Family compacts grow with cabinet oustings
The ousting of Rosario Turner as Minister of Health and her replacement by her deputy minister has led to the creation of new family compacts within the ruling administration which, like its predecessors had promised change and accountability.
The public sector seems to be the most important employer in the country and sticky-fingered politicians do not sit idly by. While unemployment grows amid the coronavirus pandemic and scores of thousands of private-sector workers with suspended contracts struggle to feed their families, lawmakers ensure that emoluments within the hallowed National Assembly continue to grow and over 200 mayors and other elected officials practice double-dipping – drawing tax-payer funded fat paychecks from two sources,
With the departure of three female ministers from the Cortizo Government Rosario Turner of Health, Markova Concepción, of Social Development and Inés Samudio del Mivi, there were families who were well-suited to the PRD who were well-positioned in public positions and salaries.
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It turns out that the new Minister of Health, Luis Fernando Sucre, who was the deputy minister of Turner, has a brother, Javier Sucre on deputy circuit 8-8 and their sister Imelda Sucre is the representative of the district of Juan Díaz.
Imelda Sucre was the substitute for Javier Sucre, but since he ran for two positions (deputy and representative), the law obliges him to occupy one and his sister was in charge of the Communal Board.
The Supreme Court of
The monthly salary of the three siblings in the PRD government must exceed $20,000
But the Sucres are not the only ones within the PRD, with access to the power circle. The family of former deputy Elías Castillo is not far behind reports Mi Diario.
It turns out that Omar Castillo , son of the also former director of the Panama Canal is the current deputy Deputy for Javier Sucre and his sister María Inés Castillo, recently appointed by President Cortizo as the new Minister of Social Development.
Minister Castillo’s salary must exceeds $7,000 a month and her brother as a substitute has a fixed salary in the National Assembly.
This shows that the country requires constitutional and legal reforms to prevent public management from becoming a family farm
Meanwhile former President Martín Torrijos (2004 -2009) joined other voices of the PRD praising the work done by the former Minister of Health.
” I am a Panamanian who admires her vocation for service, her inspiring leadership, her ability to be a guide and example, even in the midst of the storm,” Torrijos said on his Facebook account.
Torrijos said that he joins the citizens who thank the former minister for her sacrifice, her dedication and her love for the country.
Meanwhile Benicio Robinson who has tapped on the door of the political Alibaba’s cave with $600 baseball bats, is asking PRD members to keep their rumblings to themselves.
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