Conservatives can be socialists

06-30-2009 | PHILIP EDMONSTON

lemonaid@earthlink.net

In these days of international financial turmoil governments are introducing some surprising policies

Panama Star Is Panama’s President a socialist? Sure, he is in some matters. And, that’s the way it should be. Governments of most successful countries promote both liberal and conservative, left- and right-wing policies. Anyone drawing maternity benefits, a pension, or an unemployment check is a socialist. They just don’t like that definition, even though they are a major part of the government’s ‘income distribution’ policies.

Consider this: Canada is a social-democratic country with a Conservative Prime Minister running a minority federal government. Yet, the province of Nova Scotia just elected a social-democrat majority government, and everyone still gets along fine. Panama President Martinelli was elected as a middle of the road conservative candidate. Yet, in Central America when you stake the middle ground you also are embracing many ‘socialist’ government goals and institutions. Just like Canadian, European, and most Latin American governments, income redistribution isn’t anathema to human rights in a democracy.

I agree with some socialist policies, like the nationalization of dysfunctional or price-gouging businesses (in Panama, electricity would be my priority), by government purchase through fair prices. Personally, I believe in ‘sancocho’ governments that are stirred often with the election of new government leaders and parties, and garnished with independent candidates.

Here’s what I like about President Martinelli’s ‘socialist’ moves. He has promised to nationalize parts of our highway system, build a government-run metro, shake up the government health services, and give seniors and cops an extra $100 monthly. All wonderful social-democratic goals.

Food for thought. Remember, last May’s Panamanian elections when the PRD’s “ Gata Herida ” and “ Kid Patacon ”, tried to smear Ricardo Martinelli through his ownership of the Super 99 chain of supermarkets? They alleged Martinelli was engaged in unethical activities like selling spoiled food and gouging the public with inflated prices. Voters didn’t buy the story and both the Gata and the Kid changed their spiel to attacking the Cambio Democratico’s Presidential candidate’s mental stability, giving the CD Party an unintentional slogan that they rallied behind (“los locos somos mas”).

Still, the high-priced food allegation seemed serious enough to investigate. So, I looked into what the Autoridad de Protection al Consumidor y Defensa de la Competencia (ACODECO), the government-run consumer protection agency, had found during its periodic undercover inspections of supermarket food prices.

President Martinelli comes out smelling like a rose (a fresh one). A survey carried out this month of 55 supermarkets in Panama City and outlying districts (including La Chorrera) found that four Super 99 stores had the cheapest prices, while only one 99 store in Calidonia had the highest prices. The rest were average. Super Xtra also had four stores where prices were the lowest.

Which markets are the most expensive? Rey, with seven supermarkets, followed by several smaller independent stores. And, what about Riba Smith, the preferred store of well-to-do shoppers? Its Transistmica store was red-flagged for the highest prices, while the Bella Vista outlet was rated average.

What does this all mean? Simply that prices vary considerably each month between supermarket chains; sometimes, within the same chain, and that Truth during political campaigns is a perishable commodity, like last week’s lettuce.

As for my shopping, I’ll continue buying my cooked chicken at Super 99 because they are cheaper, bigger and tastier than the more expensive pigeon-sized chickens sold at Riba’s.

Sacrament ! Earlier this year, a local church’s administrative council got a query from two church members, both medical professionals. They suggested the church should look into the health risk associated with how the Communion Service was handled. Most churches celebrate Communion by offering a pinched piece of bread and a sip of wine from a chalice or a small plastic cup.

It was pointed out that this was a risky practice for spreading all kinds of nasty bacteria and viruses. Now, the Service has changed and the bread is pre-pinched by gloved hands in the kitchen and the wine is sipped from disposable plastic cups.

Not everyone welcomes change. One churchgoer said indignantly: No one has died yet. My answer is: How do you know?