OPINION: Crime pays in Panama construction  industry

From the disclosure that the Ministry of Public Works makes on the contratistavisible.com portal, important data on Panamanian public procurement are inferred. Thus we see that nine companies have received a  third of all MOP projects in recent years. Among the leading construction companies, the names of FCC, Odebrecht, MECO, Bagatrac, and Rodsa stand out, all of whom have recognized their participation in corruption schemes.

As if this were not enough, the MOP is in the process of renegotiating the fourth bridge over the Panama Canal, with a Chinese consortium that was also excluded from contracting by multilateral banks, due to its questionable practices. All this happens because the Panamanian public procurement regime allows it. It is enough for a company to recognize that it paid the bribe, accept the fine and submit some information, so they  can continue hiring. This is actually a reward for the most corrupt. The situation of the MOP is repeated in other institutions of the State such as the Panama Metro, the Social Security Fund, Tocumen SA, Etesa and a long rosary of entities that should set an example to society, that crime does not pay.-LA PRENSA,Dec. 29