Corruption and Transparency talks fizzle out with no agreement
The eleventh round of talks on “corruption and transparency” between social organizations and the Executive present at the single dialogue table in Penonomé ended late Friday night with no agreement
Since Saturday, August 13, when the social organizations raised 32 points to be discussed in matters of corruption and transparency, the single table seeks to move on to a second phase. However, due to recesses and the interposition of other issues, the debate has been delayed.
Lack of justice
In terms of corruption, there has been talk, of international indices where Panama scores below the regional average. Leaders of social groups denounced a lack of justice in cases of high-profile corruption, nepotism, high salaries, millionaire consulting expenses, the payment of allowances to officials who are on different boards of directors at the state level, vehicle rental, and tax evasion.
However, during the course of the discussion, the Executive, in most cases, said that the rule did not allow them to address some of the issues or that the requests by the organizations were “unfeasible.”
“What is being considered here is to maintain the status quo of the corruption that affects the Panamanian people,” Saúl Méndez, leader of the Construction and Allied Workers Union (Suntracs) said at one point. He recalled at least three corruption scandals: one from the 1980s with a housing project at the CSS, when it was managed by Abraham Saied, and the recent cases of Blue Apple and Odebrecht. All have in common that there are officials and businessmen involved without justice being done.
Doris Zapata, Minister of Labor and Labor Development and technical coordinator of the dialogue on behalf of the Executive said that she agrees that corruption should be a state issue, but that there are limitations to making decisions at the table.
The discussion continued with the possibility of forming a “contact” subcommittee, in a last-ditch effort to reach an agreement.
