Panama ranks as a leader in transparency

Thirty-five public institutions were awarded yesterday for their compliance with the regulations established in the Transparency Act of 2002. Panama ranks as the leading country in international cooperation in the fight against corruption, declared Amado Philip de Andrés, regional representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for Central America and the Caribbean. Philip de Andrés highlighted the performance of Panama to shield itself against corruption at a national and international level.

The regional representative of the UNODC made this announcement at the presentation of the annual report on transparency in public administration by the National Council of Transparency against Corruption. The report concluded that 35 government agencies comply with the standards set out in Law 6 of January 22, 2002, which regulates transparency in public administration.

Abigail Benzadón, executive secretary of the council, emphasized the achievements that Panama has made on issues of transparency and a renovated public administration through technology. However, Robert Bruneau, a member of the Citizens' Alliance for Justice, pointed out that, regardless of the report submitted by the National Council of Transparency, citizens do not perceive any such progress in government officials' transparent management of public issues.

The only message the public really receives is the perception of corruption in the management of the government resources and its major projects, and likewise in how the Attorney General's office and the judicial branch handle situations, Bruneau clarified. The institutions recognized yesterday were awarded the 2012 Prisma Transparency Award.

Benzadón explained that the institutions evaluated satisfy the requisites of transparency, citizen participation, technology and accountability of state officials, on an international level.