Minister of Housing and Land Management (Miviot), Mario Etchelecu, is characterized by having to backpedal to their own statements on television news.
In September last year, the minister said it was the first time he assumed public office and that there's "no direct contracting" in the Ceilings of Hope Program.
However, Panama America reminded Etchelecu that in 2009 he served as adviser to the capital's former mayor Bosco Vallarino .
At the same tim, a report by the National Assistance Program (PAN) confirmed that Miviot, under the administration of Etchelecu , executed 72 direct purchases and contracts only in 2014.
But worse, Etchelecu filed at the same contracting mechanism by which the old lead of the Floor and Ceiling PAN program, Rafael Guardia is now facing the justice.
On January 7, Etchelecu went back to TVN news to make another statement, which was contrasted and disproved by the National Authority of Transparency and Access to Information (Antai).
Etchelecu stated that all contracting through Ceilings of Hope program were transparent and in 2015 did not make any purchase through the PAN.
However, the director of the entity or czarina against the corruption, Angelica Maytín, refuted by noting that, when she just took the office, an entrepreneur came to her to report irregularities in the PAN led by Rafael Stanziola, so she ordered a forensic audit that ended in nine cases and where the crime division of matter is confirmed.
She said that complaints are focused on the issue of procurement of heavy equipment for Ceilings of Hope of the Ministry of Housing and Territorial Development (Miviot) program and in which the favored company is Airco SA, owned by Pedro "Peter" Vallarino Trombetta .
"Peter" Vallarino is a personal friend of President Varela and his company Airco enrolled at the beginning of the current PAN government. Since then, he has made millions in direct purchases in the PAN.
Although the Antai warned of irregularities in the PAN and Miviot since March 2014 Etchelecu Housing Minister is handling the highest budget that ever has the entity.
Reports of the Ministry of Finance show that between 2015 and 2016, the Miviot has been allocated $465 million for investment, not including transfers of items that were executed in late 2014 and 2015.
Etchelecu said last week he has made contracts and purchases of $1,300 million, mainly on the Ceiling of Hope and Colón Renewal programs.
Etchelecu has also received complaints from two economic groups in the country: the construction platform manufacturers and distributors of heavy machinery. Distribution companies of heavy machinery and equipment, which include Cardoze & Lindo, F. Icaza, Copama, Group Stiff, Commercial Motor, and others warned of favoritism shopping for Airco Miviot and Fiorazio of Panama.
Meanwhile, manufacturers of building platforms demanded an alleged favoritism in favor of Royal Construction Company, having been benefited with a contract for 10 million dollars.
Etchelecu was forced to stop bidding for a second purchase of building platforms for 20 million dollars, then these companies argued that the statement of objections included specifications that allowed only participate company: Royal Construction.
However, during 2015, he continued buying part of the platforms through the PAN. The report of this entity uncovered other purchases by $1.1 million on these platforms built to the same company, Royal Construction.
Three purchases under this same product, from $90,631 to Formesan Panama, another by $97,836 to Doka, and the third by 44 thousand to $940 to Hopsa were also made.
PAN director, Rafael Stanziola, acknowledged that Airco was awarded several contracts Ceilings of Hope program.
Datos
- Proyecto
- Desde un inicio, el programa Techos de Esperanza ha sido cuestionado por la compra de materiales a un costo alto y, además, por la lentitud en el mismo.
- Periodo
- Mario Etchelecu, quien es una de las figuras allegadas al presidente Juan Carlos Varela, está a cargo del Miviot desde que asumió el actual gobierno, el pasado 1 de julio de 2014.
- Promesas
- En el caso de la renovación urbana de Colón, han habido muchas quejas de los colonenses, quienes consideran que el proceso ha sido lento.
