Business Chamber questions state of emergency still in place

Panama’s  Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, (Cciap)  said Sunday “we celebrate the elimination of the mandatory use of the mask in closed spaces, but we are left with the questioning of the total lifting of the State of Emergency.”

President Cortizo did not announce when the state of emergency that governs the country will be completely lifted, despite the call made in this regard by several business associations and the re-elected president of the National Assembly, Crispiano Adames.

The Cciap also stated that the report failed to mention the specific plans in the areas of education, health, social security, institutions, and the economy.

Likewise, the Cciap described as “worrying” that President Cortizo did not address the reactivation of the dialogue table by the Social Security Fund, where the decisions that are made are “crucial” for the sustainability and future development of the nation and its citizens.

Other major absentees from the speech –according to the Chamber – were the progress in the actions to get out of the discriminatory lists, the fight against corruption and the promotion of transparency in both the public and private spheres. And, in economic matters, the Cciap pointed out that “we must become obsessed with the generation of jobs.

“In 730 days, we have several crucial challenges ahead of us, so we must focus and be strategic both in the use of resources and in actions,” the Chamber emphasized.