The overpass being built on Ave. Israel by the company Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas (FCC) will cost $200 million dollars and is estimated to be completed in late 2013. The Director of Special Projects of the Ministry of Public Works (MOP), Carlos Ho, said the project also includes a "fast track" that will cross the main intersection of 50th Street, via Brazil, via España, and Via Transístmica to Richard J. Alfaro. He explained this is part of the "North - South Axis Project" in Panama City, which will connect the Northern and Southern corridors through which circulate more than 60,000 cars daily, according to studies by this entity.

He explained Via Israel is going to sink and it will pass a roundabout at the existing street level. "This will eliminate the traffic lights and traffic will be more fluid to Calle 50, as well as to the center of the city, because they will be able to move in a more expeditious manner," said the official.

Roberto Roy, Secretary of the Metro, said projects like this help to improve the road infrastructure in the capital. "Building the new Metro subway system is not the only solution for better vehicular circulation, but also the arterial roads of the city," he said.

Ho added something similar will be done with Calle 50, they will sink the road a bit and construct margins that will lead to the roundabout at the intersection of Calle 50 and Via Brazil, from Via Israel. When asked if the pedestrian bridge will disappear that is currently located across from the vocational school Obaldía Isabel Herrera, Ho said this could be a possibility, but initial studies indicated there was no need for it to be relocated. "If necessary, the bridge will be removed for the safety of road users," he said. The Director of Special Projects of the MOP said these projects will not affect the halls of this campus, although he confirmed the school would lose 350 square meters of land. (Prensa)

   

The Colombian who died after a confrontation with the State Border Service (SENAFRONT) was a member of the 57th Front of the FARC. He presumably served as a combat medic who was attending the group of insurgents who were spotted in Alto Tuira, in the province of the Darién. Commissioner Frank Abrego, the Chief of the SENAFRONT added that three more FARC guerrillas were wounded, but they have not yet been located.

Background: On Friday, 20 January 2012, a SENAFRONT patrol in the area of Quebrada Urruti of Cerro Pirre, in Alto Tuira, located a guerrilla camp where they seized 20 camouflage uniforms, two pairs of pants, 17 shirts, and a cube with 56 rounds of M-60 ammunition, two AK-47 rifles and a Galil magazine.

It was also learned there had been a raid in Metetí where a search warrant was executed, and authorities arrested Armando Campbell Griffith, Alcides García, Cristian Julio, the Colombian Eider Samboni, and the nationalized Panamanian Luz Magali Meneses, the owner of the house in which were found two AK-47 rifles, three empty magazines, four rounds of ammunition, a 9 mm pistol with an empty magazine, and a vehicle that tested positive for traces of explosives, said Rafael Guerrero, chief of Anti Drug Operations of the Public Ministry.

While the confrontation was recorded in Alto Tuira, at the control post in Agua Fria authorities seized 100 kilos of cocaine and detained Raul Sotillo Gonzalez. (Mi Diario)

Editor's Comment: The dead guerrilla was carrying a medic kit and a rifle. Three other g's were hit and left blood trails leading into the jungle.   

Juan Carlos Hidalgo, 29 years of age and Javier Bermudez, 49 years old, died last night in a traffic accident near the told toll booth on the highway between Arraiján and La Chorrera. The two victims were aboard a motorcycle when they were rammed by sports car, in which there were three passengers. Early reports indicate driver of the sports car hit the bike, however, the authorities of the Transit Police are investigating the cause of this accident, since the versions of the eyewitnesses and the sports car driver do not match. (Critica)

   

A new group of journalists from the television company Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) will come to Panama next Monday with the intention of carrying out journalistic work on mining. The arrival of the new CBC team will come almost a week after Immigration authorities prevented Rosie Simms, a reporter from that company, from entering the country on Friday, 20 January 2012. Previously, Simms was in Panama journalist and wrote stories about Ngäbe-Bugle people and their struggle against the mining projects.

This time, El Siglo learned that CBC will send another group of journalists to Panama, but without saying how many it would be. The National Immigration Service, an institution that maintains the data and information on the entry and exit of foreign nationals, said they do not know if there was any standing impediment to entry against the journalist Simms.

Government spokesman Luis Camacho said he does not know what happened to the Canadian journalist, or if there is any impediment that would prevent her from entering Panama. In any case, he said, he would correspond with the National Immigration Service to define if there is any action against the journalist.

The Secretary General of the Union of Journalists of Panama, Filemón Medina, expressed concern over this situation and he regretted that a democratic country can prevent the entry of journalists doing research. According to Medina, the Panamanian government will not find, at the end of the tunnel, a light that provides guidance on their relationship with the news media.

This is not the first time a foreign journalist has been prevented from entering Panama, because on 28 February 2011 the Spanish journalist Francisco Gómez Nadal was deported to his country. Nadal worked at the newspaper La Prensa and in his writings he had spoken in defense of the indigenous peoples' struggle against the mining projects. (Siglo)

Editor's Comment: And, there’s the answer. Rosie Simms was in Panama in early 2011 working as a journalist and political activist. When I first started investigating this issue, I heard she was a "fixer" - someone who does the initial legwork for a news organization. It simply didn't make any sense for the government of Panama to bar entry to a low level, relatively young, and inexperienced fixer. None. So, I started checking into it. I contacted Lynn Burgess, a producer for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. I explicitly asked Mrs. Burgess if Rosie Simms had any experience working as a journalist in Panama, if she had ever been to Panama, or if she had ever done anything while here that might have prompted the government to take this action against her. Lynn Burgess went out of her way to describe Rosie Simms as a young, inexperienced, and harmless college student, saying "she says 'gosh' and 'golly' for example." Lynn Burgess said she had no idea why the government of Panama would want to keep her out of the country, and suspected it might have something to do with their intent to do a story about Canadian companies and mining in Panama. Well, Lynn Burgess was right.

Highly Biased Reporting On Mining in Panama: Rosie Simms wrote and published a series of articles about mining in Panama and the participation of Canadian companies in those operations. Every one of her reports are written staunchly from the side of the protesting Ngöbé-Buglé indigenous peoples of Panama, highly biased against the mining projects being promoted by the government of Panama and president Ricardo Martinelli. She is NOT "just a fixer" but rather much more of a political activist playing the role of investigative journalist. Simms co-wrote and published an article in “The Dominion” on 4 May 2011 with the title “Ngobe Protest Prevails.” You can read the article for yourself at this link: http://www.dominionpaper.ca/articles/3968.

At the end of the article, in the section describing the authors, it states “Dana Holtby and Rosie Simms are Montreal-based students and environmental organizers with a focus on water justice and Indigenous rights. They are currently travelling throughout Panama on a four-month field study semester.”

About The Dominion: In the “About Us” section of their website, they write:

• “Is the Dominion biased?

• We believe all media are biased. Every time a reporter chooses a story, chooses who to interview, chooses what questions to ask, he or she is revealing a bias. Much of the coverage in the mainstream press is biased towards the rich and the powerful. For example, articles in the business section of the Globe and Mail focus on how rich people are making more money and rarely cover the impacts corporations are having on labour rights, the environment, social inequality, First Nations land rights, etc.

• Where mainstream media makes false claims of 'balanced' and 'unbiased' coverage, the Dominion is explicit about its bias: we are biased towards the perspectives of those most affected by events, government policy and corporate activity.”

So, Rosie Simms was apparently prevented from entering Panama because of this article. And that's not the only one. On 11 March 2011 another article was published by this same pair, The Consequences of Copper. Again, this article was highly biased against the copper mining project in Panama, and was literally written from the inside of the indigenous protests against Law 8. Simms also co-wrote and published In The Belly Of The Machine. Finally, they posed another report with an audio file here, under Ngöbé-Buglé unite against Panamanian mining code changes.

Bottom Line: I hope Rosie Simms enjoyed her time in Panama, because she's probably not going to be let back in until the SUNTRACS candidate gets elected as the new president in 2098. This Inmet copper mine deal is a multi-billion dollar project. The numbers are massive - way to big for the government to give a single rat's ass about Rosie Simms or her world view about the impact of copper mining on the indigenous people of Panama. You might agree or disagree with the government's position on mining, freedom of the press, or the treatment of international journalists - but that's why she got thrown out of Panama. And apparently, Lynn Burgess at the CBC either didn't know about these articles, or she "neglected" to tell me about them when we spoke. Anyway, no matter. There's no mystery here anymore. Done. Next.   

The National Assembly Deputy from the Panameñista political party Jose Isabel Blandon said with the creation of the Fifth Chamber, the President seeks to ensure immunity, because during his term in office he will have appointed eight of the twelve sitting justices on the Supreme Court. Blandon warned the passage of this bill would open the way for Martinelli's re-election, saying the same thing might happen here as what happened in Nicaragua with President Daniel Ortega. He said the Panamanian people reject the Fifth Chamber, because they want to preserve the democracy, for which they fought. Meanwhile the National Assembly Deputy from the Democratic Change political party Gabriel Mendez said the bill that seeks to establish the Fifth Chamber is subject to change, because it seeks to impose something that benefits the country. (TVN)   

Every week Panama arrests an average of 30 Cubans who are trying to reach the United States, a situation that is becoming a "concern" for the country, said Thursday the Director of the National Immigration Service, Javier Carrillo. "We are capturing about 30 Cubans per week, which is a lot for us," Carrillo said in a meeting with foreign correspondents. He added that since August 2011, Cuban immigrants have been gaining entry into Panama from Colombia through the jungles of the Darien (the border between the two countries), which has intensified recently.

He said the Cubans arrive in Ecuador, where there is no visa required, and from there they enter Colombia to continue a journey through Central America to reach the United States. "We have some problems with the Southern area where some countries have open immigration policies. We are being invaded by Cubans," said Carrillo, who called this fact "worrying". Overcrowding in the holding cells where the captured illegal immigrants are taken complicates the picture, and what's more, when they try to deport them to Cuba, that country's authorities reject them.

The complications caused by the illegal entry of Cubans to Central America will be one of the primary topics to be discussed by the Directors of Immigration from the United States, Mexico, Dominican Republic and Panama on 2 and 3 February in Panama. "We will focus on this issue of human trafficking. We're having a big problem that affects us all," lamented Carrillo, for whom one of the measures against the problem would be to ask Ecuador "to start to require Cubans to have a visa." (Telemetro)

Editor's Comment: It's funny how people and things come out of the Darien jungle in Panama, trying to make it all the way to the United States.    

The Minister of Trade and Industry (MITI), Ricardo Quijano, who is part of the delegation accompanying the President in Davos Switzerland, where they are attending the World Economic Forum, denied on Friday that the purchasing power of the Panamanian people is going through a crisis. The minister gave the example of the sales of vehicles and properties, as well as bars and taverns that are full, the same as the shopping centers, even on Sundays. According to Quijano, now when the Panamanians walk through commercial stores, it's not just because they are window shopping, but because they came to actually buy something and spend money at the various stores.

However, he acknowledged that prices for products of high need (basic food basket) have increased, while the government tries to find a strategy to sell rice - the main component of the Panamanian diet - at a lower price.

Ricardo Quijano, Panama's Minister of Trade, Commerce, and Industry

However, despite everything, Quijano said the world sees this Central American country as a vibrant nation, because many foreign companies have made ​​multi million dollar investments here. In that sense, by phone to TVN News, the Minister suggested that the Panamanian people should be prepared for the opportunities that lie ahead. (Estrella)

Editor's Comment: Quijano is absolutely correct. There has been a degree of inflation in Panama, however increasing wages have more than outpaced that growth, so therefore the average person has more in their pocket to spend now than before. Add to that the expanding economy and the number of new jobs that have been created, so practically everyone who wants a job is working. The political opposition of the PRD and the Panameñistas would be utter fools to try to criticize the Martinelli administration on fundamental economic issues. Well, they will do it anyway, because they know many Panamanians don't understand the simple and basic elements of national economics, so just by screaming "rising cost of living" they will gain some supporters, even though it's not true.   

The residents of Gold Hill in the area of ​​Coco Solo, village of Cristobal in Colon, are protesting after there was an accident between a train and an 18 wheeler, which, according to the residents, was caused by a lack of road signs. The protesters burned tires and blocked the rail road line in protest early today, hoping that the Transit Authority and the Panama Canal Railway Company would offer a solution. In December, a similar accident occurred at the same point, when a freight train collided with and dragged a 4x4 truck with its driver Ricardo Hamilton. The protesters say the protest will run from today until Sunday, prohibiting the passage of both the train and cargo carrying vehicles. (Panama America)



   

The National Assembly remained in session until 3:35 am early Friday morning, 27 January 2012, discussing Bill No. 402, which will provide the legal basis for the new Fifth Chamber of the Supreme Court. The Deputy and Second Vice President of the Assembly, Rony Arauz, who chaired the debate, agreed to finish the session at that time, so that later no one could say the law had been approved "in the middle of the night." So, it is expected the lawmakers will resume the debate at 11:00 am on Friday morning, with the vote on the minority reports in relation to the Fifth Chamber, presented by the deputies of the opposition Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) and the Panameñistas.

In the marathon session, which began in the afternoon yesterday, Thursday, opposition deputies sustained their reporting on Bill 402. In addition, they called for the project to be returned to committee, after claiming the Government Commission approved the initiative "surprisingly," which had been presented by Deputy Hernan Delgado, without the participation of civil society and opposition lawmakers.

For its part, the caucus of the ruling Democratic Change party claimed opposition lawmakers were causing the extension session by introducing bills in the middle of the discussion to delay the process. (Prensa)   

The citizens of Panama don't know how the new system that will be used to pay bus fare on the new Metro Bus is going to work. The use of the electronic swipe cards will take affect on 15 February 2012. Some say they prefer to pay with coins rather than use the card, because they consider the new system to be more complicated. The company Sonda announced that as of February 15 they will start to implement the cards to pay to ride on the Metro Bus. The card will have an initial cost of $2.00 (two dollars), more money can be added to the card above this amount, and it will be transferable, although the intention is for the cards to eventually be individualized so that each person can carry their own, according to Sonda. Schools students will also have to pay using the card, which will be white in color. Bus fare will still be 25 cents for trunk routes, and $1.25 for those routes using the Northern and Southern Corridors, and 10 cents for students. Sonda promised to launch a campaign to guide the population on the use of the card. (TVN)   

A woman was killed in a hotel, located on Calle 4 Meléndez in the city of Colon. The woman allegedly was strangled with a towel tied around her neck. The woman was dressed and lying on the bed. The murderer fled to the rear of the motel. (Critica)

   

Panama's Security Minister Jose Raul Mulino accepted that the Northern and Southern coasts of the province of Veraguas remain the preferred route of drug traffickers to conduct their illegal activities. While Mulino was in the district of Cañazas to attend the inauguration of a newly remodeled police station to curb crime plaguing the country, he said efforts are being made to strengthen security in this area of ​​the country. The remodeling of the police post was made at a cost of $71,919 and was done because it was in very bad condition, authorities said. Mulino announced they are doing significant work on the police outposts in the villages of Arenas, Tebario, Quebro in the district of Mariato, Puerto Vidal in the district of Las Palmas, and La Raya in the city of Santiago. During the tour of Veraguas, the minister referred to the poor condition of many of the police stations around the country. Mulino said he has about $29 million dollars that will be used in safety programs such as the construction of police stations and the purchase of equipment used by the National Police. (Telemetro)

   

A gas leak that occurred when workers were installing or connecting a gas water heater caused the explosion on the 21st floor of the White building White, located on Balboa Avenue, on Wednesday January 25, reported the Fire Department of Panama. In a press release the Fire Department said at approximately 5:20 pm an explosion occurred resulting in four injuries, two of them with severe burns. Major Carlos Rodriguez, the National Director of Security, Fire Prevention and Investigation of the Fire Department of the Republic of Panama, said the investigation is ongoing by the Auxiliary Prosecutor jointly with the Directorate responsible for determining responsibility, and thus far they have not permitted the occupation of the building where the explosion occurred for safety reasons. There are still fire investigators working in the area. Major Rodriguez stressed the need to only use personnel who have been previously trained and certified by the Fire Department to install connections of this nature to avoid unfortunate situations. (Estrella)

   

Introducing Panama Food Box Delivery: The first food box delivery service in Panama City. We offer a collection of different food box combinations, including tropical fruits, vegetables and roots. You can order food boxes for yourself only or as a regular fruit and vegetable supply for your whole family. To ensure freshness we select your vegetables and fruits the day before the delivery, and in some cases the very same day! It tastes better when it’s fresh!

Food Box Options: We currently have 18 fruit boxes, but you can customize all of them by replacing any item for another or adding additional items. It’s your choice! Just let us know what you want in your box.

Food Box Add-ons: Add-ons are really a bargain! Check out this week’s add-ons:

How does it work? Ordering with us is really simple:

• Step 1: Check out our food box collection in our website www.chrisburillo.com !
• Step 2: Choose the food boxes you are interested in and call us or send us an email requesting the boxes you want. Remember to mention if you’d like any add-on to your box.
• Step 3: We will call you to go over your order and to take the delivery address information, and that’s it! You have placed your order
• Step 4: Make your payment in cash the day of the delivery.

Thinking about throwing a boat party? – Surprise your guests with fresh green coconuts, pineapples, papayas, and citrus fruits while touring the Panama Bay! Kick-it-up another botch and order strawberries and cherries too!

Contact: Chris Burillo - Visit our Website: www.chrisburillo.com. Email me: cburillo@chrisburillo.com Mobile (on-the-road): +507 6493-5524

   

Journalist unions confirmed the report by Reporters Without Borders in which Panama fell 58 positions in the assessment with respect to freedom of expression. From position number 55 previously occupied by Panama in the 2010 report (issued at the start of the Ricardo Martinelli administration) the country fell to 81 in 2011, and now in 2012 to position 113. Meanwhile, on Friday January 20 the Canadian journalist Rosie Simms was banned from entering Panama, who was to make a report about mining for the CBC. (Prensa)

Editor's Comment: The woman who was prevented from entering Panama is a "fixer" - a person hired by a news organization to do glamorous things such as hire a driver, find and procure coolers full of Gatorade, to make phone calls, schedule appointments, etc. Yes, she was working on behalf of the CBC, but she wasn't really a "journalist" in the truest sense of the word, and in fact she was simply working on behalf of a the biggest news organization in Canada, the CBC. Now, the question remains - Why was she turned away? I'm working on it. Here's a link to the most recent version of the Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders.   

After a year and a half of waiting, the bill to establish female and male sterilization was approved yesterday in the first debate by the Committee of Women's Affairs of the National Assembly. The approval of the project was attended by five of the nine members of the commission, which had not met for several weeks due to the absence of the deputies. Crispiano Adames, of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), said the proposal seeks to eliminate the current legislation on the subject, which dates from 1941, which he considers to be discriminatory, and in violation of human rights because it prevents women from taking responsibility (for the decision), and it violates the sovereign decision of how many to conceive.

The current law states that in order for a woman to be sterilized, she must be at least 33 years of age, have had at least five live births, and in addition she requires her husband's approval. The most recent regulation of this old law issued by the Ministry of Health lowered the age to 28 years and the number of children to two.

The new bill clarifies that sterilization is a personal right, and is voluntary on the part of the woman, although it does not specify the age at which to apply sterilization, only that the woman be an adult (18). At this point, Adames proposed the age should be 21 and the woman must have had at least two children, but said he was open to other suggestions of experts.

The bill also contemplates male sterilization with the consent and information on the risks of a surgical procedure and the consequences of a vasectomy.

The document stipulates that in order to proceed with the sterilization, the woman must present a voluntary petition and medical recommendation, as well as a test to prove she is not pregnant. The procedure will be stopped if the woman expresses before the end of medical intervention that she was not presented with information about alternative methods of contraception.

The commissioners also approved bill 305, which ensures the health and education of pregnant adolescents. This document creates lactation rooms in schools where teenage mothers can attend to their children, in order not to interrupt their education, and to encourage measures to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies and abortions. It also encourages the attendance of minors to planning consultations. (Panama America)

Editor's Comment: Holy Last Century, Bat Girl. Five live births and the consent of the husband required to get your tubes tied? Well, yeah, that's from 71 years ago. Now, get 'chur cute little barefoot fanny back into that kitchen, and keep squeezin' out those pups...   

Government spokesman Luis Eduardo Camacho said Thursday president Ricardo Martinelli's weekly radio and television program - that had been announced as starting during January 2012 - "is going to start when it's ready." For now, the show's format is under discussion, because they want the communication to be as clear as possible, Camacho explained. In addition, they have not yet defined the amount of time the program will take up, when it will be transmitted, nor the frequency of the programs, he said. In turn, Camacho defended the initiative while speaking on the channel 2 TVN News program, by ensuring that all the president wants to do is to "have a direct dialogue, without intermediaries, discuss the concerns" of the citizens. The spokesman said this is not the first time the office of the President of Panama has established this type of program. He said during their administrations the former presidents Ernesto Perez Balladares and Mireya Moscoso participated in a similar format.

Last December, Martinelli said he wants to use the program, called "The President Reports," to inform the people on how things are in Panama, the progress being made on the projects the government has undertaken, and the compliance with his most important campaign promises, which he calls the "unforgivable" elements (in that they absolutely must get done, as a priority of his administration.) (Prensa)   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Yesterday afternoon, Wednesday, 25 January 2012, the National Police of Panama held a press conference to announce the arrest of six suspects involved in recent bank robbery. The Director of the National Police of Panama said the apprehension of these six suspects was important in that they were able to determine exactly where the perpetrators were able to obtain the police uniforms they used during the robbery.

Director Perez said thus far they have apprehended six suspects, of which one is a woman. Besides the arrest of these suspects, Perez said they also seized several vehicles, recovered $53,000 dollars of the total $104,000 stolen from the bank on Tuesday this week, and they also seized drugs discovered during the execution of the search warrants.

Panama's Auxiliary Prosecutor Dimas Guevara said their investigation started with the initial report of the bank robbery that occurred on Tuesday at the Banco Nacional on 12 de Octubre Avenue. Prosecutor Guevara said the six suspects managed to steal a little more than $104,000 dollars from the bank, and he is continuing with his investigation in order to press formal charges against the suspects, who remain in custody. He said one of the most important pieces of evidence they have thus far is the recovery of part of the money stolen from the bank, as well as the weapons and vehicles used in the robbery.

Prosecutor Guevara said "a part" of this criminal organization has been arrested, and their rapid capture can be attributed to the joint efforts of the National Police, the Direction of Judicial Investigation (DIJ), and the Public Ministry. Guevara said they managed to recover about half of the stolen money as well as the weapons and vehicles used in the robbery through the execution of "numerous" search warrants, and they are currently on the trail of the remaining suspects and the rest of the missing money. Guevara confirmed all six suspects are Panamanians, and so far there have been no indications of involvement by foreigners in the bank robbery.

The Director of the Department of Judicial Investigation (DIJ) Manuel Moreno said they seized 24 bags, each containing approximately 50 grams of cocaine (for a total of 1.2 kilograms).

Police Director Perez attributed the success of their operation to coordination, saying "as you can see we apprehended these delinquents in less than 24 hours. The most important thing is in the details. The remaining suspects know we are going to catch them. This is exactly the message I want to send - you're going to get caught." Perez said information provided by the first suspect captured just three hours after the robbery led them to the rest of the suspects. Director Perez was clearly proud when he said "this is not the largest bank robbery in the history of Panama - there have been others. But this is the first one that has occurred during our administration, and we resolved it within 24 hours."

Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.    

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - This afternoon at 5:45 pm there was a gas explosion in the newly constructed "White" building on Ave. Balboa. Three workers were installing a gas water heater and were injured as a result of the exceptionally strong gas explosion. The windows of apartment number 21 were blown out. Parts and pieces of the window frames landed in the street, and some of the cars that were parked in the Coastal Strip were damaged by flying debris. The three injured workers and the elderly woman who is the owner of the apartment were taken to the Santo Tomas hospital for treatment.

Brand New Building: The "White" building has more than 60 stories with three apartments per floor. So far only about ten families have moved in. It is located just past the BBVA Building, close to the Parque Urraca.

Traffic Chaos In Panama City: The National Police have blocked off the Coastal Strip to allow the Fire Department and emergency responders to do their jobs. There is still debris and glass scattered all over the road. Ave. Balboa, Calle 50, and the Northern Corridor are all completely jammed up. The authorities are asking people to stay home and not use their cars unless it's absolutely necessary, and to avoid blocking intersections. Also, at 8:00 pm tonight the United States is playing Panama at the Rommel Fernandez stadium, and that's also not helping the traffic situation.

Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.   

The Electoral Court judge (TE), Gerardo Solís said the entity bases its decisions on facts, and in order to completely understand and to see the consequences of the Supreme Court decision on the constitutionality of the retroactive elements of Resolution No. 2 of the National Assembly, from July 3, 2009, which returned citizenship rights to former Mayor Bosco Ricardo Vallarino, one must know the reasoning behind it. According to Judge Solis, one should wait to for the ruling to be issued in order to analyze it, in order to determine what is appropriate, because the country has seen an advance of the decision. He also said judges must act on facts, completed, therefore one cannot advance an opinion until the contents of the formal document are known. Similarly, he said Mayor Roxana Méndez was chosen by direct popular vote, as the Deputy and replacement for the former Mayor Bosco Vallarino, who was elected by a vote of Panamanians, and therefore she "is entitled to act right now" as the Mayor of Panama City, he said. He said it's important to analyze the opinion of constitutional experts, and that the public and express themselves freely. (Panama America)   

In a unanimous ruling, the Supreme Court yesterday declared unconstitutional Law 78 of December 11, 2009, which sealed Panama's withdrawal from the Central American Parliament (Parlacen), a forum in which the president, Ricardo Martinelli, who pushed for this law, will now have a seat as of 2014. The Chief Justice, Alejandro Moncada Luna, made the announcement at 1:00 pm yesterday afternoon, about three hours after the start of a special session of the Supreme Court. The ruling was written by judge Harry Díaz -the President of the Criminal Chamber - who was appointed by Martinelli in 2011 to replace Judge Jose Abel Almengor, who resigned. Presidential spokesman Luis Eduardo Camacho acknowledged yesterday that the Government has no other choice but to obey the decision. The President, who called the Parlacen a "den of impunity", has not made a statement on the issue because he is traveling in Switzerland.

For his part, lawyer Julio Berrio, promoter of the three lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of Law 78, said the ruling was in strict accordance with the law, and it corrected a clear violation of the Constitution and the 1969 Vienna Convention, to which Panama is signatory.

The Resolution That Enabled Bosco Vallarino Declared Unconstitutional: During the same session yesterday the Supreme Court declared as unconstitutional the retroactive effect of Resolution No. 2 of the National Assembly, from July 3, 2009, which returned citizenship rights to Bosco Ricardo Vallarino. In the ruling, written by judge Hernán De Leon, declared unconstitutional the phrase "after 2000" contained in the resolution, because it violated Article 46 of the Constitution. No further details were provided about the unanimous decision. (Prensa)

Editor's Comment: In the Panamanian Supreme Court the decisions are written by one of the nine judges - called the "potente" - who is responsible for doing the research, analyzing the case, defining the appropriate law, etc. This person writes up the draft, which is then coordinated around among the rest of the judges. As soon as there is a majority in agreement with the draft, then there's a decision. The dissenters can write their opinion if they wish, but it won't change the outcome. Apparently both of these decisions were unanimous. I thought the Parlacen decision was interesting because I was convinced Martinelli wanted Panama out. Maybe he's since decided that ten years of immunity from prosecution isn't such a bad thing, after all?   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - An earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale occurred at 8:55 am local this morning. The epicenter of the quake was located at coordinates 6.908N 82.658W and at a depth of 10 km. Distances: 171 km (106 miles) S (188 degrees) of David, Panama, 229 km (143 miles) SW (234 degrees) of Santiago, Panama, 273 km (170 miles) S (189 degrees) of Bocas del Toro, Panama, 375 km (233 miles) SSE (156 degrees) of SAN JOSE, Costa Rica. USGS Event ID - US 2012wea3.

Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Received today via email: "Hello Mr. Winters. Read your Panama Guide constantly and truly enjoy it. Could you please clear up something for me and possibly others? We live in the Bejuco area and have heard that if our gardener (2 days/week) works a total of 14 hours or more we must sign him up for social security and pay his ss premiums. Is this true? We had a full time gardener (on ss.) until he quit and now wonder about the new law and the part-timer. What is our responsibility under these new laws? They seem so confusing to us. Keep up the good work with the paper. It is truly the best way for us to know what's happening in the country. J&LM"

Editor's Comment: First of all, it's "Winner", not "Winters". I have no idea why that switch occurs in people's minds, but it's been happening my entire life. Anyway, one of the things you will be needing if you live in Panama as a resident is a lawyer, on retainer. Now normally I would say you don't need a lawyer for this kind of stuff, but if you're Spanish language skills are not up to snuff then you might miss something, do something wrong, and it might co$t you later on down the road. The next biggest mistake you can make is to conduct the business aspects of your life, like hiring employees, based on information provided by knuckleheads like me. I can tell you what I know from my own personal experience, but the laws change constantly.

It Can Be Tricky: In Panama the game of hiring either full or part time help can be very tricky. The employees tend to become "legal beagles" and they know every trick in the book when it comes to $ucking money out of a former employer. Every employee - employer relationship starts in Panama with good feelings and hugs and kisses and kum-friggin'-bye-ya. They tent to end with disappointment, loud voices, the occasional machete, and an argument at the Ministry of Labor over exactly who owes what and why. These fights over termination are always won by the person with the best documentation. I suggest you have your lawyer draw up a standard employment contract. You can have check boxes for "full time" or "part time." You can have a fill-in-the-block section for hours to be worked or schedule. You can have a complete and detailed section outlining requirements and expectations for termination, and of course whatever you put in your employment contract has to concur and comply with Panamanian law. These kinds of employment contracts are "boiler plate." If your lawyer can't whip one up in thirty seconds or less, move on to a new lawyer.

Once Employment Starts: The employee - employer relationship starts once the contract is signed and the new employee shows up for the first day of work. Now you need to track and document every hour worked. Keep a detailed notebook of hours worked, when the person showed up, how many hours they worked, including date and time, what they did, etc. Have the employee initial off each entry as a matter of course. Keep your book and the copy of the contract in a safe place (lock and key) where a maid, for example, who is considering leaving can't rip it off at the last minute to destroy your documentation. You can use this same book to document any additional payments, bonuses, gifts, or whatever. These kinds of things won't have any bearing on the end result, beyond proving that you were a "nice guy" who took care of your employee.

It's About The Money, Honey: Also do not pay the person in cash. Use some kind of a method to create documentation - like cancelled checks - for every dime you've paid. If you have all of these things, the contract, the notebook of hours worked, and the documentation of money already paid, then when it comes time for you to part ways, you most likely won't have to pay one red cent more than what you are legally required to pay. Meaning, it won't come down to "he said, she said." Your former employee will drag you into the Ministry of Labor and lie through their friggin' teeth to screw you out of a $100 bucks or whatever. Anyway, the bottom line is to pay what you have to pay. Now, as far as the question about the Social Security payments...

Susan, Are You Listening? Apart from being a dipped in stardust Obama loving democrat (grin), Susan Guberman-Garcia knows a whole lot about these kinds of issues. She runs an excellent Yahoo! email group called Panama Laws for Expats which you might want to consider joining. There are currently about 2,180 members and many of them are Panamanian lawyers. Your question is tailor made for that group. I suspect that Susan - who owns and operates a Bed & Breakfast in Bocas del Toro, already knows the answer off of the top of her head, and hopefully she (or someone else) will respond with the correct and current answer to your specific question in the comments section below. Best of luck with your future gardener, and your efforts to keep the encroaching jungle at bay.

Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - The US Embassy has started a Film Series program, which is free to the public, and it starts this week. Received today via email: Hi Don, We are starting a Film Series, this week, Thur. Jan. 26. We will have a different film, one time every month, free to the public. Here is some information if you would like to spread the word. - US Embassy Film Festival. Date: Thur. January 26, 2012. Film: The Tuskegee Airmen (in English with Spanish Subtitles). Information: Based on a true story of the 332nd Fighter Squadron. A group of African American pilots overcame racist opposition to become one of the finest US fighter groups in World War II. Doors Open: 6:15 pm. Show starts: 7:00 pm. Location: Museo Del Canal, San Felipe, Plaza de la Independencia. Entry Fee: GRATIS. Limited seating!"

Editor's Comment: Here's your chance. If you haven't been to the Museum of the Inter-oceanic Canal then this would be a great opportunity to check it out, and catch the movie as well. Here's a link to their website with the exact location of the museum in Casco Viejo in case you've never been there. The museum itself is wonderful and definitely worth the trip under any circumstances. The museum is open on Thursday from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm, and the ticket office closes at 4:30 pm. So if you want to see the museum itself, then go early, check it out, leave and eat dinner somewhere (there's lots of excellent options nearby), and then go back at 6:15 when the doors open to catch the movie at 7:00 pm. Here's a little known fact - Panamanians and permanent residents with identification can enter the museum for free on Sunday mornings from 9:00 am until 12:00 noon.

Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Received this morning via email: "I will be fishing in Panama this coming april. I would like to know the amount of fish that I can being home with me to the US. Also, the species such as tuna, gouper, etc. Thank you. LNS."

Excellent Question: However, I have no friggin' idea as to what the answer might be. I have no idea if it's even possible to transport fresh fish back to the United States from Panama in a cooler or whatever. I know there are restrictions on things like meat and produce for example. I'm hoping maybe a professional fishing guide or someone who has already been down this road might know the answer. It's an important issue for those who spend big bucks to charter fishing trips in Panama as tourists. These people leave a lot of money behind, mostly because the fishing is great down here. If you're a professional or a charter and you provide the correct answer, I'll include a link (freebie) to your page. So, please provide the response in the comments section below - enlighten us, Obi Wan Fish Snatcher... Thanks.

I Got The Answer: I just spoke to Capt. Lee from the Panama Big Game Fishing Club. He said it's legal to bring home frozen fish in a cooler, but you can't use any dry ice or fresh ice. You just freeze the fish solid and it keeps itself cold. Lee said there's really no limit as to the amount of fish you want to bring back beyond the weight limits established by the airline - and whatever you bring back in fish weight counts against your baggage limits, obviously. Lee also said anyone who really wants to do this should check with the airlines first because the rules and regulations are changing constantly. But in the end, Lee said there are very few people who end up bringing fish back to the United States with them, that most choose to let the fish swim away to fight another day.

Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.   

Some men entered the National Bank on Ave. 12 de Octubre and stole large bags full of money. The criminals entered the bank wearing police uniforms. So far the amount stolen is unknown. It was learned the suspects used several different vehicles in the robbery, including a white Nativa and a taxi. The authorities are examining the video from security and surveillance cameras to identify offenders. (Dia a Dia)

   

Units of the National Border Service (SENAFRONT) had an engagement with Colombian drug traffickers in the region of Aruza in the Darien. This led to an exchange of gunfire, which alerted the inhabitants of the region who were very scared. Other SENAFRONT units redoubled security at the border. (Dia a Dia)

Editor's Comment: I've been seeing these kinds of stories more frequently. The SENAFRONT's capabilities to get out into the bush where the bad guys are is improving, along with their willingness to search for the drug traffickers and to pick a fight. For many years the policy was hands-off. You don't mess with us, and we won't mess with you. That has apparently changed.   

The residents of Chepo got up early to protest. Yesterday, residents of the "informal neighborhood" of Santa Eduviges, located at the entrance to the Unión de Azuero, home to some 400 families, came out to protest at 5:00 am and blocked the Inter American Highway. But the riot police responded at sunrise. But not even the clouds of tear gas could make them withdraw their demands for water, roads and electricity. In the action, three people were detained, including one woman.

DETERMINED - The protesters blocked the road with huge trees and made noise with whistles, banging pots and cans, demanding answers from the authorities. The situation created a huge traffic jam, and caused a lot of people to be stranded for several hours. At 6:30 am a contingent of riot police arrived, and without waiting, they started firing tear gas grenades. The wind blew most of it away and the people went running for safety. "In the 21st century we live as if we were in the Darien, without water or electricity. They don't give us an answer, even though we went to the MIVI in Mañanitas, and they told us this was green. It's not about being green or ripe, it's about the needs of more than 400 families who are in this neighborhood," said Yaritzel Lopez, a resident.

For her part, Yadalis Rueda, another resident, said the streets are in poor condition and the government does not fix them. "The school year is about to start, there's no water, we have no electricity. The cars can not pass through the street because there is none. In case of an emergency not even an ambulance can enter. We have been abandoned," said Rueda. (Mi Diario)

Editor's Comment: These people are squatters. They don't own the land they are living on. There are no roads, water service, or electricity for a reason. According to all government records, the place where they decided to build their houses belongs to someone else, and it's supposed to be an empty field. So now these squatters have the balls to "demand" anything? They should be evicted.   

A fourth bridge over the Panama Canal, - with the third to be built by the Panama Canal Authority - will soon be tendered by the Government. The cost of the project is unknown and the "most logical position is close to Bridge of the Americas," said Public Works Minister, José Federico Suarez. The new structure should have "a higher road capacity - of 6 to 8 lanes - and for transportation, call it mass transit, like a short distance or suburban train, heavy rail, or bus line," said Suarez. The minister said the fourth bridge is a necessity, because in 10 years the population of West Panama will exceed one million. (Critica)

Editor's Comment: The existing infrastructure already can't handle the load. The "third bridge" is scheduled to be built on the Atlantic end of the Panama Canal. With the construction of the expanded Panama Canal the current method of driving over a swing bridge at the water level will no longer work. The government also wants to build a highway to connect Colon with Bocas del Toro on the Atlantic coast, to open all of that land up to development.