Panama legislators reaching for the cookie jar

WITH THE FIRST 100 days of Panama’s new administration already consigned to the history books, deputies in the National Assembly have decided it’s time to reach for the cookie jar o, less politely. to get their snouts deeper into the trough.

Those who have been elected to “serve the people” and found themselves with a comfortable seat while texting to who knows who, are already loaded with privileges, from a monthly gas allowance to the right to import two cars duty free, and the record shows that many of those vehicles end up in other hands. After all, what are friends for?
Now, the Assembly’s first vice president ,PRD deputy Benicio Robinson is doing an Oliver Twist asking for more for legislators
Robinson has asked the President of the Assembly, Adolfo Valderrama, to buy late model cars for members of the board of the legislature. “It is not fair that ministers and deputy ministers, have brand-new drivers and late model cars,” said Robinson, after claiming that lawmakers should have the same rights as judges and ministers. In another world I have traveled on the subway and seen a major city mayor heading to his office, and prosecutors and judges heading to the courts. As for those living on the margin in Panama “Let them eat cake” or wait for the Christmas hams and turkey bribes handed out with taxpayer money by the likes of CD deputy Sergio “sexual bull” Galvez.

He also asked the authorities of Tocumen SA for members to be granted use of the diplomatic salon at the international air terminal when they travel on official business, and suggested that they be given special parking rights at the airport.
Meanwhile, alternate deputies have asked for a salary increase. Where else do elected lawmakers have paid stand-ins?
The Assembly budget for 2015 is  $71.5 million.