50 fired as latest corruption scandal emerges

SOME 50 people have been dismissed at Panama’s Ministry of Social Development (Mides), after the discovery of scams in the use of allowances and management of funds for the fortified rice program.

Int October, authorities began investigating the purchase of nutrients such as vitamins, folic acid and iron that would be added to the rice distributed in jumbo shops and fairs.
ln July, the First Anti-Corruption Prosecutor started the investigation of the use of per diem allowances by officials who allegedly were forced to sign over the checks for the benefit of others
Mides Directot Alcibiades Vasquez said that both the prosecution and the Court of Auditors actively worked on investigating complaints, allowing the removal of those presumed to be involved and calling for legal actions by the appropriate authorities.
 Vasquez said he has also initiated a process to determine how the money for the purchase of fuel for vehicle use of the institution was used.
He said that there had been no consistency in the management of these resources, as the figures varied from month to month.