President Martinelli fired Simon Becker, now former governor of the Bocas del Toro province, for what some speculate was a failure in carrying out orders.
Becker began his gubernatorial term on July 1, 2009. On November 19, Minister of Government and Justice Jose Raul Mulino ordered the evictio of the Naso indians occupying the San San Druy area. The riot police came in and razed homes, but the persistent Nasos kept coming back, holding firm to the land they say was bequeathed to them by their ancestors while cattle company Ganadera Bocas claims the land as theirs.
Becker told La Prensa that he was not given a reason for his dismissal. Naso leader Eliseo Vargas believes the action is part of a strategy to derail the judicial process in the Naso case against the cattle company and the Bonyic hydroelectric project.
Vice Governor Elizabeth Joseph will act as the interim governor while ex-deputy Jose Brown and Vice Mayor Bayardo Martinez could be in the running to replace Becker.
Simon Becker
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Panama TV and Panama VIP, Travel Panama. Travel Panama said: Bocas del Toro Governor Fired | The Panama Digest: President Martinelli fired Simon Becker, now former governor of… http://bit.ly/dBV8os [...]