OPINION: A discretionary disaster

hoyporhoy La Prensa, May 29

IF THERE IS  something clear in the handling of discretionary items of the Presidency of the Republic  it is that they are handled with no serious criteria.

Not only the current ruler has shown little prudence in allocating our taxes to pay commitments to  friends and officials, who certainly do not need State help to pay for their personal expenses. They have all been  implicated and it must end – For the sake of decency, sanity and transparency – this practice of doing what they feel like  with the money of others must end.

We have seen it with Perez Balladares, and with Mireya Moscoso.  Ricardo Martinelli took the level  to over $50 million and Martín Torrijos did not escape the scandal of its use.

These funds  were not created to support beauty contests or pay expenses, gifts and parties for  the family and friends of the ruler in office.

Its use is to face emergencies, like some   unforeseen disaster. But what is a disaster is  its foolish and insensitive use.