MARTINELLI PROMISES

No stealing in new government

07-02-2009 | MARIJULIA PUJOL LLOYD

mpujolstar@laestrella.com.pa

In his maiden speech the president said that he will work for a better country with more employment, education and security

Panama Star PANAMA. President Ricardo Martinelli officially started his administration yesterday and during his maiden speech he repeated the promises he made during his electoral campaign.

He said that in the next five years he will demonstrate how his economic and government model could be an example for those who aspire to create a prosperous and progressive state.

The new head of state added that he and his vice-president Juan Carlos Varela are going to apply the experience they acquired in the private sector and apply it in the government.

He promises to cut the red tape in the state. “Those who are going to work with me in this government need to learn how to be more efficient, because in the Ricardo Martinelli administration, we are going to act firmly and promptly, but without finesse.”

“The politicians’ habits of putting their personal interests, before those of the people are finished. In my government you can mess up, but you cannot steal,” said Martinelli.

The president recognized that difficult times are approaching and for that reason the government has to be agile, transparent and more efficient.

“I know that we are not going to have the same resources as the previous government and that is the reason why need an stimulus plan to help the economy,” he said

The head of state insisted that it imperative to create new jobs and to build a metro that will solve the acute transport problem.

Martinelli said that he is going to increase the salaries of all the public service staff, who are badly paid.

The head of state also announced that he will give $100 to old people, who do not have pensions, as proposed by vice-president Varela.

Talking about the students Martinelli said that he is going to give scholarships and schools supplies for free, for all the poor families of Panama.

The president promised to continue with the land title program that was started by the Torrijos administration.

One of the most surprising announcement was that he is going to decrease the prices of the basic food basket and for that reason he is going to increase the number of Compita shops and support the agricultural sector, which currently is going through a crisis.

Martinelli’s first cabinet council will take place today in Pacora, which is designated as a stop for the future Metro.

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THE MARTINELLI GOVERNMENT

Ricardo Martinelli won the presidential elections with an impressive margin of over 60 percent and the Panamanian people are looking at him with great interest to see if he is going to make reality all the promises he made in the past.

Unlike previous presidents, he is a businessman and his cabinet reflects that fact, but some of his political opponents feel that will work against the rights of the workers.

The newly inaugurated president is encountering a country at the edge of an economic crisis and where corruption is mentioned everyday in the media.

He needs to solve urgently the public transport problem, the insecurity, lower the high cost of living and finds ways to improve the education system.

It is a tall order for a man that only has five years in power and a limited budget.

MARIJULIA PUJOL LLOYD

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OBJECTIVES

Martinelli is promising to reduce the prices of the basic food basket.

The flagship of his government is going to be the new Metro.

Members of the public forces are going to receive a pay rise.

Old people without pensions will get $100 a month.