Strike Prevents
Torrijos from Summit
Panamanian President
Martin Torrijos canceled
his participation in the
Ibero-American Summit in
Chile because of a
strike paralyzing
hospitals for a second
consecutive day.
Alina Guerrero,
Panamanian Foreign
Affairs Ministry
spokeswoman, said that
Torrijos will be
represented by Vice
President and Foreign
Minister Samuel Lewis.
The 48-hour strike was
decreed by 5,600 public
health doctors and
dentists, and the Public
Health Ministry reported
a demand for a 60
percent salary increase,
equivalent to 1,500
dollars.
A political crisis has
been generated by the
protests of the
population, especially
those living in the
interior provinces, who
will not receive
assistance until 2008.
The government rejected
the demand but opened
negotiations with
members of the Medical
Commission, the
organization that
convoked the strike, but
there is no solution as
yet. |
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