Mulino promises to save the logistics sector from abandonment and bureaucracy

Presidential candidate of the Alliance of Parties Realizing Goals (RM) and alliance, José Raúl Mulinotoday he met with Logistics Business Council (COEL) with the aim of agreeing on a rescue plan for this sector of the Panamanian economy which claims to be losing competitiveness due to a lack of support in the last two governments.

This is the sector it represents 30% of Panama’s gross domestic product, when the work of the Canal is also included, which generates more than 250 thousand jobs, according to COEL. This also includes ports, customs agents, free zones, railways, land transport, light cargo, among others.

For the union, this sector has hit rock bottom in the current deteriorating situation, where the lack of will to support the Government is crucial.

Roads in bad condition, the loss of digitization programs, increased bureaucratic procedures and a lack of attention from the authorities are part of the problems that the logistics sector presented to the presidential candidate yesterday. This includes the fact that the logistics cost per container moving through Panama is 28%, while in the United States it is 4% and 6%.

Mulino received a document with proposals presented by COEL from its president, Hugo Torrijos. The candidate promised to provide all the support needed for the logistics sector, including the reactivation of the so-called logistics cabinet left abandoned by the current administration of Laurentino Cortiz.

Mulino suggested that this responsibility be placed in the hands of the next Minister of Canal as a way to devote the issue of the Ministry of the Presidency, more related to the political part of the Government. He also pointed out that the cargo movement procedures for import and export must return to the path of digitization and elimination of bureaucracy.

“I promise to give you all the support to change what needs to be changed. Coimiadera at customs will end, we will bring order to the country,” said Mulino in front of COEL.

The presidential candidate also pointed out to this business union that the proposal of vl train between Panama and David It is a sustainable project that is closely related to the logistics sector.

At the same time, the president of COEL pointed out that paperwork is the main problem of the logistics sector, since out of 26 institutions that deal with cargo management, only 6 of them know how this activity works. These institutions like Minsa have no idea how much their bureaucratic practices have affected the supply chain, Torrijos said.