The deterioration of public schools and colleges has been the perfect excuse for a business of millions of dollars linked to current government figures, for which no one would ask for information or transparency.
Again, the Panamanian people would need to overlook the names of people who would stay with a good cake of over 10 million.
This is the case of the program My First School, touted as one of the few achievements of the current government. But behind it there is a business of millions of dollars which the Ministry of Education (Meduca) refuses to give details.
Each school repaired under this program includes synthetic football fields and playgrounds that cost thousands of dollars disbursed directly, citing urgency to meet a need of the people.
Panama America last week sent a questionnaire to the Minister of Education, Marcela Paredes, to know how these contracts have been awarded and companies who are directly elected week. But the information is restricted.
Last year, a group of companies engaged in the construction of synthetic pitches claimed their participation in these contracts to Meduca, who informed them that he would submit a tender 30 of these synthetic courts for 5.1 million dollars, but it never happened.
For example, the budget for the synthetic pitch of IPT Calobre was $ 238 218 000; the IPT Paul Finch in Veraguas, of 317 000 230 dollars; Trapichito the School of Panama Oeste, 224 000 240 dollars; Rodolfo Chiari the school Cocle, 97,000 $ 108; the IPT Omar Torrijos Herrera in Cocle, other 219 000 980 dollars, among others, an official report revealed that he had access to Panama America.
All these contracts were given directly and at the discretion of an office that established the Presidency of the Republic in this ministry. This office is headed by Mario scratchy, who at the discretion has awarded these contracts directly and those who excel as entrepreneurs benefit linked to President Juan Carlos Varela own.
Data provided by companies dedicated to the construction of synthetic pitches explained that behind the program My School scheme business that figures very close friends benefit from President Juan Carlos Varela is mounted.
They claim that in all these projects courts and playgrounds in schools highlight the name of Rodolfo "Rudy" Estripeaut, who is president and representative of the company Select Panama Real Estate.
From your address on Twitter, Estripeaut promotes every synthetic pitch or playground delivered to the program.
Estripeaut is to contact the Government and as a personal friend to another figure who has already highlighted in other direct contracting scandals in this administration: Pedro "Peter" Vallarino, owner of Airco S.A. This economic group has been responsible for almost all synthetic tennis My School First program, and to meet deliveries has been forced to outsource other companies.
My First School is a program which make contributions to companies that have received large contracts in this government. But this fund is managed directly by scratchy, an agency attached to the office of the Presidency official.
Thus companies like Meco ended up making contributions to this program, after receiving large contracts. Meco acquired the contract for the rehabilitation of Corridor of the Poor by 96.9 million, improving one of the runways at the airport of Tocumen by 12 million, and another for the rehabilitation of roads in the electoral circuit brother president, deputy José Luis "Popi" Varela.
As Meco, the list of donors to the program lead other contractors with whom the government is working with Varela.
‘Peter’ Vallarino, el favorito
Pedro “Peter” Vallarino es conocido como amigo personal de Juan Carlos Varela y ha sido beneficiado con contratos directos en el Programa de Ayuda Nacional (PAN) para el suministro de retroexcavadoras por unos 20 millones de dólares.
Su empresa Airco S.A. fue la favorita para hacerse con los contratos de maquinaria pesada que se contrataron para el programa Techos de Esperanza que ejecuta el Ministerio de Vivienda y Ordenamiento Territorial, a cargo de Mario Etchelecu.
En enero de este año, el contralor Federico Humbert tuvo que reconocer que se negó a refrendar el contrato de las retroexcavadoras con Airco S.A. porque se trataba de compras fraccionadas, un delito administrativo.
También la zarina anticorrupción, Angélica Maytín, se pronunció sobre el caso y pidió la destitución del director del PAN, Rafael Stanziola.
El caso fue a parar al Ministerio Público, que se vio obligado a abrir una investigación de oficio debido a la presión pública. Desde entonces se desconocen los resultados de la investigación, que incluye a Stanziola, Etchelecu y Pedro Vallarino.
