Panama Investor Blog

Panamanian Judge sentenced to Prison after being suspended and placed in house arrest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the first time in Panama, a three-member judicial panel sentenced a suspended Panamanian Supreme Court Justice Alejandro Moncada Luna to five years in prison for unjustified enrichment in an unusual case of corruption that captured this Central American nation's attention.

Not knowing under what terms it actually happened, the tribunal approved on Thursday an agreement in which former high court justice Alejandro Moncada Luna pleaded guilty to the charges. He was transferred to jail. Moncada Luna had been under house arrest during the judicial process.

In 2009, Moncada Luna was named to a 10-year-term as one of nine Supreme Court justices under the administration of then-President Ricardo Martinelli.The three-member panel suspended Moncada Luna as a justice in October and placed him under house arrest. It was the first case of a criminal conviction against a member of Panama's highest court, making it a historical event. 

Paperless Panama?

My dear freind Nancy Hanna shared this bit of news with me today. The government of Panama is working with Microsoft to make Panama one of the first countries to digitalize all government transactions. Of all the benefits this should bring I will be pleased if it will increase efficiency and reduce corruption as claimed in this piece. You can read more interesting information at Panamainfo.

Paperless Panama

The government of Panama is working with Microsoft to make Panama one of the first countries to digitalize all government transactions.

This project was presented at Panama’s recent Competivity Forum Oct. 19th at the Playa Bonita Intercontinental Hotel.

The National Innovaction Authority aims to accomplish this by 2012. 50 million dollars have been designated for this project.

Even though Panama is a so-called underdeveloped country, this digitalization will increase efficiency and reduce corruption, enabling Panama to jump ahead in development.

Panama’s education system is also working with Microsoft to create online training for teachers, provide teachers and students with laptops and improve education in general- a critical intiative since Panama’s public education system is one of the weakest in Latin America.

The digitization of transactions will save the country an estimated 25 million a year.

Also, in 2011, the  private sector will soon be able to make tax payments online-  saving money by elimination  countless hours of private sector time. Until now tax payments had to be made with certified checks.

The Martinelli government deserves congratulations for using innovation to develop Panama more quickly, more cost effectively and more effectively.

 

Panama receives very poor score when it comes to corruption

Panama has once again received a very low score when it comes to corruption according to Transparency International which makes this survey available each year. Although I have seen a positive change with this administration in regard to corruption, there is still a lot of it and it will take years to weed out. Most of the corruption is in the Judiciary from my experience and if you cannot get  fair treatment with the justice system then you have a very weak platform in which to build a solid country. Panama must strengthen its rule of law and get rid of the corrupt judges, attorneys and their minions who are always there "to help" you get through the system. If Costa Rica can manage to get into the top 25% on this index, then why can't Panama. Maybe the President will attack this very sticky problem next year.

From La Prensa:

José González Pinilla
[email protected]1459691

Panama remains one of the countries with the worst corruption perception index, according to the report released yesterday by Transparency International (TI).

The country received a score of 3.6 on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is considered highly corrupt and 10 countries representing the "clean" of corruption.

While Panama rose two points, compared to the 2009 report, which achieved 3.4-no cause for pride, said Carlos Gasnell, executive vice president of the Foundation for the Development of Civic Freedom, the Panamanian chapter of TI. "We would feel relief if we could score 5" he said.

Of the 178 countries assessed, 75% are below 5, while 25%-including Costa Rica, is above the score.

The country seems to progress in the fight against corruption. At the end of the administration of Mireya Moscoso (2004), Panama received a score of 3.7, while with Martin Torrijos as president in 2005, the rating was 3.5.

The result was dismissed by Secretary of Transparency against Corruption, Fernando Nunez Fabrega, arguing that the report does not reflect the reality of the country.