Government selling assets to buy deputies Vice-President

The sale of  Panama’s holdings in joint ventures is irresponsible  and the money is to  “buy deputies” in the National Assembly, says Vice President Juan Carlos Varela.

"The present government has shown no transparency or austerity in the use of public funds, and now wants to sell its share holdings in joint ventures said Varela.

Speaking on RPC Radio,   he criticized the government's intentions to sell shares of the telecommunications giant Cable & Wireless, in which the state has a 49%  holding and the sale of land in the Colon Free Zone. In this respect said Varela, the Martinelli administration wants to justify the sale to supply water to the population, paying attention at the last moment to a matter that should have been a priority. "The sale of assets to  pay expenses is not positive."

Varela referred to the change of party by some Panameñista deputies who moved to the Government CD (Democratic Change): "President [Martinelli] gets the party  escapees … who change for the money they received from the president," but the party would maintain its bases and Panameñista leaders committed to democracy in the country he said.