While Panama continues to get poor ratings from transparency International, it will be the site of the 5th UN Convention Against Corruption in 2013.

Meanwhile, La Prensa the country’s most prestigious newspaper highlighted on Monday, November 15, direct contracts and concessions showing clear conflicts of interest during the administration of Ricardo Martinelli.

One of his campaign slogans talked of those who entered government with empty pockets, and left with them full.
Reports of the Public Procurement Directorate detail that, to date, the government has granted over $500 million in direct contracts with several given to family, friends or acquaintances of the President, ministers and heads of institutions.

But, says La Prensa,there is at present, no law to punish th public servants who engage in conflicts of interest in the performance of their duties, even though the Inter-American Convention against Corruption (1998) and the United Nations Convention against Corruption (2005) obliges Panama to adopt a criminal law against officers who engage in actions that pose clear conflicts of interest.

Martinelli who promised change, has followed in the footsteps of successive governments who have not fulfilled the commitment.
“Few institutions have rules and codes of ethics for officers not to take advantage of their position” says the publication.