Friday
Friday 25th October 2024.
October 24, 2024
In an unexpected turn within the administrative structure of the Municipality of Panama, Vice Mayor Roberto Ruiz Díaz has decided to put the position of General Secretary at the disposal of the mayor, Mayer Mizrachi.
This measure, which comes in a context of apparent crisis, has generated speculation about internal tensions within the municipal administration.
According to sources linked to the Municipality of Panama who requested anonymity, Ruiz Díaz and Mizrachi had differences regarding contracts and other administrative issues.
In fact, Ruiz Díaz himself confirmed to La Prensa that he resigned more than three weeks ago.
It was learned that Mizrachi has not given a response to Ruiz Díaz’s resignation.
Ruiz Díaz’s plan would be to remain in the vice-mayoralty, taking into account that it is a position to which he was elected together with Mizrachi in the elections of last May 5.
On June 5, days before taking office in El Hatillo, Mayor Mizrachi announced that lawyer Ruiz Díaz, his deputy mayor, would also occupy the position of general secretary of the Municipality of Panama. He made it public in his own style: through social networks.
According to the internal regulations of the capital municipality, the Municipality of Panama will have a general secretariat, responsible for leading the actions necessary for the planning, coordination, supervision and control of the programs and projects of the municipal departments. The hierarchical levels within the administrative structure of the capital municipality are, in order: mayor, vice mayor, general secretary, directors, deputy directors, heads of departments and sections.
The general secretary has a salary of $4,000 and $2,000 in representation expenses, for a total of $6,000 per month.
La Prensa called Mayor Mizrachi at least three times to discuss the issue, but he did not respond.
However, in a recent interview with journalist Alvarado Alvarado , he said that it was all “morbidity.” “There are those who live off of this. Those who lost have an agenda to discredit or create morbidity in what is quiet. There is nothing more false than saying that there are differences between the vice mayor and me. For me, he is, above all, my friend,” he said.
At the time of writing this news, the last message from the capital’s mayor on his X account was to welcome the company Pedidos Ya to the 2024 Christmas parade.
The Minister of Economy and Finance, Felipe Chapman, stated this Thursday, October 24, that a new adjustment will be made to the budget project for the fiscal year 2025 , after the Budget Commission of the Assembly recommended that he modify the budget allocations for some sectors.
Chapman announced that this Friday he will present the adjustments to the project to the Cabinet Council, which will represent around $1,000 million more than the budget currently being evaluated in the Assembly.
The minister said that there are several sources of income to cover this $1 billion increase. Among them is an upward estimate of the country’s economic growth. In addition, a significant decrease in financial expenses and strengthening the General Directorate of Revenue.
“We had a plan and now we are going to speed it up, including technology, more auditors, inspectors, and we are sure that we will have the support of the citizens to demand their tax bill. Every time they ask you if you want the tax bill, they are offending you,” Chapman said at a press conference.
Chapman clarified that these are changes, which will be presented to the Budget Committee on Friday afternoon, and that a new budget project will not be prepared for the 2025 fiscal year.
The head of the MEF reported that the current laws for the allocation of economic resources in the education sector will be complied with , which must be equivalent to 7% of the GDP.
A change will also be made to the allocation of the budget to local governments and the Social Security Fund.
“Local governments will be allocated the resources required by law,” Chapman said, adding that this was always the message he sent to mayors and representatives.
The President of the Republic of Panama, José Raúl Mulino , defended the importance of decentralization funds and warned against the demonization of these resources.
During his press conference on Thursday, October 24, the president stressed that decentralization cannot be judged by the abuses committed under the so-called “parallel decentralization,” which he described as a mechanism of “undisguised robbery” of state funds.
“The community councils will be guaranteed their 40 million dollars in the national budget,” he added.
Mulino was also categorical in stating that he will not give in to pressure or blackmail in relation to the national budget. According to him, the presence of demonstrations, which he referred to as “mobs”, will not make him change his position.
The president’s statements came after councillors and mayors demonstrated this week in the National Assembly demanding the budget that is due to them by law.
The Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) had proposed allocating $140.4 million to the National Decentralization Authority , a figure that represents a reduction of $57.1 million compared to the 2024 budget. The largest cut, of $43 million, will affect the Public Works and Services Investment Program (PIOPS), which finances essential community projects.
This budget adjustment would have a strong impact on the 81 municipalities, which will not receive the 110,000 dollars per year that corresponds to them for local projects, according to the regulations, generating a deficit of 8.9 million. In addition, of the 701 communal councils, only 88 will receive the full amount of 110,000 dollars, while the rest will see their funds reduced to 55,000 dollars, which represents a total loss of 34 million dollars.
According to Mulino, this budget will be key to determining Panama’s credibility with international credit organizations and to improving its investment grade rating.
He also stressed the importance of properly managing the country’s financial commitments, especially in light of the huge external debt that weighs on public finances. He also said that it is “unsustainable” to continue with a budget that he describes as a “carnival of waste,” given Panama’s high level of indebtedness.
Regarding the National Decentralization Authority, the president reported that the director, Roxana Méndez, has already filed the first 30 criminal complaints with the Public Prosecutor’s Office for the use of parallel decentralization funds, and highlighted the progress in the investigations related to the management of said funds.
Of the more than 700 reports that were due to be submitted, 68.7% have already been submitted. In addition, a forensic audit will be contracted to analyse the legitimacy of these reports and ensure that resources have been managed correctly.
On Thursday, October 24, President José Raúl Mulino criticized the financial management of the Social Security Fund (CSS), accusing the previous administration of inflating its budget.
In his statements, Mulino pointed out that an overvaluation of 500 million dollars was detected in the CSS budget , which was not submitted to the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) for approval, as is the usual procedure.
According to the president, the budget was approved only by the board of directors of the institution, which has raised suspicions about possible irregularities in management.
The President was emphatic in calling for an investigation into who was on the board of directors at the time of the approval of this budget, suggesting that by doing so, conclusions could be drawn about those responsible for this situation.
Mulino also called on the MEF authorities and the director of the CSS, Dino Mon, to explain in detail what happened and to clarify the misuse of these funds.
“They tried to score a goal against us,” said Mulino, referring to what he considers to be an attempt by the previous CSS administration to approve an inflated budget without proper oversight.
The budget requested by the CSS for next year is 6.047 billion dollars.
As of September of this year, the allocated budget has been 6,978.2 million dollars.
Panamanian footballer Adalberto Coco Carrasquilla has been named Concacaf Player of the Year for the 2023-2024 season. This was announced on Thursday, October 24, by the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Football (Concacaf).
Carrasquilla becomes the first Panamanian player to receive this prestigious award within the official Concacaf awards program. In its statement, the confederation highlights the achievements and contributions of the 25-year-old midfielder to the Panama National Team.
Among his merits, his key participation in the 2023 Gold Cup stands out , where he helped Panama reach the final. In addition, he was a central figure in the victory over Costa Rica in the quarterfinals of the 2023/24 Concacaf Nations League, which allowed Panama to advance to the finals of the tournament for the second consecutive time.
At club level, Carrasquilla also shined with Houston Dynamo FC in MLS, scoring six goals in various competitions between June 2023 and July 2024.
Meanwhile, Olympique Lyon midfielder and Haiti international Melchie Daëlle Dumornay was recognized as the 2023/24 Concacaf Player of the Year.
Concacaf President Victor Montagliani praised Carrasquilla’s career, saying: “He has taken Panama to the next level on the pitch and I congratulate him as a well-deserved Concacaf Player of the Year. On behalf of Concacaf, I congratulate Coco for a fantastic season.”
Both Carrasquilla and Dumornay were chosen through a voting system that included participation from coaches and players from Concacaf member associations, media and fans from the region.
Concacaf President Victor Montagliani praised Carrasquilla’s career, saying: “He has taken Panama to the next level on the pitch and I congratulate him as a well-deserved Concacaf Player of the Year. On behalf of Concacaf, I congratulate Coco for a fantastic season.”
“It is with great pride that we congratulate Panama player Adalberto Carrasquilla for being chosen as Concacaf’s best player of the year. Thank you for continuing to leave Panama at the top, Coco!” said the Panamanian Football Federation in a message posted on social media.