Panama – a rich country that fails to eliminate poverty

The latest accountability reports from the Vice President of the Republic (who is also Minister of the Presidency) and the Comptroller General have left a bad taste. In the first place, why does the Presidency make purchases that correspond to other specialized institutions of the State? It is clear that he meddles in matters that are not within his competence, but we all suspect why he does so. In the case of the comptroller, his role of control has been sold to please the government thugs. He has emasculated the institution, turning it into a pathetic and shameful caricature. He criticized what he saw as his predecessor’s self-centeredness and lack of planning, but his own report was an undeserved tribute to himself Expanding the horizon beyond these “reports”, the government’s leadership is erratic. The investments do not respond to a plan or objective, rather they seem to be the particular and isolated needs of the friends of power, while the collection of millions of dollars in taxes is waived or projects are built that do not solve the problems of the great majority, which explains why being a rich country we do not get out of poverty. We are suffering from institutional anarchy.  – LA PRENSA, Jan. 6.