President Martinelli Lends a Hand to Senior Home Residents

President, Officials Lend a Hand to Senior Home Residents

Story by La Prensa

President Martinelli is greeted warmly by the residents of a neglected senior home he visited Thursday.

President Ricardo Martinelli and Vice President Juan Carlos Varela were greeted with hugs, applause and drumrolls from residents of Golden Years Senior Home in Pacora Thursday while on a visit to help distribute donated mattresses, wheelchairs, food, supermarket vouchers and even a public telephone.

Martinelli, flanked by his wife, Marta, the governor of the Panama province, Mayín Correa and Panama City Mayor Bosco Vallarino, also lent a hand to seniors who wished to register for the administration's "100 for 70" program, which offers a $100 monthly stipend to Panamanians 70-years-old and older. Some 56 of the 77 residents eventually enrolled that afternoon.

Vallarino, who called attention to the crumbling state of the senior home, help bring cheer the tone of the event when a folk band showed up. And even Martinelli kicked up his feet in a dance with one of the members of the ensemble.

Later, the president toured briefly the living quarters and kitchen, which were dingy and clearly neglected. "It's embarrassing that the mayor did nothing in 10 years to improve these facilities, despite having managed soaring budgets," he said.

Mayín Correa, who founded of the home in 1997, agreed with Martinelli and commented that the site had fallen into poor conditions. "The kitchen is a horror," she said. "It appears that they've not bought a new plate in 10 years."