government

$700k for 1st ladies event

A week-long conference to discuss special education will cost taxpayers $700,000.

Expenses include $18,500 for jewelry and designer handbags for the attendees.

COTESÍA PRESIDENCIA DE LA REPÚBLICA

luxury:While many of Panama’s schools struggle with funding, a conference on education hosted by First Lady Vivian Fernández de Torrijos will spare no expense as it will cost taxpayers more than $140,000 per day.1062733

When the wives of five Central American presidents meet in Panama City this week to discuss special education, they will do so in style.

The meeting, which opened Monday and continues through Friday, will cost an estimated $700,000.

According to purchase orders from the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, it will cost the government $200,000 to cater the event and to rent the rooms needed for the meetings that will take place during the week. The government will also pay $55,000 to rent rooms for the visiting first ladies and their respective entourages.

These contracts were issued directly to Nuevos Hoteles de Panamá S.A. (Sheraton). Many other contracts for the event were also awarded without being tendered.

The government is making sure that no expense will be spared, spending $35,000 on invitation cards and badges for the event, and $5,000 for flowers.

It is also spending $10,000 on renting cars, including eight luxury sedans and five sport utility vehicles. Additionally, it will spend $4,000 to rent two, 24-passenger buses. The bus contract was one of the few that was tendered.

Of course, the $200,000 being paid to the Sheraton does not coverthe gala dinner being held Thursday evening at Playa Bonita hotel.

That event will cost about $3,000 for rooms and $8,000 for food. Another $3,000 will be spent on a fireworks display and $4,500 for other entertainment.

The first ladies will not go away empty-handed after the conference, either. The government is spending $15,000 on handbags designed by Helen Breebart and $3,500 on jewelry designed by Melina Typaldos, which includes pearl necklaces and earrings.

Attending the meeting will be first ladies from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize and Panama, as well as the prime minister from the Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua's minister of education and a representative from the Dominican Republic.

The vast majority of the services and other contracts for the conference were not put out to bid, as required by government regulations, despite the fact that the conference was scheduled to be held in Panama more than a year ago.