Tax man scoops $9 million from defaulters in one month

PANAMA’S Tax collector, the Directorate General of Revenue (DGI), has opened  its own collection center to recover over $2 billion  in unpaid taxes and since February 1 the pilot project  has scooped up $9 million, compared to $4  million recovered in 2015.

Under the previous administration a private collection  company, Cobransa del Istmo, in the hands of Cristobal Salerno and his daughter skimmed off millions in commissions with bags of cash personally delivered to the then president, Ricardo Martinelli, according to Salerno. The former DGI director is awaiting trial for his alleged involvement in the scam.

According to the current  CEO of Revenue, Publio Cortés, the new Center for Collection Management, seeks to increase the collection of the debt of defaulting  taxpayers and debug files through a centralized system via telephone.

Operators are making some 4,500 calls a day.