Based on a report published by the newspaper La Prensa, the promises of the current administration of Laurentino Cortizo to increase public investment in science, technology, and innovation to 1,0% of the Gross Domestic Product (gdp) have not been fulfilled.

The project, as part of the government’s Uniting Action Plan, does not meet this requirement, according to data from the National Secretariat of Science, Technology, and Innovation (SENACYT), which indicates that Panama invests around 0,13% of its GDP in this area.

SENACYT’s budget for this year is less than that of the National Assembly (Parliament), which is 150 million dollars, that is, nearly 85 million dollars less, according to these statistics.

Eduardo Ortega, head of SENACYT, explained that Panama is one of the countries in the Latin American and Caribbean region that invests the least in research and development, even though this community has demonstrated its value in times of public health, social and economic crisis, such as the one generated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

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