(Prensa.com) The Mayor of Panama today amended Decree No. 1899 of November 18, 2011 which prohibits the sale of liquor in the early morning hours in any shop.
Sources close to the office of the mayor of the capital, Roxana Mendez, reported that the change to the law known carrot allow the sale of alcohol in supermarkets, hotels and casinos on the schedule so far restricted.
The change comes a day after it published a story through which invoices had three branches super 99 chain, owned by the President of the Republic, Ricardo Martinelli, in which evidence the sale of liquor in forbidden zone.
In fact, yesterday at noon, using the social network Twitter, the president criticized the report in question.
“I can not expect nothing but bad faith of La Prensa. The decree was made so that the bars close at X time and did not include the shops, “he said.
In the afternoon, at a political event held in Tocumen, the President extended his position on the issue. “The spirit of the law is not consumed, it is not sold. If we have done wrong, that ticketed “said Martinelli.
He then accused the founder of this newspaper I. Roberto Eisenmann, Jr. of being behind the publication to harm their supermarket chain.
“What happens here is that the tracalero Eisenmann, who do not pay their taxes, is looking for the fifth leg cat. It is he who is behind this whole thing. A tracalero like him, a evader like him, have to pay their taxes, “he said.
A criticism made by President joined Public Security Minister, Jose Raul Mulino, who stepped out of the publication by two tweets.
The first said “Executive Order No. 1424 of November 9, 2011 regulates only the sale of liquor in nightclubs defined.” And in the second that “carrot law should only apply to entertainment centers. Your letter and spirit are clear, “he added.
To complement its position, the Security Ministry sent a statement to this newspaper.
“The spirit of this rule seeks, above all, to avoid the increase in violence, including street fights, domestic violence and increasing numbers of traffic accidents nationwide product of indiscriminate consumption of alcoholic beverages,” the statement.
“This decree does not include sales shops and food centers, so that the sale of liquor on these premises is in an expeditious manner and is not subject to Executive Order No. 1424 of November 9, 2011”, adds the note of release.
Despite this communication, or Martinelli or Mulino referred to municipal decree is still in force and provides for fines of $ 500 to $ 10 000 for establishments that do not comply.
Similarly, this newspaper delivered last May 8 formal communication (see chart) to the general manager Delia Luzcando super 99 with a questionnaire to determine the position of the company.
The communication was received by Yulin Perivancictt, who identified himself as Luzcando assistant in the administrative headquarters of this chain, located in Rio Abajo. Also made several calls to see if they would answer the questionnaire but were not answered.
Criticize change
For Superior Court exmagistrada Children and Adolescents Troitiño Emerald would reprehensible if you come to realize the change in the law to allow carrot shops and supermarkets selling liquor on the schedule so far restricted.
“(In Panama) there is no real interest in the issue of security. If what you want is not sold liquor after such time, (the idea is that) you can not buy alcohol anywhere. So rather there to tighten the decree, “he added.
(With information from Luis Burón-Barahona).
Controversial decree changing times
On November 9, 2011, through Executive Order No. 1424 signed by the former Minister of Public Safety Alejandro Garúz charge, was ordered to the country’s governorates regulate the hours of operation of the nightclubs. Nine days later, the former mayor of Panama City Bosco Ricardo Vallarino, through Decree No. 1899, found that from Monday to Thursday could not sell liquor 2:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., while the end restriction week begins at 3:00 am
“The shops, supermarkets, restaurants, casinos, gambling halls and hotels whose main business is not the sale or dispensing of alcoholic beverages, will continue operating after hours mentioned above, but with the ban on the sale, sale, free distribution and / or consumption of alcoholic beverages after hours, “the municipal decree (see chart).
However, to extend these hours, November 22, 2012 the Ministry of Public Security, through Decree No. 873, extended an hour license to sell liquor.