The little seriousness with which high-ranking officials carry out state business is what makes some contractors feel comfortable in order to relax the delivery times of the works and even their quality.

The Panamanian State has been extraordinarily lenient with Odebrecht, which - among other things - has the contract to build the new Tocumen airport terminal. There are seven addenda, hundreds of millions in addition to the original construction cost and years of delay in a work awarded in 2012. In the face of so much relaxation, only

$400 00 in fines. The contracts signed with companies like Odebrecht are leonine, made to favor those who, in addition, usually pay millions of dollars in bribes. This is how the construction company always has the upper hand. But when the State has the opportunity to demand compliance with the contract, the government in power then does everything possible to please it, to lessen its burden, when what is imposed is to make it comply with what it has signed. If our officials want the respect of these companies, they would do well to earn it, without so much pampering or complacency. With Odebrecht, they should have been wearing their pants by now. - LA PRENSA, Sep. 26