The President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, participated as the main speaker at a forum organized in New York by the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom, where he assured that he will work for a Panama with clear rules, without corruption, so that foreign investment is maintained and can grow.
Mulino stressed that in order to facilitate the arrival of more foreign investment, his government will give importance to the existence of a true rule of law, where the Executive does not manipulate justice against anyone.
“We greatly respect the contractual freedom that exists for investors who come to Panama by winning a tender, contracts or concessions. In whatever way, but the rules of the game for them must be clear and with the certainty that there is a rule of law,” said Mulino at the event, which took place at the Harvard Club headquarters in New York and had as moderators Nuria Vilanova, president of CEAPI (Business Council, Alliance for Ibero-America) and Carlos Diaz-Rosillo, director of the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom.
As an example of the fact that the government he has led since last July is pro-private enterprise, Mulino said that payment of more than 800 million dollars in overdue accounts of state contractors is already underway.
“My government is a private enterprise, I come from there and I don’t have to hide my origins,” said Mulino, noting that this does not include giving room to corruption.
“I did not come to this position to do business, or to look for a partner or take part in a business,” he reiterated at the forum of the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom, where he signed three scrolls as a souvenir of his visit as president of Panama to the Harvard Club facilities in New York.
Mulino highlighted major projects with foreign investment that are being carried out in Panama, such as the third line of the Metro, which includes a tunnel under the Panama Canal, in addition to important works that will be carried out to develop a new infrastructure for drinking water in Panama.
The Panamanian president also spoke at this forum about the problem of illegal migration through Darien and the lack of international support for Panama in this matter, as well as insecurity and the measures he is taking to restore peace of mind to Panamanians in this regard.
After participating in this event, President Mulino, the Minister of Economy and Finance, Guillermo Chapman, and the Foreign Minister, Javier Martínez-Acha, met with the new President and CEO of Citibank, Jane Nind Fraser, and her team.
