CK Hutchison Rebuts Panama Allegations, Says It Paid All Taxes and Operated Legally with Investment Far Exceeding Contractual Requirements
長和反駁巴拿馬 強調交足稅合法經營 投資額遠超合約要求
The controversy over CK Hutchison’s proposed sale of its Panama operations continued to escalate after Panama’s audit authorities recently accused the company’s subsidiary and maritime operations of multiple violations, including unpaid amounts and tax evasion. The authorities are considering legal action to cancel the concession contract, effectively “taking back” the canal. Hutchison Ports Panama, the CK Hutchison subsidiary accused of the violations, issued a statement yesterday rebutting the allegations point by point in 10 items. It said the company had made investments exceeding 1.695 billion balboas—far above the 1 billion balboas required under the contract and supplementary agreements—with one balboa equal to one US dollar. The company said the investment had been confirmed by Panama’s Comptroller General. The statement also said some inaccurate public comments had distorted the legal relationship between the concession contract and its supplementary agreements, conflicted with the conduct of the Republic of Panama over many years, and were “regrettable”.
長和擬出售巴拿馬事件持續發酵，巴拿馬審計部門日前指控長和子公司和海事部門有多項違規，例如欠款和避稅，考慮循法律途徑取消特許經營權合約，變相「收回」運河。被指違規的長和子公司和記港口巴拿馬港口公司昨日發聲明，列出十點逐一反駁指控，包括指公司已作出超過16.95億巴波亞幣（每1巴波亞幣等於1美元）巨額投資，遠超合約和附加協議要求的10億巴波亞幣，反指該筆投資已獲巴拿馬審計長確認。聲明又指，現時外界部分不符事實的言論，扭曲了特許經營合約及其附加協議的法律關係，也與巴拿馬共和國多年行事有抵觸，形容事件「令人遺憾」。