Nito starts 2020 with lofty aspirations. He needs to hold his Ministers “accountable”.
- By : Panama Now
- Category : Politics
In his first report to the nation since the National Assembly as president of the Republic, Laurentino Nito Cortizo recounted what he found when he took control of the country. “In the last 10 years, Panama’s debt, that of all Panamanians tripled, from 11 billion to more than 30 billion. This amounts to a debt of 23 thousand balboas, ”he said.
He immediately said that in the last five years Panama’s economy reflects “a clear slowdown” and unemployment increased. He stressed that his government received “unregistered debts” to suppliers, contractors, teachers, producers, banks and the Social Security Fund, for $ 1,738 million.
“In addition, in 2018, the previous government overestimated revenues of $ 1.1 billion. That is, they calculated quite badly, ”he said.
He said that 159 “critical” public infrastructure projects were pending. Many, supported by lack of payments, others low execution, some were abandoned and others “arrested for multiple legal disputes.” He mentioned the Amador Guerrero hospitals in Colón, Metetí, in Darién, and Bugaba, Chiriquí, in addition to the Hospital del Niño and the City of Health, in the capital city.
The list included the market of La Chorrera, the Mariano Bula de Colón and Juan Demóstenes Arosemena sports stadiums, and the sports cities of David and Colón, among others. He did not mention the construction of the fourth bridge over the Canal, currently paralyzed by order of the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) , which asked the contractor to make adjustments to the originally tendered project.
He spoke of the “serious deterioration” of the institutionality, as they found an Executive who disrespected the balance of powers. “A democracy distorted by anti-democratic mechanisms distorted by anti-democratic mechanisms, corruption at levels never seen before, and disorganization, improvisation and whims was the behavior of the last governments.”
The safe neighborhoods program questioned that resocialization in prisons has failed, and that citizens demand an independent justice system with attorneys, magistrates and judges who do their job well. He said he found “a disaster”: “public finances made up, gray lists”, also dwells in the appointment of magistrates, corruption, citizen insecurity.
Despite the dark picture he described, he said he feels “optimistic” and listed some of the actions they have implemented in the first six months of government: the issuance of 2 billion dollars in bonds, the cancellation of debts for more than 1,700 million dollars, the execution of 36 infrastructure projects and the endorsement, by the Assembly, of the Public Private Partnership law.
“Nadie dijo que iba a ser fácil”, dijo Cortizo durante su discurso en la Asamblea Nacional. Más detalles en http://prensa.com 11:02 – 2 ene. 2020Información y privacidad de Twitter AdsVer los otros Tweets de La Prensa Panamá
He spoke of the bill presented to the Legislative to reform the law on public contracts, the contribution of $ 20 million to the Tourism Promotion Fund , the creation of the tourist cabinet, and ProPanama , among others. He also spent several minutes highlighting the Hive plan to fight poverty.
On the shipping of the IMA, announced that they will return in December 2020, with the purchase of 500 hams. In the fairs of last Christmas, 288 thousand hams were sold, all of national production.
CSS dialog
He promised that the Social Security Fund (CSS) will not be privatized, and that when you have all the financial reports on the Disability, Old Age and Death (IVM) program , a “great national dialogue” will be convened.
Para el programa de Invalidez, vejez y muerte se convocará a un gran diálogo nacional, dijo el presidente Cortizo en la Asamblea Nacional. Detalles en http://prensa.com 211:24 – 2 ene. 2020Información y privacidad de Twitter AdsVer los otros Tweets de La Prensa Panamá
The issue of citizen security also occupied an important space in the first accountability speech given by Cortizo in the Legislative. He said that the security issue requires a state policy that goes more than one government. He questioned past governments again. He reported that in 2019 there were 39 more homicides than in 2018. He included the 14 product of the massacre in the La Joyita prison .
In his first six months as president, Cortizo and his Cabinet have appointed an attorney general of the Nation ( Eduardo Ulloa ), two alternate attorneys ( Javier Caraballo and Mónica Castillo ), three chief magistrates ( María Eugenia López Arias, Maribel Cornejo and Carlos Vásquez ) and six substitute magistrates.
“No one sought unconditional, friends or protection from any future magistrate,” he said.
These appointments, according to Cortizo, were made “facing the country”, fulfilling the commitment to take into account the State Pact for Justice.
“But, additionally, for the first time in our history, these magistrates were evaluated, appointed through a transparent, professional process, without influences of any kind. An unprecedented process , ”he said.
Presidente Cortizo: “En marzo de este año, estará iniciando clases la primera academia internado, encontrando el camino correcto para jóvenes en riesgo de 12 a 18 años”. Discurso del presidento en la Asamblea Nacional. Detalles en http://prensa.com 411:29 – 2 ene. 2020Información y privacidad de Twitter AdsVer los otros Tweets de La Prensa Panamá
He announced that since March the program will begin the program ” Finding the Right Way “, which will be located in Veracruz, and will serve young people at social risk, from 12 to 18 years of age.
On constitutional reforms, he recalled that he asked the Assembly to withdraw the reform package to submit it to a “broad dialogue”, whose facilitator will be the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
Regarding education, he announced the opening of the “ Panama Academy for the Future ”, in the City of Knowledge, which will be a boarding school for 100 “outstanding” students from official schools, from tenth to twelfth grade. These students will be given training in English, “in order to prepare them for admission to the best universities in Panama and the world.”
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