In its Sunday message, the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP) asked both the government and the private sector to “jointly and creatively face” the world crisis from which Panama does not escape.
Among other reasons, due to the effects of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, especially reflected in oil and energy prices; also due to China’s zero Covid policy and its reach into supply chains; as well as the historical inflation that the United States is going through.
“Such a situation demands, more than ever, that both the national government and the private sector develop a dialogue aimed at identifying and executing actions that reduce the impact of these factors on national life,” said the message from the Chamber of Deputies. Commerce, reiterating that this guild is actively working on finding solutions focused on job creation and energy stability.
“To promote the first, support for small and medium-sized companies is key as the undisputed engine of our economy. To the extent that they can achieve better access to credit, they will have the ability to generate jobs for the well-being of Panamanians. We also value the option of part-time jobs as an alternative for those who cannot access a full-time job; as well as the remote employment modality,” the statement said.
And in terms of achieving energy stability, the Cciap considers it crucial to maintain the focus on actions that are no longer long-term, such as accelerating the diversification of the energy matrix; increase the capacities of our mass transportation, as well as encourage the use of electric vehicles.
“Historically, Panamanians have shown capacity and creativity in finding solutions to face crises and seek the well-being of all, so we are confident that we can achieve it again,” the letter states.
