According to 'Inside U.S. Trade', Torrijos will travel to Washington in September. External Trade
This year, the CPC depends on a 'lame duck'
It is anticipated that the Democrats will increase their majority in both houses in the upcoming elections. Failure to do the extraordinary session, the CPC is engavetado until next year.
BLOOMBERG State of the Union. This year, both the Senate and the House of Representatives under the control of demócratas.1078946
Betty Brannan Jaen
Correspondent LaprensaDC@aol.com
Every day there are more indications that the only possibility that the U.S. ratify the Treaty of Trade Promotion (CPC) this year that Congress will hold an extraordinary session of "lame duck", which does not look likely. What Americans call "a lame duck session" (in English, a lame duck session) is an extraordinary session of Congress held after the presidential and legislative elections in November, but before the new government takes office in January .
The phrase "lame duck" underlines that this is the last session of a Congress with many lawmakers about to leave, either by retirement or defeat. This year the situation is that both the Senate and the House of Representatives are controlled by the Democrats and it is anticipated that the Democrats will increase their majority in both chambers in the upcoming elections.
Therefore, the Democratic leaders of both chambers-controlling the legislative agenda-have already declared they have little interest in convening an extraordinary session "lame duck" which only serve the political interests of the government of George W. Bush. Failure to do the extraordinary session, the CPC is engavetado until next year, to be submitted to the next Congress. Right now, Congress is on summer recess in September and will meet only about three weeks before going into recess campaign. The president Martín Torrijos will go to Washington in mid-September to boost the TPC but, as noted by the newsletter Inside U.S. Trade recently, that does not give enough time for Congress to take action on the TPC before closing sessions.
From the U.S. side, it is clear that American officials have understood this reality and are pressing for an meeting "lame duck" to approve the pending treaty with Colombia, Panama and Korea. The Colombia, in particular, is about to collapse as it was submitted to Congress, will die if not addressed this year. The secretary of the U.S. Trade said last week that a meeting "lame duck" is the only "window" remains open to agreements Panama, Colombia and Korea are ratified in the remainder of the Bush administration. Of the Panamanian side, by contrast, Inside U.S. Trade commented recently that the Torrijos government "seems to be confident" in which the CPC will be submitted to Congress later this year.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
INFLATION IN PANAMA
The pain in Panama
Jul24th2008From the Economist Intelligence Unit ViewsWire
Inflation has reached a 28-year high
Despite administrative measures, such as reduced import tariffs and indirect price subsidies, fuel and food prices continue to make an increasing contribution to Panamanian inflation and were the major cause of the spike in the annual rate to 9.6% in June. It looks likely that inflation will break into double digits in July.
Although in the past Mr Torrijos has used his political acumen and a calculated willingness to compromise on unpopular measures to win support, at this late stage in his term his touch seems less sure and the public less willing to be swayed. Most recently the president also has faced growing criticism for his failure to deliver on a much vaunted comprehensive solution to the capital's ailing public transportation system, the increasing use of subsidies to tackle rising food costs during a pre-election period and plans to restructure the security services.
Jul24th2008From the Economist Intelligence Unit ViewsWire
Inflation has reached a 28-year high
Panama, with its dollarised economy, sophisticated financial sector and years of solid economic growth, is not used to dealing with the macroeconomic instability and inflationary woes typical of other Latin American countries in the past. But inflation in Panama, as in the rest of the region, has picked up sharply since 2007 and is now at a 28-year high—and this is having both social and political repercussions.
Despite administrative measures, such as reduced import tariffs and indirect price subsidies, fuel and food prices continue to make an increasing contribution to Panamanian inflation and were the major cause of the spike in the annual rate to 9.6% in June. It looks likely that inflation will break into double digits in July.
Consumers are already feeling the pinch, and given Panama’s heavy reliance on imports, the weak dollar is also contributing to sharply rising wholesale prices, which jumped by 17.1% in the 12 months to March. This suggests further difficulties for consumers ahead. The impact of soaring international oil and food prices will continue to be compounded by a weak dollar and demand-side factors in 2008-09. Heavy tariff protection of domestic agricultural production will be another factor sustaining food-price pressures.
With the government lacking an effective policy tool to address rising prices, the Economist Intelligence Unit expects inflation to continue to rise through the third quarter of 2008 before decelerating thereafter. We forecast year-end inflation of 9.7% in 2008 and of 7.8% in 2009, on the assumption of a softening of commodity prices and some recovery of the dollar. However, with domestic demand set to remain strong, labour shortages emerging in some economic sectors, the government continuing with pro-cyclical spending in order to raise real incomes, and our dollar forecast subject to uncertainty, the risks to Panama’s forecast inflation rate are weighted on the upside.
Government pays the price
The inflation problem is causing headaches for the governing Partido Revolucionario Democrático (PRD) at a time when elections are less than just 10 months away (slated for May 2009). Indeed, the government of President Martín Torrijos has suffered one of its sharpest declines in public support since coming to office in September 2004. According to regional polling organisation Unimer, support for Mr Torrijos fell to 34% in mid-June, 17 percentage points lower than in April and less than half the rating he enjoyed at the mid-point of his term. This is despite his having presided over an unprecedented period of economic growth.
The Torrijos administration is struggling to formulate effective policies to confront high inflation as well as an increase in incidences of violent crime. The only time the government has seen a more severe fall in popularity was amid a three-month-long strike by unionised workers in mid-2005 that accompanied its initial attempt to push through a reform of the social security and pension system against strong opposition.
Although in the past Mr Torrijos has used his political acumen and a calculated willingness to compromise on unpopular measures to win support, at this late stage in his term his touch seems less sure and the public less willing to be swayed. Most recently the president also has faced growing criticism for his failure to deliver on a much vaunted comprehensive solution to the capital's ailing public transportation system, the increasing use of subsidies to tackle rising food costs during a pre-election period and plans to restructure the security services.
Policy dilemmas
In the context of rising inflation the government will find it challenging to make the additional investment needed to deliver on its promises in terms of crime prevention, tackling poverty and addressing shortcomings in infrastructure and public services. This is because of the limited capacity of the economy to accommodate additional stimulus without exacerbating inflationary pressures and because of slowing government revenue growth as economic activity cools.The result will be a further erosion of the PRD’s political capital ahead of the May elections. Still, because the opposition parties are unlikely to form a cohesive alliance before the vote, the Economist Intelligence Unit's view remains that the PRD will eke out a historic second term in 2009
Sunday, August 17, 2008
IMMIGRATION CHAOS...PANAMA BUREAUCRACY
Law will govern on 26 August, six months after its enactment.
It was late changes in migration Not only is the delay in the cards for foreigners, but the move must wait. Jose Gonzalez Pinilla Rafael Perez G. panorama@prensa.com
The immigration law, designed as one of the first components of the security strategy that seeks to articulate the government of Martín Torrijos, enters into force on August 26 the next six months after its enactment-with setbacks.
Not only is the fact that the Directorate of ballot papers of the Electoral Tribunal does not have the technology platform to deliver a new "card" to foreigners residing in the country, but the removal of old and "collapsed" building, which was scheduled for August at the latest, must wait five more months. This was admitted Tayr Barsallo, deputy director of the entity will be renamed National Migration Service.
The current National Directorate of Immigration and Naturalization works in an old building on Avenida Cuba in Calidonia, where it should meet daily to about 300 users, causing long queues.
Migration has invested 8.2 million dollars in a four-storey building on the Via Ricardo J. Alfaro, where according to official plans and should be operating. Another key change in plans is the official installation of a new software that cost about $ 5 million, which will do some paperwork via the Internet.
Barsallo expected early next year to hire equipment.
The regulation of the law recently was published in Official Gazette this week
In crowded corridors, about 300 people are served daily in the old building Calidonia.
La Prensa / Noriel Gutierrez
From early morning, hundreds of people queue up in the building of the Directorate of Immigration in the hope of resolving their immigration status.
The adventures that should make foreigners to conduct an enquiry into the small building of the National Directorate of Immigration will not end.
The removal of this institution to its new headquarters in Via Ricardo J. Alfaro is backward. This was acknowledged by the deputy director, Tayr Barsallo.
The Ministry of the Interior and Justice, an entity that is in charge of the Directorate, had estimated, at the beginning of the year, before August Migration would be in their new facilities, purchased at a cost of 8.2 billion dollars. Even as these plans, the move would be prior to the coming new law to govern the migration of the upcoming August 26.
But this has not happened, despite the fact that after the promulgation of the decree law, approved by the Cabinet of President Martín Torrijos, were given six-month deadline for the entry into force legislation. Barsallo explained that the acquisition and removal from a list of materials needed for the refurbishment of the building took time.
Now that lack the Ministry of the procedural order for companies to begin the adjustment of the 4-story building. The cost of such work is $ 7.1 million, money approved last May by the National Economic Council. The move will be done in stages and could be initiated with the primary section in five months. "It depends on when giving orders to proceed and Program of companies," he said.
Building collapsed
Since hours of the morning, even the night before, hundreds of foreigners arriving in the front seat of Migration to Cuba Avenue, in Calidonia, to carry out formalities of visas and permits to stay in the country. They must make long queues in the narrow and crowded hallways. By day, serving about 300 people.
Barsallo reported that the current headquarters, which is owned by the state, continue to be the site of some formalities for foreigners, after they are moved to new premises. "The building collapsed already. But it will also be remodeled, "he said. It will be used to build temporary shelters for foreign families and to establish the future academy migration. In the last month, the Directorate of Immigration, that from August 26th will be the National Migration Service, have joined some 100 new staff.
}
To date added nearly 700, Barsallo said. Migration works with a budget of 3.4 billion dollars for next year and will grow to 6.9 million. Another project includes the renovation of this institution is implementing a new software that will allow some streamlining procedures via the Internet, said the deputy director. The investment is $ 5 million since the beginning of next year tenderer recruitment to optimize the system, reported. A security laws The new immigration law, which among other things specifies how they can expel a foreign country, is part of the security strategy that seeks to implement the Cabinet. In fact, the National Migration Service is under the hegemony of the newly created Department of Security, one arm of the Ministry of Government. Migration will be under the same organizational structure which will become reality-if-the National Service and the Border Service Aeronaval, initiatives that are pending in the statutory floor of the Cabinet Council that legislates these days through extraordinary powers.
It was late changes in migration Not only is the delay in the cards for foreigners, but the move must wait. Jose Gonzalez Pinilla Rafael Perez G. panorama@prensa.com
The immigration law, designed as one of the first components of the security strategy that seeks to articulate the government of Martín Torrijos, enters into force on August 26 the next six months after its enactment-with setbacks.
Not only is the fact that the Directorate of ballot papers of the Electoral Tribunal does not have the technology platform to deliver a new "card" to foreigners residing in the country, but the removal of old and "collapsed" building, which was scheduled for August at the latest, must wait five more months. This was admitted Tayr Barsallo, deputy director of the entity will be renamed National Migration Service.
The current National Directorate of Immigration and Naturalization works in an old building on Avenida Cuba in Calidonia, where it should meet daily to about 300 users, causing long queues.
Migration has invested 8.2 million dollars in a four-storey building on the Via Ricardo J. Alfaro, where according to official plans and should be operating. Another key change in plans is the official installation of a new software that cost about $ 5 million, which will do some paperwork via the Internet.
Barsallo expected early next year to hire equipment.
The regulation of the law recently was published in Official Gazette this week
In crowded corridors, about 300 people are served daily in the old building Calidonia.
La Prensa / Noriel Gutierrez
From early morning, hundreds of people queue up in the building of the Directorate of Immigration in the hope of resolving their immigration status.
The adventures that should make foreigners to conduct an enquiry into the small building of the National Directorate of Immigration will not end.
The removal of this institution to its new headquarters in Via Ricardo J. Alfaro is backward. This was acknowledged by the deputy director, Tayr Barsallo.
The Ministry of the Interior and Justice, an entity that is in charge of the Directorate, had estimated, at the beginning of the year, before August Migration would be in their new facilities, purchased at a cost of 8.2 billion dollars. Even as these plans, the move would be prior to the coming new law to govern the migration of the upcoming August 26.
But this has not happened, despite the fact that after the promulgation of the decree law, approved by the Cabinet of President Martín Torrijos, were given six-month deadline for the entry into force legislation. Barsallo explained that the acquisition and removal from a list of materials needed for the refurbishment of the building took time.
Now that lack the Ministry of the procedural order for companies to begin the adjustment of the 4-story building. The cost of such work is $ 7.1 million, money approved last May by the National Economic Council. The move will be done in stages and could be initiated with the primary section in five months. "It depends on when giving orders to proceed and Program of companies," he said.
Building collapsed
Since hours of the morning, even the night before, hundreds of foreigners arriving in the front seat of Migration to Cuba Avenue, in Calidonia, to carry out formalities of visas and permits to stay in the country. They must make long queues in the narrow and crowded hallways. By day, serving about 300 people.
Barsallo reported that the current headquarters, which is owned by the state, continue to be the site of some formalities for foreigners, after they are moved to new premises. "The building collapsed already. But it will also be remodeled, "he said. It will be used to build temporary shelters for foreign families and to establish the future academy migration. In the last month, the Directorate of Immigration, that from August 26th will be the National Migration Service, have joined some 100 new staff.
}
To date added nearly 700, Barsallo said. Migration works with a budget of 3.4 billion dollars for next year and will grow to 6.9 million. Another project includes the renovation of this institution is implementing a new software that will allow some streamlining procedures via the Internet, said the deputy director. The investment is $ 5 million since the beginning of next year tenderer recruitment to optimize the system, reported. A security laws The new immigration law, which among other things specifies how they can expel a foreign country, is part of the security strategy that seeks to implement the Cabinet. In fact, the National Migration Service is under the hegemony of the newly created Department of Security, one arm of the Ministry of Government. Migration will be under the same organizational structure which will become reality-if-the National Service and the Border Service Aeronaval, initiatives that are pending in the statutory floor of the Cabinet Council that legislates these days through extraordinary powers.
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