CORRUPTION investigations arising from purchases made by the National Assistance Program (PAN have led to the drafting  of new  purchasing procedures   which will be presented to the Cabinet Council Jan. 19.

The document includes a series of changes to modifications made during the administration of Ricardo Martinelli that, according to the draft, "facilitated unwise use of public funds and violations of the principles of transparency and due process."

The changes are being proposed after the government awarded two major projects, the extension of the Metro and the urban renewal project in Colón.

The amendments were developed with contributions from Independent Deputy, Ana Matilde Gomez, a technical team comprised of officials from the comptroller and the ministries of Finance and the Presidency, and the Public Procurement Department, reports La Prensa.