure that the State is administered with integrity, frugality and good sense. 

In just a decade, public debt tripled. Tax collections increased, Canal revenues increased, but the debt was inflated, as were the cases of great corruption with public funds. The result is an economy dependent on government megaprojects, and a population addicted to clientelism, either the sale of subsidized hams or, to gifted homes.

 We are at a level of debt, for which we need more indebtedness, to pay the state obligations. We can still rationalize public spending, and instead of filling government offices with political appointments, highly qualified personnel and entrepreneurs must be trained to build up a successful private sector-.LA PRENSA, Dec 24