Giving dynamism to government management, in terms of the evaluation of the Executive’s recommendations for directors of public entities, was the goal when the session resumed, this Monday, July 29, in the Credentials, Regulations, Parliamentary Ethics and Judicial Affairs Committee, chaired by Deputy Shirley Castañeda.
The evaluation was carried out by Luis Alberto Roquebert Vanegas, as general administrator of the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP), who was unanimously approved for the recommendation to the plenary session of the Assembly to lead the Panama Maritime Authority.
Roquebert Vanegas said that, in this entity, due to its importance in the economic development of the country, competitiveness and strategies will be sought, not only to be number one in ship registration, but also in cargo tonnage.
In response to questions about the 15 concessions granted by this institution for the dispatch of fuel, Roquebert pointed out that each of these concessions will be investigated one by one.
He explained that the institution will provide the opportunity to create free supply and demand and will ensure that new students, after having completed their studies in maritime training schools, have the opportunity to work on ships, for which they will seek allies abroad for this purpose.
Also, the recommendation of Andrés Fernando Pagés Chanis to head the National Land Administration Authority was approved by the plenary session.
Pagés Chanis said he is concerned that Panama does not currently have a national inventory of state lands, and he will therefore seek to resolve this problem in order to provide more accurate responses to requests for information.
He said that he will focus on the automation and digitalization of the entity, so that documents and processes in land deliveries have better traceability.
Javier Raúl Marquinez Dejud’s recommendation for the General Directorate of Public Procurement was approved by the plenary session of the National Assembly.
He indicated that, regarding the framework agreements, they should be reviewed to determine whether they are indeed worth continuing or, on the contrary, whether they are appropriate. Regarding the works that were abandoned, he explained that they will review the public procurement law to propose modifications that have been duly agreed upon with the unions and the private sector, to speed it up and ensure that everyone can participate in a transparent manner.
Another approved recommendation was that of Astrid Aureen Ábrego González, as Deputy Director General of Public Procurement, to whom she responded to questions from parliamentarians, on the framework agreements, which she considered to be an opportunity for the opening of products to be carried out, as long as they comply with the requirements and regulations of the country.
Ábrego González said that, in order to modernize public procurement processes, they will work hand in hand with ANTAI and AIG, who will be able to provide guidelines to modernize them and make them more transparent.
Sonia Nancy Cuan Hertentaís de Luzcando was approved for ratification by the plenary session for the position of director of the Panama Passport Authority.
Regarding the question of whether the cost of the passport can be lowered, she explained that she will meet with the Board of Directors of the entity, to look for some way, as well as in those cases where it is justified to give some type of exemption to the cost of the passport, but it will be a step that she will seek, she affirmed.
Ramón Abraham Abadi Balid Vásquez was also recommended for ratification before the full National Assembly as administrator of the Consumer Protection and Competition Authority.
Asked about how to help keep prices down in remote provinces, he said he would propose a project to free up the market, using three pillars: technology, education and decentralization.
He pointed out that all social networks and digital platforms will be used to reach the most remote sectors, aiming at technological modernization, to provide the necessary responses to the countless daily complaints that arise.
