Bill 660.

Summary.

The bill establishes the San Martín Agricultural, Artisanal, Tourism and Folklore Fair as an annual event of public, cultural, economic, and social interest. It gives the Fair regional, national, and international scope and covers agricultural, agroindustrial, commercial, cultural, educational, folklore, tourism, artisanal, sporting, technological, and recreational activities. Its area of operation is East Panama, with its main venue in the township of San Martín, Panama District. Regulations would define the townships and communities in that region, and the Board of Trustees could hold complementary activities elsewhere within it. The Fair would take place between February and March; the Board of Directors would set and publish the exact dates.

The bill creates the Board of Trustees as a public interest entity with legal personality, its own assets, and administrative autonomy, guided by Executive Branch policy through the Ministry of Agricultural Development (Ministerio de Desarrollo Agropecuario). Its administrative headquarters would be in the township of San Martín, and it could open operational offices in East Panama. Its purpose includes organizing the Fair and other events connected with regional development. Its membership would include representatives of the Ministry of Agricultural Development, the Ministry of Culture (Ministerio de Cultura), the Panama Tourism Authority (Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá), the Ministry of Commerce and Industries (Ministerio de Comercio e Industrias), the Ministry of Environment (Ministerio de Ambiente), Panama District authorities, and productive, business, artisanal, community, Afro-descendant, and religious organizations. Members and alternates would be appointed for three years, with the possibility of one additional term. The bill regulates the selection of representatives, alternates, and vacancies, with the right to a defense and due process.

A Board of Directors elected from the principal members would have a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and auditor. The president would serve as legal representative; an executive director, subject to nationality, education, experience, and professional qualification requirements, would manage operations and execute the budget. The Board of Trustees could establish units and committees. Its members, advisers, and committee participants would serve without compensation, while the executive director and hired staff would be exempt from that rule. The bill sets quorum, voting rules, ordinary and extraordinary meetings, notice requirements, and minutes. It allocates duties between the Board of Directors and the full Board of Trustees to prepare and approve plans and budgets, organize events, enter into contracts, select participants, manage property, and account for its activities. It requires preference to be given to Panamanian artisans when assigning exhibition and sales spaces.

The proposed assets include property, donations, Fair revenue, leases, concessions, sponsorships, returns, inheritances, and annual contributions from the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Commerce and Industries, the Ministry of Agricultural Development, the Panama Tourism Authority, and the Municipality of Panama (Municipio de Panamá). Each entity’s contribution would be at least 10,000 balboas (B/.10,000.00). The Board of Trustees would be exempt from national taxes and levies directly connected with its purposes; municipal tax exemptions would require an agreement of the Panama District Municipal Council (Concejo Municipal del distrito de Panamá). No one could acquire ownership of improvements built on land belonging to the Board of Trustees, and those financing them would have to agree in advance on their use and disposition.

The Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic (Contraloría General de la República) would oversee public resources in accordance with the Political Constitution and the law. The Board of Trustees would submit and publish annual reports and audited financial statements. The Ministry of Agricultural Development would convene the inaugural meeting of the Board of Trustees within 90 days; the first Board of Directors would then be elected within 30 days, and the internal regulations would be submitted to the Executive Branch within 90 days. Public entities would support the establishment of the Board of Trustees and the first Fair; the Executive Branch would issue regulations under the law within six months of its promulgation. The proposed law would take effect the day after promulgation. These provisions link the named institutions with agricultural producers, artisans, merchants, entrepreneurs, tourism, culture, and community organizations in East Panama.