Presidential laundry list analyzed

Sunday’s  carefully honed speech lauding the achievements of three years in office, by President Ricardo Martinelli, was analyzed by one of Panama’s leading political commentators..

On facebook Ebrahim Asvat  wrote: “The President was forced in the third year in office to present  a "laundry list" of his works. It seems that despite the millions of dollars spent on advertising they are unknown. This is the government  that has spent more money on advertising than the last four governments. However, such publicity has brought no recognition to the government and its  works.

The list of enumerations was long and includes works that are being developed from previous governments such as cleaning up the bay and subsidies to poor families, housing vouchers, the Jumbo fairs and building materials. 

There is nothing negative to continue with social programs of previous governments but it is fair to recognize that they were designed as part of a social policy. 

But after all the investments and subsidies and wage increases that are advertised, the question is whether the Panama today is better than ever. And while the numbers and economic statistics look good and we applaud that the country is out of  economic crisis the question is:  Why do we continue to offer subsidies to Panamanians?

If we were economically well, Panamanians would not need jumbo fairs. Panamanians could go to buy their food products in supermarkets. 

If Panama were economically well  there would be no  need for the State to subsidize gas tanks or electrical energy consumption. 

If Panama were economically well no need for 70,000 people  to dependon the fifty dollars a month that are distributed through networking opportunities.

If Panama were economically well. no need for the State to distribute school supplies and universal scholarship and / or computers. Parents would be proud that through their own resources they could provide a decent education for their children. and what is due to them.

If Panama were economically well there would be no need to grant family allowances for food shopping to 10,000 families in Panama. 

If Panama were economically well there would be no need for public transport subsidies and for the state to invest millions in downtime and economic concessions to the company that operates the Metrobus.

 All Panamanians know that free internet is a sham. There is no such ability to access the internet as it it says  in the presidential speech. Nobody today knows the whereabouts of  100,000 students who benefited from the widespread teaching of English because there are widespread shortages of  bilingual workers in the country

I still do not understand how presidential speeches from the first year repeat and repeat projects that to date have not been executed and delivered as if they were already accomplished facts. Neither the hospital nor the highways or the MoH Capsi, or the cold chain and the Metro are areality today. 

From the long list presented note the number of works that remain, some running, others are still under orders to proceed and others have not even begun to run. In terms of time, present and future merge becoming part of the same time. 

And there are also great inconsistencies. Three coastal strips are not connectwswith the Chorrillo progress. Cinta Costera 3 will eliminate part of Chorrillo for  a commercial and residential complex for high-income sector executives and foreigners residing in Panama. Anyone who observes the transformation of the Avenue of the Poets as the video that promotes the government shows, will realize the truth. From the media point of view the speech was well structured but between that and reality is a rather large stretch.