Boondoggle over  dry law lifting announcement

Early morning wine and beer lovers seeking to refresh their palates or slake their thirst after two months of prohibition were frustrated on Friday. May 8  as the decree easing the Dry Law had not been published in the  Official Gazette according to o  The Deputy Minister of Internal Trade, Omar Montilla.

Montilla said that the publication of the decree would be made this Friday. The vice-minister made clarification because on Wednesday it had been announced that the dry law established in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic would be lifted on Friday.

He said d that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MICI) has been coordinating with the Ministries of Security and Health during the process.

Authorities are analyzing that a person can only buy a bottle of wine and six cans of beer, said the deputy minister on  Telemetro Reporta .

Montilla recalled that the taxes paid on liquor sales are important for the Panamanian State, especially at this time when it has to continue funding various subsidies. He recalled that part of the taxes go to the funds of the Social Security Fund.

On the decision made by some municipalities to keep the dry law dry, Montilla said that they would have a conversation with the mayors, to explain the scope of that decision. The Association of Municipalities of Panama has said that some municipalities will stop operating due to the lack of tax collection.

Montilla also anticipated that they will gradually open some commercial establishments, so that the municipalities can have some type of collection.