The latest edition of the Global Competitiveness Ranking by the World Economic Forum ranked Panama within the top 50, a higher position than in recent years, which is further marred by bad ratings received in the perceived corruption concepts and poor quality of education.
President Martinelli addressed this issue by pointing out that private enterprise is also responsible for corruption, because, he said, in order for corruption to exist in government "one offers and the other receives", to which employers have responded.
A statement by the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP) said that “the statements by President Ricardo Martinelli, pointing to the private sector as guilty of the government’s corruption are unacceptable.”
In the same statement Federico Humbert Arias, President of the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama said that “the areas where Panama received poor grades in the last Competitiveness Report, were issues that are strictly the responsibility of the state".
More on this topic
November 2011
The Panamanian Chamber of Commerce has rejected accusations made by the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, in which he implied that Panama was a tax haven.
A press release from the Panamanian Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture states:
The Panamanian Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (CCIAP), rejected the accusation made last week by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, in the context of the G-20, which indicated that Panama is a tax haven.
September 2011
The Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture has again called for consideration of the effects that partisan conflict could have on the country's economic activity.
The rupture of the alliance between Martinelli’s Democratic Change party and the Panamanian Party, caused by the dismissal as Foreign Minister of Juan Carlos Varela , Vice President of the Republic and President of the Panamanian Party, sparked a series of immediate resignations of other main figures in the administration. Among those resigning are the Minister of Finance, Alberto Vallarino, whose departure from government may create uncertainty about the continuation of the country’s current economic policy.
January 2012
A bill to include tax offenses in the Penal Code concerns Panamanian business.
A statement from the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP) reads:
The CCIAP promotes compliance with the duties of the state and recalls the importance of respecting the rights of taxpayers
August 2011
Numerous outstanding issues remain regarding standards, short supply of some equipment, anticipated delays in software development and interconnection problems in B2B transactions.
A statement by the Panamanian Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (CCIAP) announced it has requested “a phased implementation of the equipment, due to the complexity of its implementation.”
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