Confidentiality Questioned in Panama's Body Camera Procurement Process

Panama's government has authorized a pre-qualification process for a body camera system for its security forces, but the decision has sparked controversy over the confidentiality clauses involved. The Cabinet resolution, published in the Official Gazette, allows for the pre-qualification of companies interested in supplying, implementing, and managing the bodycam system.

However, the second article of the resolution permits confidentiality for the bidding documents for both the pre-qualification of bidders and the public act for contracting the system. This has drawn criticism from transparency advocates. Olga de Obaldía, executive director of the Foundation for the Development of Citizen Liberty, stated that this approach is part of a regional trend of limiting transparency under the guise of security.

"It's a philosophy that says 'to offer security services I have to close off information,' that's a double-edged sword and there are already precedents in the region that have resulted in the exact opposite," de Obaldía noted, citing major cases in Mexico and Colombia. She warned that prioritizing security over transparency could also restrict competition among interested companies and prevent citizens from accessing timely information about the contract's conditions and award details.

TVN Noticias requested an interview with the Ministry of Public Security's Communications Department to address these concerns, but no spokesperson was assigned to the issue. The lack of official comment leaves the public and private sectors in the dark regarding the rationale behind the confidentiality measures.