Monday
Monday 30th September 2024.
September 29, 2024
Fake Facebook and WhatsApp accounts are believed to be impersonating the Minister of Economy and Finance, Felipe Chapman, in order to deceive and request money from a bank.
This was warned in a statement by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, issued by the Presidency of the Republic and published by the head of the MEF on social network X. The MEF office urged the population to take extreme precautions and to verify the authenticity of any account or number before sharing information or carrying out financial transactions.
The Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (Cciap) called on the Government to investigate the resources allocated to subsidies and support for the agricultural sector and to properly render accounts of these programs.
In the text of the Chamber of Opinion of this Sunday, September 29, the business association reiterated the need to carry out exhaustive investigations regarding the allocation of subsidies in the agricultural sector.
In a call to the authorities, the business association emphasized that it is vital to ensure that all agricultural support programs that include state resources are managed with total transparency, and that they are rigorously monitored to ensure that the funds intended to boost agricultural production reach the most needy actors in the sector.
“Only in this way will it be guaranteed that the funds intended to boost agricultural production are used efficiently and for the benefit of the most needy actors in the sector. This, together with accountability, must be the cornerstone of any public policy that involves state resources, and agriculture is no exception,” said the association chaired by Juan Alberto Arias.
The Chamber believes that those who have misused the resources intended to support the agricultural sector must pay the consequences.
They also pointed out that it is necessary to promote an agro-industrial policy that guarantees adequate protection for the country’s sensitive products, promotes exports as a development mechanism for the agricultural sector and, at the same time, allows Panama to turn to the international market to supply itself with the goods that are necessary.
They stress that the country has the potential to be a major exporter of high-value agricultural products.
They indicated that during their tours of producing areas such as Changuinola, they witnessed the banana export capacity, an activity that has managed to export 18 million boxes annually, being the main export product of Panamanian agriculture. However, this potential can only be developed if public funds destined for agriculture are managed efficiently and for the benefit of the sector.
The Chamber reaffirmed that, in addition to protecting sensitive products that are key to the country’s identity and food security, Panama must be able to access international products that complement the national supply, always guaranteeing the well-being of consumers and the competitiveness of the agricultural sector.
“Panama has the potential to be a country where agriculture plays a strategic role in the economy, especially when 16% of workers are employed in this sector. To achieve this, cooperation between the private sector, producers and the government is essential.”
The Panama Canal has held some 40 meetings with residents of the Río Indio basin since September 2023 to date, with the participation of around 2,000 people who live in those areas, as part of the process of communication and outreach with the communities.
The deputy administrator of the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), Ilya Espino de Marotta, met on Saturday with some of the residents of the basin to explain the interest in developing the water reservoir project for the interoceanic route, while also listening to the concerns of the community and the needs they have.
“The richness of these meetings is being able to listen to them,” said Espino de Marotta during an informative meeting in the community of Las Marías de Penonomé, where he added that the Canal seeks to promote community development projects in the area, so these communication mechanisms are essential, since these are initiatives in which people participate voluntarily.
In response to concerns expressed by residents of Las Marías, the Deputy Administrator of the interoceanic waterway also reiterated the commitment that, if a reservoir is built, it will be a human development project that will promote improvements in the quality of life of the people who live in these regions, whose rights will be respected.
The Channel has set up five community relations offices, home visits, a telephone hotline and media appearances with the aim of achieving a greater reach of information.
The ACP explained that it is currently working on the following initiatives related to land titling in the Indio River basin:
- Design of improvement of water supply and sanitation infrastructure • Study for the rehabilitation of some roads • Forest restoration program and community nurseries • Family farming • In terms of education, work capacities are being strengthened, among other actions aimed at influencing the improvement of existing conditions in the area.
Since mid-August, the ACP has been conducting a census in the communities that would be impacted by the construction of the reservoir on the Indio River, with the aim of updating their information in light of the compensation that would be required.
The National Police has ordered a series of rotations and transfers of officers that make up this security institution, including the assignment of new positions for two commissioners, 40 deputy commissioners, eight majors and two captains.
This is the biggest reorganization of the police’s operational structure since the arrival of the new director, Jaime Fernández.
Among the transfers, Commissioner Pedro Jiménez stands out. He was in charge of the Human Resources Department and was assigned to the National Operations Department. Commissioner Roberto Rodríguez, who served in the Chame police zone, was sent to the Penitentiary System Department, as was Deputy Commissioner Marisol Guerra, who operated in the Don Bosco area.
Deputy Commissioner Francisco Gutiérrez, previously in the Penitentiary System Directorate, was assigned as service executive.
There were also rotations of deputy commissioners who led police zones such as Chilibre, Pacora, Coclé, Don Bosco, San Miguelito and the Canal area.
In addition, officers and majors were transferred to police areas that require reinforcements to combat crime. In a recent interview, Police Director Jaime Fernández stressed the need to optimize operational services to confront common crime and the activities of some gangs that operate in specific areas of the country.
According to Fernández, efforts are being made to respond more quickly and efficiently to criminal acts, which requires redefining strategies and establishing actions that provide a better response to the community.
Currently, the Police maintain a total of 18,700 units on the streets, carrying out patrol and surveillance work throughout the country.
Every day in Panama, around 350 tons of food in good condition are lost, an alarming figure that contrasts with the fact that many people in the country suffer from hunger and malnutrition.
This waste reflects not only inefficiency in the supply chain, but also a lack of awareness about the importance of reallocating those resources.
According to the Panama Food Rescue Foundation , these products, which are still fit for human consumption, include vegetables such as tomatoes, onions and lettuce, among many others.
This non-profit foundation, created in 2016, is made up of more than 20 chefs, restaurant owners and food industry experts. Its goal is to combat hunger and promote food security.
Specialists explain that food loss refers to the reduction in the amount available for human consumption at various stages, ranging from production to transportation. A clear example can be seen in Merca Panama, the country’s main distribution center, where between 20 and 22 tons of food are thrown away every day. This waste not only poses a challenge to food security, but also underlines the need to implement effective measures to reduce this alarming loss.
In Panama, on August 7, independent representative Walkiria Chandler D’Orcy presented a draft law entitled “General Law on Adequate and Sustainable Food in the Republic of Panama.”
Chandler D’Orcy explained that this proposal arises in response to the growing need to guarantee the population access to adequate, nutritious and sustainable food, through a plan managed by local governments.
The draft law establishes mechanisms to collect, store, transport, prepare, distribute and provide complete nutrition to the most vulnerable segments of the Panamanian population, thus guaranteeing their dignity.
One of the foundations that collects surplus food from companies and businesses to deliver it to the most needy in the country is the Food Bank of Panama (BAP).
During 2023, according to information provided on its website, the BAP collected 1,649,825 kilos of food and products, which allowed it to serve 4,384,563 plates of food to 179,732 Panamanians.
The heavy rains that have occurred this Sunday in a large part of the national territory are due to the incursion of Tropical Wave number 34, which is causing increased cloudiness and precipitation with electrical discharges.
The information was released by the Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology of Panama. The agency also issued a warning for bad weather with areas in red due to the intensity of the event.
For its part, the National Civil Protection System (Sinaproc) reported that it is necessary to maintain preventive measures in cases of landslides caused by rain.
Heavy rains caused some flooding of roads and streets in Panama City such as Via Argentina, Condado del Rey, Albrook, Panama Viejo, Santa Elena Avenue and Viejo Veranillo among other areas such as some sectors of Río Abajo, as reported by users on social networks.
In Viejo Veranillo, Sinaproc personnel and other organizations evacuated several people, mainly elderly people, due to the damage caused by the introduction of water into their homes. At the entrance to Farfán, traffic congestion was reported due to flooding of the roads in that area.
The National Highway Company (ENA) reported the overflow on the Friendship Bridge, in both directions, due to the rain that occurred after noon on Sunday.
Sinaproc reported that three homes were reported affected by flooding due to rains in different sectors of Panama Viejo.
In response to the emergency, Sinaproc personnel from the response unit moved to Panama Viejo to provide assistance to the community, together with staff from the area’s communal council.