Not sarcastic at all. Yesterday in open session of the Asamblea Nacional Bill#394 Number 14 en El Orden del Dia was discussed by Presidente de La Asemblea Hector E. Aparicio Diaz with Wigberto E. Quintero G. the Secretary General present.
During his remarks thanking the Diputados and staffs for their work during the fist session that he was formally closing, he stated that in paraphrase, since I don't have the tape here, that Bill #394 concerning the new mining code would be postponed until some time in January for discussion when the next session would begin. He further stated that this was because of the political situation in the country and that the time would be used for review with the indigenous peoples one by one of each of the eight articles now in the Bill and also the incorporation of another article and/or second filing to include the specific language concerning about the prohibition of mining in the Comarca.
As you may be aware, because of other posts, Minister Quijano from the Executive branch, asked publicly at an official gathering in Colon, for Presidente Martinelli to call a special session of the Asamblea Nacional to continue debating Bill #394. As of yet there is no indication that would be done. Hector E. Aparicio, President of the Asamblea, has publicly taken the position that he wants to continue with the interrupted Second Debate in January as stated above and not be pressured by the Executive Branch.
La Prensa, La Critica, or La Estrella referred to the speech in a small article. I don't remember which one it was, but the mention of Bill#394 was very brief therein. My source is directly from someone who was in the chamber and heard all of his comments first hand.
I understand that this kind of information offends some on this board, but I responded because you asked me directly and I felt in good faith. The characterization of Hector's statements are 100% accurate, and I am sure anyone present can confirm that for you. As to the media reporting or not I can't speak for them.
This is now the big Independence Day Holiday time,(like 4th of July in USA), and now all the politicians have fanned out over the country to their local districts to "smooze", make speeches, and mostly party!!! The country is basically shut down for the rest of the week and they have deployed 500 extra police in Panama City to try to keep the revelers from falling off the balconies like they do in New Orleans. (As an aside, I saw they shot 15 people in New Orleans over night while celebrating. Not the police the revelers shot each other!!)
Six months might be a little long, but if they don't even start talking about the issue again until late January, it will take a while for everyone to get back up to speed and then they will still have the Third Debate to schedule. Things move much slower January, February, and March since that is vacation time and they many not even have a quorum at times.
AI
