Democratizing theft from the State

Before, theft from the State was not everyone’s power. But today, it has been “democratized”, and the National Treasury is now the loot of the “chosen ones”. The former Panamanian presidents, for example, must have saved a lot of money, because I don’t know anyone who works, except managing their fortune –or their savings–, as the late protagonist of the “durodollars” novel would say.

A few enjoyed the privilege of keeping state money. It was limited to the highest authorities of the Executive and their relatives. But the border was moved.

Former President Varela, believing that it was a good idea to distribute among local authorities the money from the Single Tax on Real Estate – through the Decentralization Law – for community investments, only managed to pave the way to hell or democratize theft.

The pandemic has been the excuse to take the money from decentralization and allocate it to “administrative expenses”, that is, to employ more clients during the pandemic. And this included taking their share of the loot since the most brazen decided that their corregimiento or district was not in Panama, but in Yucatan, so they had to create or raise the costs of mobilization to stratospheric levels.

Now we have representatives and mayors with incomes that double those of the President of the Republic. But let us compare his emoluments with those of his colleagues in other countries. I make the exception that these are figures from 2019, before the pandemic, and that these mayors are among the best paid in the world. The list is headed by San Francisco (United States), with $25,000 per month, and New York, with $21,570 per month. They are followed by Berlin ($15,400) and London ($14,700).

The mayor of Panama City, José Luis Fábrega, pockets $12,250 a month. That’s $2,450 less than the mayor of London and more than or equal to what the mayors of Rome ($10,890) and Paris ($12,265) earn, and slightly more than the governor of Tokyo ($13,640). But, according to Fábrega, his income still seems insufficient.

The same happens with the mayors of Colón, Alex Lee; from San Miguelito, Héctor Valdés, and from Arraiján, Rollyns Rodríguez, all with incomes of up to $10,850.

Two representatives of Colón: Luis Díaz (Buena Vista) and Edgar Góndola (Cristóbal), each put $13,750 a month and $13,250 in their respective pockets. That is more or similar to what the mayors of Rome and Paris earn. and London and the Governor of Tokyo. Hats off to the majestic ignorance, petulance, and egomania of our local rascals. – Rolando Rodriguez B. – La Prensa