Panama's revolting politcal class
What happened in recent years with dozens of minors in shelters subsidized by the National Secretariat for Children, Adolescents and the Family (Senniaf) is unforgivable. The lack of supervision and the laziness of Senniaf officials made it possible for children and adolescents to be victims of sexual abuse and physical and psychological violence. Senniaf social workers reported these abuses and the institution’s response was to dismiss them and look the other way, while a vulnerable population was victimized. The enormous gravity of the events investigated by a legislative subcommittee does not seem to have impressed the Ministry of Social Development, which in a recent statement on the scandal only seems concerned about the subsidies it gives to shelters, when what is serious is the negligence and incompetence of the officials in charge of guarding these shelters. Where was the Senniaf board of directors, made up of the ministers of Social Development, Health, Education, Labor and Economy? This is one of the most serious government failures in the guardianship of minors, and shows the most inhumane indolence of not a few militants of our – increasingly – repulsive political class. lLA PRENSA,Feb. 1