An Opinion

Transformation of Panama

Friday, 17 July 2009 00:00

Panama has a new democratically elected President. The May 3, 2009 presidential election in Panama was an extremely important event. Years ago the question was whether Panama could continue to transform into a real democracy? With four democratically elected presidents since 1989, eyes were focused on 2009 when the two front runners were Balbina Herrera, a Panamanian leftist with an anti-U.S. past and Ricardo Martinelli, a businessman and chairman of the Panama Canal Authority from 1999 to 2004 during the Presidency of Mireya Moscoso. He was very directly involved in the plans for expansion of the Canal. Everyone in Panama expected a close race with many Panamanian leaders expecting Balbina Herrera to win.

One other issue relating to the leftist candidate was her leadership of street protests, in Panama, when President George H.W. Bush visited Panama in 1992. In addition, she had very close ties to Manuel Noriega. With Noriega’s release from prison, a win for Balbina Herrera could have wreaked havoc in Panama. Fortunately, she lost to Ricardo Martinelli. It was a landslide election.

There is no doubt that the results of the election are positive signals for both Panama and the United States. President-elect Martinelli will not be asleep in office. He will be an activist for the people of Panama and the Panama Canal.

One area where he will undoubtedly weigh in as strongly as possible will be with the Trade Agreement between Panama and the United States, now bogged down in the Congress. The President-elect has listed Free Trade as one of his highest priorities. If the dysfunctional Congress can get it right, Free Trade with Panama can be a reality.

Another priority of President-elect Martinelli will be erasing poverty in Panama. Forty percent of the Panamanian population lives in poverty. With plans for the infrastructure, including a subway system for Panama City, Martinelli hopes to create more jobs and also cure the terrible traffic congestion in Panama City.

With construction of the expanded Canal under way, it can be expected that President-elect Martinelli will see to it that the project is finished, as projected, by 2014 – even with the worldwide economic challenges. He fully recognizes the importance of an enlarged Canal for Panama’s economy.

One challenge his government will face is the interface with the Partido Revolucianario Democratico (PRD). Since the PRD really will control the National Assembly, Panama’s unicameral legislature, will politics rule the day or will Martinelli and the PRD be able to work together in the nation’s best interests? Only time will tell the answer to this important question.

Finally, the election process has been positive in Panama. There is little doubt that democracy has taken hold with little chance of returning to the days of dictatorship. The transformation of Panama is something all Panamanians can feel with great pride!

If you would like more of an update on what is happening in Panama today, you may want to get the 2009 version of my book – Global Passage: Transformation of Panama and the Panama Canal. It is available at Amazon.com.