News
Wednesday 3rd August 2022
August 3, 2022
The plenary session of the National Assembly approved the afternoon of this Tuesday, August 2, in the third and final debate, Bill 329, which regulates situations of conflict of interest in the public function, which had been objected to by the Executive. It received 56 votes in favor, informed the secretary general of the Assembly, Quibian Panay, after reading the result of the electronic vote. Gabriel Silva, independent deputy and proponent of the project, said that the changes requested by the Executive were made, which were in form. “Today is an important day because one of the most important transparency laws is approved,” he said. The norm establishes an extremely strict regime of sanctions that includes fines for up to 6 months of wages to the regulated entity and, as punishment in the respective disciplinary processes for cases in which there is an undeclared conflict of interest, the dismissal of the public servant.
Despite the legal actions, the lack of proponents and the citizen rejection, the mayor of the district of Panama, José Luis Fábrega , included the construction of the new seafood market in his list of projects to be developed in the year 2023. In the session of this Tuesday, August 2, the mayor managed to get the Municipal Council of Panama to approve an agreement so that the projects that were to be developed in 2022, continue their execution in 2023, as part of the investment budget with funds from the decentralization. The new seafood market (supposedly to be built right next to the current one) has not only received no offers from interested companies; now it does not have land for its construction either. Last Thursday it was learned that the Third Administrative Litigation Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) agreed to the provisional suspension of a resolution of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), which authorized Fábrega to use three fincas of the coastal strip to build this new market.
The Minister of Education, Maruja Gorday de Villalobos, highlighted on the morning of this Tuesday, August 2, that more than 80% of the school population returns to the classrooms after the teachers ended their indefinite strike. However, Gorday de Villalobos recalled that in areas of difficult access, the return to classes will be progressive due to the displacement of educators. The second quarter will run until Friday, October 7, while the last quarter will run from Monday, October 10 to Friday, December 30 of this year. Before the indefinite strike, the Panamanian school year of 2022 was scheduled to end on December 16.
A bill that establishes more dissuasive controls on companies listed in the Public Registry of Panama was presented by Minister Héctor Alexander in the National Assembly. Paragraph 2 of article 318-A of the Tax Code indicates that, in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations, the Public Registry of Panama will suspend the corporate rights of the legal entity that remains without appointing a resident agent for a period greater than 90 calendar days after resignation or removal. What is new, now, is that if there is a reluctance to comply with the obligations of the legal entity during the three months after the expiration of the term to comply with them, the competent authority will order the Public Registry of Panama to dissolve the company. Once the company is dissolved, it must proceed with its liquidation in accordance with the provisions established for such purpose in the laws of Panama.
The latest report of the Expanded Program on Immunization (PAI) of the Ministry of Health (Minsa) reflects that Panama exceeded one million doses against influenza in three months. Vaccination against influenza began on April 25, after the Minsa received 1.5 million doses. According to the Health authorities, one million 6 thousand 585 doses have been administered to date. Of the total doses applied, 758 thousand 305 were placed by the Minsa, while 248 thousand 280 by the Social Security Fund (CSS).
To date, the Panamanian Health authorities have only registered one case of monkeypox and this person has already overcome the disease. On July 4, the Gorgas Commemorative Institute for Health Studies confirmed the first case of monkeypox in Panama. That day it was reported that the case corresponded to a 30-year-old man, Panamanian, who had contacts with visitors from Europe. Israel Cedeño, director of the Metropolitan Health Region, confirmed that this person overcame the disease two weeks after it was reported as the first case of monkeypox in the country.
Panama made history and qualified for the FIBA U17 Women’s Centrobasket for the first time , which will be played next year, and secured the gold medal at the Central American U-16 Tournament after winning the tournament undefeated. At the close of the FIBA U17 Women’s Centrobasket qualifiers , the Panamanian National Team sealed the title undefeated by beating the local Nicaraguan players by a score of 66-50, in a match that was held at the Alexis Argüello Sports Complex in the city of Managua.