GSP-PLUS

Government procrastinated

MIREYA RODRIGUEZ
periodistas@laestrella.com.pa

PANAMA. The biggest responsibility in the loss of the Generalized System of Preferences – PLUS trade preferences with Europe falls upon Panama’s ambassador to Belgium, Pablo Garrido Arauz, but there is also a list of additional government officials involved and equally to blame.

A letter signed by the then Minister of Commerce and Industries, Carmen Gisela Vergara, shows that the government only reacted the day of the deadline to apply for the trade benefits (October 31, 2008).

Previous to the deadline, Jorge Eduardo Ruiz, in charge of the business section in the Panamanian Embassy in Brussels, had sent a note to Ricardo Duran, vice-minister of Foreign Relations, reminding him of the renewal of the trade preferences and warning that the new application had a deadline.

Attached to that letter were the procedures to follow for Panama to submit its application to GSP-PLUS, so that Panamanian products could continue enjoying special tarriffs when reaching European shores.

Despite the warnings, action was not taken before Oct 31. Taking into consideration the time differences with Europe, it is likely that the notification reached Europe the following day (a Saturday).

La Estrella tried to contact the former minister, but she could not respond because of family matters.

A reliable La Estrella source says that the application should not have been sent at the last minute, and that ambassador Garrido did not have to wait for the letter or any other orders to come from the minister, seeing as he has the power to act in the name of Panama.

Through a press release, the Foreign Relations Ministry declared it has started diplomatic talks to try to convince the European Commission to reconsider the cancellation of Panama’s GSP-PLUS status.

Publicidad