In 2019, the perception of corruption in public institutions increased in all countries of the region except Costa Rica, where it remained the same as in 2018.
As has been the case in recent years, Nicaragua's public sector continues to be perceived as the most corrupt in the region (transparency level 22 on a scale of 0 to 100), followed by Guatemala (26), Honduras (26), Dominican Republic (28), El Salvador (34), Panama (36), and Costa Rica (56).
The Dominican Republic, Panama and Honduras are the nations in the region where the majority of the population believes that corruption in government institutions has increased in the last twelve months.
The report "Barómetro Global de la Corrupción: América Latina y El Caribe 2019 - Opiniones y Experiencias de los ciudadanos en materia de corrupción" (Global Corruption Barometer: Latin America and the Caribbean 2019 - Opinions and Experiences of Citizens on Corruption), compiled by Transparency International and published on September 23, 2019, evaluated the perception of corruption in the countries of the region and some aspects of insecurity.
The power of public employees' guilds in the country was evidenced by the agreement that authorities of the Social Security Fund agreed to sign in order that employees of the entity may continue to enjoy privileges to the detriment of others.
EDITORIAL
Arguing that "judicializing" the strike was the only and best way out that could be achieved in the short term, the highest authorities of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) complied with the pressures of trade guild members, who with the desire to maintain the differential treatment they have enjoyed for many years, suspended access to basic health services, even carrying out actions as despicable as closing a blood bank and paralyzing equipment for cancer treatment.
From July 1, the second increase in the minimum hourly wage for construction workers in Panama comes into effect, which occurs in a context of considerable decline in the sector's activity.
The increase is part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement CAPAC-Suntracs, whose negotiation ended a strike that in 2018 lasted more than 30 days. According to official figures at the end of the first four months of 2019, the cost of new construction, additions and repairs fell 28% compared to the same period in 2018.
During last year, the Panamanian state spent $3.925 million in salaries to public officials, 8% more than what was reported in 2017, a rise that is explained by the year on year increases reported in the first months of 2018.
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.
In 2018, the perception of corruption in public institutions increased in all countries in the region, except Panama, where it remained the same as in 2017, and El Salvador, where it slightly decreased.
As in previous years, Nicaragua's public sector continues to be considered the most corrupt in the region (level of transparency 25 on a scale of 0 to 100), followed by Guatemala (27), Honduras (29), El Salvador (35), Panama (37), and Costa Rica (56).
The determination of how much and how the minimum wage should be regulated, something that occasionally seems to be done in an arbitrary manner and for political purposes, continues to be one of the factors that most confront Central American businessmen and governments.
In Costa Rica, a 3% increase in the minimum wage was approved for 2019; in El Salvador, an increase is expected to be discussed, and in Guatemala, the commission in charge of the issue reported that no increases will be made this year.
The workers of the Panama Customs Precincts and the Colon Free Zone have suspended work since December 6th and could extend the strike for at least one more day.
The strike carried out by officials of the National Customs Authority (ANA) began on December 6th, claiming the payment of a Christmas bonus, salary adjustments and the permanence of temporary workers.
The representatives of the Supreme Court of Justice of Costa Rica are more concerned with defending their unacceptable privileges than with performing impartially and morally the work for which they were appointed.
EDITORIAL
Arguing that the Tax Reform approved in the first debate in the Congress imposes spending containment measures on the salaries of the Judiciary, the judges of the Supreme Court of Justice announced that they will oppose the reform if the points that affect the operation of the institutions of the Judiciary, in their opinion, are not abolished from it.
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.
According to figures from the Office of the General Comptroller between January and August 2017 and the same period this year, the expenditure on salaries for civil servants increased by $241 million, from $2,339 million to $2,580 million.
Exporters resent the effects of five continuous days of demonstrations, blockades and widespread insecurity on the roads of Costa Rica.
Before the strike, which was started a few days ago by unions representing the country's public institutions, the Chamber of Exporters of Costa Rica (Cadexco) denounced the fact that companies in the sector are facing multiple difficulties in exporting their products.Puerto Moín, the main outlet for exports, is onlyoperating six hours a day, leaving close to 12,000 tons per day unable to be shipped, which is estimated to be equivalent to almost $10 million in daily sales abroad.
Like lemmings running towards a cliff, Costa Rica repeats the kind of actions that underscore the definition of a society incapable of stopping on the road to a terminal crisis.
Between January and June, the Panamanian State disbursed $1.915 billion in salaries to public officials, 12% more than the $1.708 billion reported in the first semester of 2017.
The Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic reported that the cumulative gross salary of the Public Sector payroll in June 2018 amounted to $333.3 million, of which $312.2 million corresponds to permanent officials and $21.1 million to interim staff.
At the end of the first four months of the year, the Central Government's financial deficit reached 1.9% of GDP, explained by the almost 8% growth in accumulated expenses.
In a statement the Ministry of Finance reported that "... At the end of the first four months of the year, the Central Government's financial deficit reached ¢670,560.0 million, representing 1.9% of GDP, a percentage higher than that presented in the same period in 2017 (1.8%).In this period total accumulated revenues showed growth of 3.8% with respect to the same months in 2017, while accumulated expenses increased by 7.6%.
The Panamanian State spends $321 million a month on salaries paid to public officials, well above the $209 million spent on this expense four years ago.
Monthly expenditure on public salaries has increased, especially during the Varela administration, as according to figures of the Ministry of Economy and Finance from March 2018, every month $113 million more is paid than in 2014.
español
8280
