Nelva Reyes: 'Health is a human right, and it is the duty and responsibility of the State to guarantee it'

Nelva Reyes is an educator and protagonist of struggles that promote the recognition of workers' rights.

She is the first woman to lead the Autonomous Central of Workers of Panama (CGTP) and no one can dispute the merit she has for being in that position. Her voice is heard loud and clear in the protests of educators and workers. And now, she is at the head of the workers in the dialogue for the Social Security Fund (CSS). The government must assume the responsibility established in the Political Constitution of the Republic of Panama to guarantee health to the Panamanian people, she has said on the subject.

In an interview granted to La Estrella de Panamá for "Interview Thursday", she talks about the position of the group that she represents in the dialogue for the CSS.

Do they or do they not have the disposition to return to the dialogue?

I think so. It has not been done because there are no conditions that allow a democratic, non-exclusive and equal dialogue to take place. We hope that the five points that have been raised will be taken into account. There is a point that is not negotiable and that is the return to the solidarity system, as more than twenty countries have done.

I understand that the re-entry into the dialogue would be determined by these proposed points...

Regarding the re-entry into the dialogue, from day one we were very clear in presenting five fundamental points to participate in it. We did this on February 8, which was the first plenary meeting, where a subcommittee was chosen to work on the methodology to be followed in the dialogue.

We raised the five points to participate in the dialogue, none have been taken into account; I am speaking for the CGTP, we cannot re-enter the dialogue to the extent that the points have not been taken into account.

What are these requests to join the discussion of solutions to revive CSS?

We have raised five requests to join the discussion, which are the following: That the moderation of the dialogue be decided by the dialogue table itself, that the moderator not be imposed, that he have credibility and moral authority.

That the table is made up of the real actors of the Social Security Fund. Here we refer to workers, the government sector and businessmen, health workers, pensioners and retirees. In addition, that the Social Security Fund is not divided. We believe that it should maintain its integrity. That the deputies and the rest of the people who have integrated can be as observers, but they are not decisive in the decision making. And that decisions are by consensus. Return to the solidarity system. Take these points into account.

Could this phase of the dialogue be affected if the workers' union does not return to the negotiating table?

Of course, this table is lame, a very important sector is missing, which is the workers, who are coordinated in the National Council of Organized Workers (Conato). It is a table that is totally delegitimized.

In a dialogue about the main health institution for workers, the components of the dialogue table cannot first be imposed through the board of directors of the Social Security Fund; second, that what was raised by the workers for participation in it has not been taken into account. Third, the decisions that are taken are not by consensus, or a very sui generis consensus to favor the neoliberal positions that occur in it.

What does the group of workers propose to revive the Social Security Fund?

From Conato, from the Alternative Forum, from the University of Panama, we have three intertwined proposals that are based on the principles that an institution such as the CSS must have, a fundamental backbone for the Panamanian people. A diagnosis has been made of what Law 51 has been and the failure it has meant, and a return to the solidarity system has been established. This return to the solidarity system has 15 proposals that support the guarantee to return to it. Health is a human right, and it is the duty and responsibility of the State to guarantee it.

“That the proposals put forward by the workers be discussed on equal terms and taken to a referendum; that it be the people who decide for the workers' proposal or for that of the government and the business sector”.

That the proposals put forward by the workers be discussed on equal terms and taken to a referendum; Let the people decide whether to support the proposal of the workers or that of the government and the business sector.

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Do you create the grouping in the dialogue as an option to solve the economic problems faced by the CSS?

The forms and methods in which the CSS dialogues have been carried out have been a failure, such as the one in 2005 that resulted in Law 51. In that dialogue there were also impositions by its components. Today they have had the same method as in 2005, and it does not allow a consonant, balanced and fair exit for the workers.

A dialogue is required that does not follow the guidelines of the International Monetary Fund, which in a meeting with the government on April 19 and 30 of this year stated: "I entrust the Panamanian Government to adopt the following public policy actions: among which it indicates that the pension system may need gradual measures to cement its financial viability”.

What the Fund tells us is that parametric measures must be applied, which are nothing more than raising the retirement age to 65 years – for men and women; increase from 20 to 35 years the years to be able to retire, and raise the employer-employee quota, among others.

It has been mentioned that the absenteeism of the group could be described as a lack of interest in the subject...

It is not true. Not being at the table does not indicate that we have not been working on what we consider should be a document and reach a law for a humane, supportive and quality SSC.

How do workers intend to provide solutions outside the negotiating table?

If the stated conditions are not met, we will not be able to return to the table. Therefore, it is necessary for the entire population to be alert, to read, to study the workers' proposal that indicates that there is a way out of the CSS if there is the political will to do so, without taking measures to the detriment of the families and workers of our country, minimally establishing a good administration. If businessmen and the government pay the worker-employer quota up to date, if the government assumes the responsibility indicated by the Constitution to guarantee health to the Panamanian people, and that means contributions to the Fund, the levels of corruption that have been reported in the institution, as well as putting a stop to the thefts and losses that occur in it, among many others.

What would be the role of the International Labor Organization (ILO), whose presence you have requested at the table?

The role of the ILO, a discussion must be held with them and clearly define what they would do. Some consider that it can be a technical support as they have done in other countries. But it would have to be defined with them.

THE VOICE OF THE WORKERS

He was born in Vallerriquito, district of Las Tablas, province of Los Santos.

Full name: Nelva Reyes

Birth: September 23.

Occupation: Educator

Religious beliefs: Catholic

Summary of her career: She did her primary school in Vallerriquito and secondary school at Colegio Manuel María Tejada Roca de Las Tablas. She studied cooperativism at the Inter-American Cooperative Institute (ICI). She graduated as a primary education educator from the University of Panama and a secondary education educator at Uniedpa. She co-directed the magazine 'Mujeres, Adelante' and the radio program 'Mujeres, Adelante'. With the team that published the magazine, she carried out work with peasant women and in different sectors of the city.