National Assembly Might Call for Review of Executive Decrees
By Saúl Quintero Quirós for El Siglo - The approval, with the advice of the Executive Cabinet, of new laws created by Executive decree on matters of state security might not be the end of the discussion, because these documents must be sent to the Legislative branch, warned the President of the Commission on Government of the National Assembly Juan Hernández. The deputy explained that the new law created by the Executive decree of Panamanian President Martin Torrijos, in spite of the extraordinary powers granted to him by the National Assembly, must go to the National Assembly of Deputies for their corresponding discussion in first debate. He stressed that “nothing is written in stone” and for that reason the proposals of reforms to the national security systems must be analyzed by the Legislative branch of government. (more)
Editor's Comment: Interesting. So, if any member of the National Assembly thinks that the executive decrees violate human rights then they can call for it to be reviewed in the legislative branch. OK. In any case, at this point I think it would make a whole lot of sense for these laws to be reviewed by the National Assembly anyway. I mean, why not? The entire idea behind giving these extraordinary powers to the president is that the guys who actually own and operate these agencies know more about how they should be set up than the National Assembly, and it's a faster and more efficient way to get the proposals turned into actual functioning legislation. Now that all of the grunt-work has been done, the National Assembly can look it over, make any changes that are required, and call it good. Remember, there is a break-away faction of the PRD in the National Assembly that Martin Torrijos does not control. This article and announcement is just a reminder, and maybe a shot over the bow.
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It is thus because, having been approved only by the Executive, any member of the National Assembly who believes that the new laws created by Executive decree violate human rights and national laws can demand their study and modification.
He recalled a similar situation that occurred at the time of the approval of a new law by Executive decree that created the Consumer Protection and Defense of Competition Authority, which underwent several changes during the first and second debates before eventually being approved by a vote of the full legislative session.
Panameñista Jose I. Blandón has another opinion on the subject.
For him, of the 30 laws created by Executive decree that have been presented before the members of the National Assembly, only one was modified.
“One thing is what they say and another is what they do," said Blandón, who hopes that the members of Partido Revolucionario Democrático (PRD) are actually committed to take the subject to the Assembly and to accept modifications.
He announced that once the new laws created by executive decree are approved by the President Martin Torrijos, he does not rule out asking the National Assembly to take the subject in first debate in the Commission of the Government.
Decretos ley deben ir a la Asamblea, advierte diputado perredista
Saúl Quintero Quirós
squintero@elsiglo.com
La aprobación, en Consejo de Gabinete, de los decretos ley en materia de seguridad podría no ser el fin de su discusión, pues estos documentos, deben llegar al legislativo, advirtió el presidente de la Comisión de Gobierno de la Asamblea Nacional, Juan Hernández.
El diputado explicó que lo aprobado por el presidente Martín Torrijos, a pesar de los poderes extraordinarios, debe ir a la Asamblea Nacional de Diputados para su correspondiente discusión en primer debate.
Recalcó que “nada está escrito en piedra” y por ello las propuestas de reformas a los sistemas de seguridad nacional deben ser analizadas por el Órgano Legislativo.
Ello es así porque, de aprobarse sólo por el Ejecutivo, cualquier miembro de la Asamblea que crea que se violaron los derechos humanos y las leyes nacionales puede reclamar su estudio y modificación.
Recordó que situación similar se dio con la aprobación de las leyes de la Autoridad de Protección al Consumidor y Defensa de la Competencia, que sufrió varios cambios durante el primer y segundo debate, antes de ser aprobadas por el pleno legislativo.
El diputado panameñista José I. Blandón tiene otra opinión sobre el tema.
Para él, de 30 decretos ley que se presentaron ante los miembros de la Asamblea, solo uno fue el modificado.
“Una cosa es lo que se dice y otra la que se hace”, enfatizó Blandón, quien espera que los miembros del Partido Revolucionario Democrático (PRD) realmente se comprometan a llevar el tema a la Asamblea y a aceptar modificaciones.
Anunció que una vez los decretos ley de seguridad sean aprobados por el presidente Martín Torrijos, no descartó solicitar ante el órgano Legislativo su discusión en primer debate en la Comisión de Gobierno.
