PANAMA’S GROWTH rate projection  for this year and next has been downgraded by the International Monetary Fund (IMF),  but it will remain one of Latin America’s fastest  growing   economies.

In April, the entity predicted that Panama would grow 6.1 percent in 2016 On Tuesday October 4 in its World Economic Outlook, it reduced its estimate to 5.2 percent, still the envy of most countries in the world.

For 2017, the growth projection is down from 6.4 percent to 5.8 percent.

The international body also downgraded estimates for inflation in the country for 2016 and 2017. The entity also lowered its projections for the entire region.