Panama’s spendthrift mayor

With his usual eccentricities, the mayor of the capital, who has carried out a less than mediocre job at the head of this commune, has now revealed to us that works that should have been completed years ago will cost us more than necessary now. And today, to show some result of his management, in order to capitalize it in votes, he will finish those that were started in the previous period, but with a much higher value, as much as more than 50% of the original value. Through addendums to current contracts, we residents of the capital will end up paying about $10 million more than the price agreed upon years ago, such as, for example, for Parque del Norte, Mi Pueblito Interiorano or Sabores de El Chorrillo. The final cost is so high that it will surely be necessary to review whether the Public Procurement Law allows it, since only an increase of up to 40% above the original price is allowed. This mayor, having been a complete disappointment, lacks the merits to be re-elected. The electorate should demand that the authorities hold them accountable for their unjustified negligence and take responsibility for these cost overruns.- LA PRENSA, Oct. 2.