Figures from the General Comptroller of the Republic detail that between 2017 and 2018, spending on salaries for public employees increased $298 million, going from $3.627 million to $3.925 million.

The Comptroller's Office report states that the Gross Salary accumulated from the Public Sector payroll in December 2018 totaled $341 million, of which $317 million correspond to permanent employees and $24 million to temporary employees.

"Broken down by Sector, the amount of the December 2018 payroll ($340.5 million) consists of $211 million paid to Central Government officials and $129 million to Decentralized Sector officials.

Compared to December 2017, the institutions that recorded the greatest increases were: the Social Security Fund with $5.3 million, the University of Panama with $934 thousand, the National Bank of Panama with $466 thousand, the Autonomous University of Chiriqui with $382 thousand, the Savings Bank with $259 thousand, the Transit and Land Transportation Authority with $243 thousand, the Technological University of Panama with $154 thousand, Empresa Metro de Panamá, SA with $153,000, the Specialized University of the Americas with $151,000, the Panama Tourism Authority with $111,000, the National Public Services Authority with $101,000 and the Urban and Household Cleaning Authority with $83,000," explains the document.

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October 2018

The Panamanian government has spent $2.580 million in salaries for civil servants from January to August this year, 10% more than had been reported in the first eight months of 2017.

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