By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - I just got back from my road trip to Costa Rica. I'll be back in the office tomorrow morning, and will post the details. FYI...

Copyright 2010 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.   

(Editor's Comment: This article was first published in New Mexico over a month ago, but I didn't see it when it came out. I found it when I was looking for additional information about Bo Icelar's collection that was discovered under his house in Big Creek on Isla Colon in Bocas del Toro, and thought it would be worth republishing.) By Staci Matlock | The New Mexican - 27 July 2010 - Bo Icelar, former longtime owner of East West Trading on Canyon Road in Santa Fe, talked frequently to his good friend Sharon McConnell. Icelar had moved to Bocas del Toro, a city on Panama's Caribbean coast in 2004 and opened another business, Iguana Limited. "We talked for more than an hour," on Nov. 29 said McConnell, a former Santa Fe artist, now living in Mississippi. It was the last time she heard from him. Two weeks ago, Panama authorities and investigators found bones they think are Icelar's in a shallow grave on a Bocas del Toro property near the body of another American missing since March, Cheryl Lynn "Cher" Hughes. Hughes' husband identified her body. (more)

Bo Icelar and Sharon McConnell   Click Here To Read The Full Article (970 words)

(AFP) PANAMA CITY — Eighteen nations on Friday wrapped up nearly two weeks of military exercises to defend the Panama Canal from mock terrorist attacks and other threats, the US Southern Command chief said. Sponsored by the United States, Panama and Chile -- the three top users of the canal -- the exercises began annually in 2002 and are key in safeguarding global and regional shipping lanes, General Douglas Fraser told a press conference. In Panamax 2010 the host country sought UN Security Council authorization for a US-led international military expedition to counter an attack on the canal by an international terrorist group bent on regional destabilization. Military and police forces from 18 countries took part in the exercises, including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay. They involved ground and sea operations, humanitarian aid distribution, response to natural catastrophes and fighting drug traffickers. Built in 1914, the Panama Canal was under US control until 1979, when it came under US-Panamanian administration. In 1999, Panama assumed total authority over the waterway that handles five percent of world shipping trade. Since its opening, nearly one million ships have passed through the canal's locks, providing Panama with 700-800 million dollars in revenue each year.   

The Chief of the Health Office of the Metropolitan Region (Panama City) has applied a $5,000 fine against the "Los Faros" real estate project located in Punta Paitilla, in the area of San Francisco. The project, which remains under construction, has become a breeding ground for the Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes, vectors of dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever. Health officials took samples of the larvae found in the collected rainwater and sprayed around the structure. (La Prensa)

Editor's Comment: Normally in Panama when you see someone digging in the ground and pouring cement foundations and footings, that means relatively nothing as an indicator if the project will actually be built, eventually. Once they "come out of the ground", install working cranes, and start to pour structure such as beams, columns, and floors - then that's a much stronger indicator that the building will actually be completed. I have seen many projects, such as this "Los Faros" project, that get frozen at the "hole in the ground" phase. This was going to be a massive project - literally huge - and apparently progress has come to a screeching halt. It was going to dominate the skyline in the area, and now it's little more than a mosquito breeding pit. Big projects are often more likely to fail than small projects, just as a general rule of thumb. Let's see if this once comes back to life. It happens this way sometimes...   

On Thursday the Supreme Court of Panama authorized the Attorney General to listen to tape recordings in order to verify the documentation submitted by Jorge Abrego, the former Chief of Security for the office of the Prosecutor of Administration, Oscar Ceville, in the illegal wiretap case. The advisor to Attorney General Giuseppe Bonissi, Neftali Jaen, said the order was issued through an opinion signed by Supreme Court Magistrates José Abel Almengor and Gabriel Fernández, the deputy for the presiding judge Aníbal Salas. Judge Jerónimo Mejía did not vote, arguing that the Attorney General is authorized to conduct an inspection at the premises of the offices of the Prosecutor for Administration located in Curundú. But Mejia said that in order to listen to the tapes of the recordings that were supposedly made illegally of the conversations of employees who worked at that office, Bonissi should have the judicial authorization of the full Supreme Court.

Jaen said that soon they would conduct inspections of the two sub offices of the Prosecutor of Administration, where Abrego says he had the listening equipment installed. Jaen said the Public Ministry requested the authorization of the Supreme Court (to listen to the tapes) in order to not make the same mistakes that have occurred in the past in cases of alleged wiretaps. (Panama America)

Editor's Comment: This is an ongoing corruption case. The Prosecutor of Administration, Oscar Ceville, supposedly ordered his Chief of Security, Jorge Abrego, to buy and install wiretapping equipment to record and monitor the telephone conversations of employees working in his offices. Ceville has filed counter-charges against Abrego, alleging that he tried to blackmail him for money with threats of going public with the information he had on the wiretaps. The Supreme Court and prosecutors are trying to figure out who did what, and why. Now the Public Ministry can listen to the taped conversations. This one will drag on for a long time. And, there's also the political angle - Oscar Ceville was appointed by the PRD.   

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Contact Information: Telephone in Panama (507) 223-9050, 223-9060, or 223-9070. Contact in Spanish and English - Call Vicky at cell phone (507) 6673-5890. Email: avcoto@lawrencebusinesscenter.com.

Photos: Please see the rest of the article for photos of the office space. Thanks.   Click Here To Read The Full Article (22 words)

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Remember the information about William Dathan Holbert and Laura Michelle Reese from the America's Most Wanted profile? The last time they had any contact with law enforcement officers in the United States was on 6 February 2006 in Wyoming, when a patrolman pulled them over and tried to arrest them for driving a Jeep that had been stolen from West Virginia. They managed to get away, however in the process they crashed the stolen Jeep and escaped on foot. The next day Holbert and Reese stole a 14' U-Haul van in Bismark, North Dakota. Then about a month later police discovered that same U-Haul truck abandoned in West Palm Beach, Florida. Why West Palm Beach, Florida? I now know the answer. Holbert and Reese hopped on a cruise ship and sailed away to Costa Rica. The area of Puerto Viejo is close to Limon, Costa Rica, a popular cruise ship destination. Apparently Holbert and Reese disembarked from the cruise ship in mid February 2006, and simply stayed in Costa Rica when the ship sailed. It now looks like Jeffery A. Kline was their first "big score" overseas. And all of Holbert's talk about having been in Mexico, Belize and the Cayman Islands? There are several cruise ships that stop at these ports before arriving in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica. (more)    Click Here To Read The Full Article (883 words)

Although he spent four hours in the offices of the Deputy Attorney General, William Dathan Holbert, alias "Wild Bill", refused to expand his statement regarding the murders of five people in Bocas del Toro. William Dathan Holbert, who was accompanied by his lawyer Maria Carrillo, told the prosecutor he would not testify, but he did complain about supposed ill treatment at the La Joya prison, and he said the conditions in the prison were not the best. On 30 July 2010 "Wild Bill" made his first statement and confessed to having murdered Bo Icelar, Cher Hughes, Mike Brown, and his wife and son, with shots to the back of the head. The confessed murderer was transferred from the La Joya prison to the office of the Deputy Attorney General at 8:00 am yesterday morning, and he was there until noon. He came and left under heavy security. Meanwhile, the Anthropological Museum of Panama has requested to the Deputy Attorney General, through a letter, the custody of more than 100 ancient masks and figures found in Bo Icelar's basement, one of Holbert's victims, in order to protect the pieces. (Mi Diario)

Editor's Comment: I discussed Bo Icelar's collection with the prosecutor this morning. He is in the process of calling in experts who will determine the origins and authenticity of the pieces discovered in Bo Icelar's basement. First, they want to rule out that these might have been stolen from somewhere. I told him that I didn't think they were stolen, but rather that Bo Icelar was a well known antiquities dealer and this was his collection. They have already checked and Bo Icelar did not follow the proper procedures to import these artifacts into Panama. Therefore, most likely the government of Panama will confiscate them, and they will end up in a museum somewhere. In the meantime, they will determine what they are, and how much they are worth.   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Confessed serial killer William Dathan Holbert's mother bought him a whole stack of telephone calling cards when she came to visit in Panama. These cards were delivered to Holbert and his girlfriend Laura Michelle Reese by their lawyer. They can use these cards to make telephone calls freely, and for example Holbert calls and talks to his grandmother in North Carolina practically every day. He can also call the pay phone in the Women's prison and talk directly to Laura Michelle Reese. When I learned about this activity this morning, I called and spoke to the prosecutor responsible for the case, Angel Calderon, the Deputy Attorney General. He said "yes, I knew about that ... it's a right they have as detainees in the penitentiary system ... all prisoners have the right to make telephone calls and to communicate with their family members, lawyers, or whoever ... they use those prepaid calling cards and they have access to pay phones installed inside of the prison." I already know every call placed or received on those phones is recorded so at least the calls are not private. Prisoners also often have access to smuggled cell phones which they prefer because it's harder for justice authorities to monitor those calls. Anyway, Holbert and Reese are not totally cut off from the outside. Prisoners all around the world are faced with the same problem so it's not surprising really.

Copyright 2010 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.   

At a cost of $23 million Dollars, Union Fenosa will replace power lines with underground cables in Panama City, Santiago and David in a four-year period starting in March 2011 and ending in July 2014, reported Sebastian Perez , the Director of Distribution for the electrical company. The bid for companies to perform the work will be held in November 2010. This project will increase the cost to consumers at a rate of 0.001 cents per kilowatt of electricity used by residential customers, or $1.00 for 1,000 kilowatts, explained Perez.

During the installation of the new cables and the replacement of the existing power cables on poles for underground cables, power will be interrupted by sectors for no more than four hours at a time, not days, said the representative of Union Fenosa. In Panama City the cables will be changed along vía Brasil, vía España, Avenida Federico Boyd and Calle 50, at a cost of more than $18 million dollars. In Santiago the work will be from Central Avenue to the Inter American Highway, covering 3.7 km at a cost of more than $1.8 million dollars. In David, the work will be done around the Cervantes park, covering more than 2.2 kilometers, at a cost of $836,443 dollars.

The excavated areas will have chambers that will prevent water from damaging the system during floods, meanwhile the transformers currently hanging from electrical poles will be at ground level next to the sidewalks and others for lack of space will be underground, said Perez. The impact is visual, and dramatically reduces damages caused to power lines by birds, trees, or lightening strikes that affect service, as well as drivers who hit the electrical power poles. The project being carried out by Union Fenosa will also involve cables for telecommunications, said the source. (La Critica)   

William Holbert, the savage murderer who killed at least five people in Bocas del Toro, was returned to his cell at the La Joya prison this afternoon after spending the morning before the prosecutor in his case, accompanied by a lawyer, attorney Maria Carrillo Broux. Described by the media as a man who has lost weight, Holbert looks different, he is collaborating with the justice system, and he did not answer any of the questions shouted at him by the press.

Holbert, also known as "Wild Bill," was to expand and give explanations on the evidence sought by the Deputy Attorney General, who has formally accused him of having killed five people. Holbert is not responding to questions, and now his lawyer is in control of his defense, however, neither he nor the legal assistant Maria Carrillo have given any in depth replies and she has only told the media that her client "is well" and that he will ask to have the five charges against him tried as one case.

Authorities are eager to have Holbert provide many explanations on the evidence, such as the masks and objects found in the possession of "Wild Bill" and how he was able to transfer the property to his name. The prosecutor Calderon is waiting for other legal elements, betting that evidence collected will help to clarify this shocking murder case. (TVN Noticias)

Editor's Comment: Losing weight? I guess that's what happens when you stop shooting up steroids all the time. Plus there's no weight lifting equipment in "the hole" at the maximum security lock down in block 7 of La Joyita, where he is actually being held. I already know the prison food sucks. Plus no more steady diet of Seco (slurp) and coke (snort). When Holbert first arrived in Panama, he was asking to make sure he didn't get extradited back to the United States. Now that he's spent a week or two in La Joyita, he's asking to be returned back to the US. Of course, that's not going to happen under any circumstances. Today the prosecutors tried to get Holbert to talk and to expand his statement, but he refused to cooperate. He did, however, complain about the conditions, saying his cell is too small. So, William Dathan Holbert is uncomfortable. Good. Very good.   

The registration number of N2538B painted on the side of an aircraft found abandoned in the province of Los Santos actually belongs to a military aircraft from 1959, according to the Director of the Civil Aviation Authority, Rafael Barcenas. The official said that according to the Registry of the Federal Agency of Civil Aviation of the United States, this registration number does not belong to the aircraft discovered in Panama. The authorities concluded the plane was being used for illicit activities. Authorities used tests to confirm the presence of substances such as heroin, meth-amphetamines and marijuana in the aircraft. In this case, three people have been arrested and more arrests expected. (TVN Noticias)

Editor's Comment: Earlier this week this airplane was found on a farm in Los Santos. It had "Unicef" painted on the side. Obviously, this aircraft was being used to smuggle drugs or other illegal activities.   

With strong security measures, William Dathan Holbert, alias "Wild Bill", was taken to the headquarters of the Deputy Attorney General, with the objective of expanding the investigation. Holbert has been held in the La Joyita prison after confessing to having murdered several people. "Wild Bill" has only been questioned once by Deputy Attorney General Angel Calderon, and since then Holbert has requested a series of prerogatives. "Wild Bill" appears as the main suspect in the deaths of five foreigners in the province of Bocas del Toro. So far, the only victim who has been positively identified is Cheryl Lynn Hughes. (Telemetro)

Editor's Comment: OK, let me explain a few things. When they say "with the objective of expanding the investigation" - that means they are trying to get him to continue with his confession. When he was first extradited to Panama, he confessed for three days and then after that he stopped talking. He drew a map and told prosecutors where the Brown (Salem) family was buried and they used that information to recover their bodies. It really makes no sense whatsoever for Holbert to stop talking at this point. The only way he will ever realize any potential future benefit from cooperating is if he does so freely, completely, and without reservation. If he does that, and to be perfectly clear that means he has to tell the whole and entire truth with no lies or attempts to screw around with the truth - then he might eventually see a reduction in his sentence.

Meddling With The Truth: I think in his original confession Holbert said he killed Bo Icelar in January 2010, and I know it happened on 30 November 2009. I think at the start Holbert was lying about the dates in an attempt to protect Laura Michelle Reese. I think in fact she was on the boat when Holbert killed Icelar, and Holbert thought he could lie enough in his confession to protect her. I think that now, after he has spent a couple of weeks on maximum security lock down in La Joyita, he's having a change of heart. In his position, he has to either cooperate fully and completely, or he will just end up screwing himself over royally. If he lies in his confession, even once, and the prosecutors can prove that in court, then there is little chance that the Judge at his trial will grant any kind of a reduced sentence, based on the fact that he was only telling the part of the story that he wanted told. If Holbert doesn't cooperate completely, then prosecutors can still use all of the information he provides against him, and he's even more screwed in the end.

"Requested A Series Of Prerogatives: This means that Holbert is trying to negotiate with the prosecution in some way. There are several things he might be trying to obtain. For instance, he might want some assurances that only he will be charged with murder, and not Laura Michelle Reese, in exchange for his testimony. That's just a guess, and in reality I have no idea what he's asking for, or what the prosecution might grant (if anything.) But, I just wanted to explain what "requested a series of prerogatives" means in this setting.

   

In an effort to keep promoting the Spanish language amongst the community of New Boquete Residents and to also say THANK YOU for allowing us to teach many of you Spanish during the last 5 years we will be giving away FREE Spanish lessons! Reaching the 5 year milestone of teaching Spanish in Panama hasn’t been easy at all. There were many circumstances and occasions in which we could have failed… but there is one thing that is very true: we wouldn't have become Panama’s top Spanish school without the support of our wonderful community of Boquete, Panama! And this is why 5 lucky Boquete residents will be able to win a package of FREE Spanish classes @ Habla Ya!

How? Very easy: just follow these two simple steps:

• 1. Post a comment on our blog (click here) telling us how learning or improving your Spanish will make your life a lot better
  
  

• 2. Join our 5 year anniversary celebration this Saturday August 28th starting at 3 p.m. at Los Establos Plaza where the winners will be announced

And if you can’t join us, not all hope is lost! On the day of the party, this Saturday August 28th (from 3 p.m. onwards at Los Establos Plaza), we will also be announcing our yearly special that will be running through the entire month of September. Contrary to last years, this year’s special will also be open to New Residents all over Panama.

And what exactly could you win? We will be giving away 5 packages of group lessons for the following amount of hours:

• • 2 packages of 20 hours of group lessons

• • 2 packages of 30 hours of group lessons

• • 1 package of 60 hours of group lessons

The normal value of 60 hours of group lessons for Boquete residents is $500 so it is definitively worth it. For MORE DETAILS and to PARTICIPATE please visit: www.hablayapanama.com/5years. So looking forward to seeing you this Saturday: LEARN SPANISH PANAMA TODAY!   

Alejandro Moncada Luna, a lawyer who has been on the Supreme Court for just eight months, is acting as the prosecutor responsible for investigating the CEMIS case, the biggest corruption scandal in the last decade. Everything seemed normal, but yesterday a request was filed to have him removed from the case. The news surprised many, especially because of the reasons used to justify why he should be removed. The most striking is his direct link with former President Martin Torrijos in the company called National Explosives, SA, where both are listed as directors. But besides that, people are also questioning why Moncada decided to summon Martin Torrijos to be questioned without the prior approval of the full Supreme Court. (La Estrella)

Editor's Comment: Moncada has since requested the Supreme Court to evaluate whether or not he should continue to function as the prosecutor for this case, or if he should be removed. Martin Torrijos will continue to be protected by immunity from prosecution until November 2010 when Panama leaves the Central American Parliament. The PRD has already delayed and stalled the investigation of this CEMIS case for many years, and in fact it suits the grand strategic plan of Ricardo Martinelli perfectly if these investigations drag out for the next three to four years. By then, there will be no PRD politicians left standing with any name recognition whatsoever.   

Early this morning, Thursday, the driver of a sedan collided with an electrical utility pole in front of the Hotel Montreal on Vía España, causing the road to be closed. After the impact the pole broke and the transformers fell into the busy road, corroborated police Sub Commissioner Teofilo Moreno. According to a report from the Ground Traffic and Transportation Authority, Vía España remains closed from the El Carmen church, and they recommend drivers take alternate routes. For her part, the spokeswoman for the utility company Union Fenosa, Vivian Pineda, confirmed that the damage to the electric pole left many users in the area without electrical service, and work crews are already there at the scene to make repairs, which could take several hours. (Panama America)   

Panama's president Ricardo Martinelli said yesterday that anyone who commits acts of corruption in his administration will go to jail, referring to the complaint lodged by the company La Reserva against the officers of the National Environmental Authority (ANAM). "He who takes something is going to jail," Martinelli said after announcing that ANAM's Administrator and Deputy Administrator will be submitted to lie detector tests. The first to be cited for this test yesterday was the advisor who has been fired form the ANAM, Francisco Garzón, who has been accused by the company of having asked for money (bribe) in return for the approval of and environmental impact study.

Garzón refused to take the polygraph exam, but voluntarily told his version of events to two officials of the Presidency of the Republic, during which he denied having asked the company for money, has he has been accused. "For the first time they have heard my complete version at the presidential level. I do not understand why they say that I asked for money, because I don't have anything to do with their paperwork," Garzon said whenh leaving the Palace of the Herons. The consultant also attacked the company La Reserva and maintains that their allegations were only a method to extort the ANAM so that their environmental impact studies would be approved. and the proof is that one of those documents was approved last Friday.

The manager of the Anam, Javier Arias, said the lie detector tests are being done based on a request he made directly to Martinelli. He also clarified that it was he who asked for help, for this case, from the team that supports the National Council of Transparency Against Corruption. Arias even presented a letter in which the ANAM communicates to those people who are responsible for conducting a preliminary management review, to clarify a possible act of corruption by ANAM officials for the approval of an environmental impact study for a residential project. (La Prensa)

Editor's Comment: Polygraphs? That works for me. Yesterday I took a phone call from a person who is fed up with local, low level corruption in Bocas del Toro over things like permits and noise violations for bars because it drives tourists away from their hotel and reducing the value of their property. It's very hard to identify, prove, and clean up governmental corruption anywhere. In this case it was happening in Panama City at the headquarters of the ANAM, and the investigation is making national headlines. The government has limited resources to investigate these things and Bocas is at the end of the supply chain for many things, including justice.   

Traditional Panamanian Rodeo with a Gringo Twist, August 29th in La Chorerra - It's that time of year again! The gringo rodeo is back and you are all invited. The events start at around 3 in the afternoon and will carry on late into the night. Every year my family has our rodeo in the areas around Chorrera. Ours is one of the biggest ones of the year, and last year we had almost 3,500 people attend. Being that I am an American, our rodeo is also unique in that many people from the English speaking community attend this event. Last year we had around 300 expats in attendance. This is the perfect opportunity for you to get immersed in some Panamanian culture while still being with other expats. Admission is only $3, and beers are only 60 cents. There will be Panamanian food for sale, as well as singing, dancing, fireworks, rodeo, and a performance by Tipico music star Ulpiano Vergara in the evening. If you have been wanting to see the local side of Panama but weren´t sure where to do it, this is a must do. The rodeo is in a new location this year in the Centro Recreativo Bonanza in Santa Rita De La Chorrera. If you are interested and need information or directions, please call me at 6733-0657 or e-mail me at jerin@panagringo.com and I will get all the information for you.

Directions: From the Panamerican Highway between Capira and La Chorrera take the road to Santa Rita and Arenosa. The rodeo will be on the left hand side 3.4kilometers from the highway. The rodeo is about 40 minutes form Panama City and 30 minutes from Coronado.   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Some new sources of information are emerging who are able to provide amazing details on the murder of American lawyer Jeffery A. Kline in Costa Rica at the hands of the serial killers William Dathan Holbert and Laura Michelle Reese. I now know when, where, and how William Dathan Holbert met Jeffery A. Kline in Costa Rica. I also know that both Holbert and Kline were living under the same roof, and that Holbert had access to Kline's room and personal documents and information - including bank account records. Most of the new information contained in this article comes from one source, who I consider to be absolutely trustworthy, and whose name I am going to protect and withhold. Therefore, throughout this article I will just identify him as "the source". What's not so clear at this point are the exact dates - his memory is a little fuzzy on those details from almost four years ago. I know from other sources of information most of this activity occurred in the May - June time frame of 2006. The source has also directed me to ways to obtain some specific details on some of the dates of these events for clarification (still working on that.) But for right now I'm going to leave the exact dates out for later confirmation. In any case, this source of information was with William Dathan Holbert at the Best Western hotel in San Jose, Costa Rica when they both met Jeffery Kline for the first time. The source owned a house in the Puerto Uva area of Costa Rica, near the Atlantic coast, where both Holbert and Kline rented rooms simultaneously. And, the source was probably one of the last people to see Jeffery A. Kline alive, before William Dathan Holbert killed him. (more)    Click Here To Read The Full Article (1,902 words)

Former Panamanian president Martin Torrijos was quick to react to the order issued by the Supreme Court for him to be questioned in the CEMIS corruption scandal. Torrijos, who remains outside of Panama, said he is willing to appear before the Court, as long as they are "not using the justice system as an instrument of persecution." "We will clarify everything," Torrijos said in the interview given to Radio RPC. (Telemetro)

Editor's Comment: Martin Torrijos will lose his immunity from prosecution in November 2010 when Panama withdraws from the Central American Parliament (Parlacen). His name has figured prominently in the CEMIS scandal from day one. Obviously, while he was in power for five years the investigation went nowhere.   

The U.S. Embassy concurs with the decision of the Government of Panama to maintain the natural state of the Darien province, and to not explore the possibility of extending a road to the border with Colombia. "Taking into account the environmental hazards and national security, we welcome the Government's response to the issue of opening of the Darien," said a press release by the Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy, David R. Gilmour. He argued that keeping the Darien Gap closed benefits the Panamanian economy because it serves as a vital natural barrier that protects Panama, Central America, and North America from various diseases affecting livestock and public health, including foot and mouth disease and screwworm. These diseases are present in South America, but can not cross the natural barrier of Darien, while it remains in its natural state.

In 1972, the U.S. launched a multinational effort to eradicate the screwworm from the U.S. border to the Darien, working with Mexico and all Central American countries. Since 1997, the joint United States-Panama Commission for the Eradication and Prevention of screwworm (COPEG) has worked in Panama to eliminate this disease, which affects both humans and animals. Due to the success of this joint collaboration, Panama was declared free of screwworm in 2006. The elimination of this disease has brought benefits to the Panamanian economy of about $38 million dollars per year, particularly in the livestock industries. (Panama America)   

Panama's Minister of Trade and Industry, Roberto Henriquez, said today that thus far the government has not detected any danger to the community due to the gold production from the company Petaquilla Gold in Donoso, in the province of Colon. The minister was reacting to reports that water levels in a holding pond had reached a height and there is supposedly a threat of a possible spill of cyanide. In this regard, he said "the cyanide danger is not in the soaking tub." Speaking to Telemetro Reporta, the official added that "the worst that could happen, if this (soaking) tub had a leak, then water with mud and clay would be released to the surrounding rivers." "I wish to reassure the community because these are not hazardous chemicals," said the minister. "There is not cyanide content that may be a concern," he said. The minister said that as a precaution they have asked the company to temporarily suspend production, until the water levels are lowered. (La Prensa)   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - It occurs to me that it the environmental extremist protection crowd existed one hundred years ago, the Panama Canal would never have been built. Is there any chance ANAM would have approved an Environmental Impact Study for the Panama Canal in 1903? The ideas of finding responsible ways to balance development and economic business activity against socially and environmental protection are now woven into every project in development, from something as large as a new copper mine, all the way down to the building of a single house. By now, we supposedly know what works, and what doesn't. Take Inmet's copper project, for example. This is a huge (massive) development project which will reap economic benefits for Panamanian citizens for decades. There's nothing "pretty" about a strip mine so the environmentalists can always win on the aesthetics factor - cute fuzzy animals beat mud and heavy machinery, every time. However this project will inject more than $5 billion dollars into the economy in construction and development alone - forget about operating revenue and tax payments to the Panamanian state coffers once production starts. That's almost as much money that will be spent in the project to expand the Panama Canal - it's a really big deal. All of these issues need to be discussed and addressed - by adults - in a calm and rational manner. Emotions will get heated on both sides and remember the environmentalists and extremists are the guys who chain themselves to humpback whales or whatever - they get really goofy, really quickly.

Equal Time - All Around: I have decided that if the primary players want to express their personal feelings and positions about the mining issues then I will publish those letters. I'm going to ignore the whack jobs (there's never any shortage of those) but I want to give equal and fair time to all sides. In the end the only "tie breaker" is the Panamanian government, who issues the permits, makes the rules, and passes laws to first allow and then monitor mining activities. They get the only votes that count. Now, with all of that having been said, I received the following email yesterday... (more)    Click Here To Read The Full Article (529 words)

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - OK, it now looks like I had the timeline wrong for all of the events in Puerto Viejo in Costa Rica, and the murder of Jeffery A. Kline. I had reported that based on available information, the murder took place in April, 2007. However I have since been corrected by a much more reliable source. It seems William Dathan Holbert and Laura Michelle Reese rented that house on or about 6 May 2006 and then left on or about 17 June 2006. The mysterious cement slab was first noticed in January of 2007, discussed again in June of 2007, and then finally ripped up in November of 2007, resulting in the discovery of Kline's body. These new dates still line up with Jeffery A. Kline's travel and activities in Costa Rica. His family members are being asked to provide DNA samples to confirm the identity of the body. Obviously, my Costa Rica timeline still needs more work. Anyway, thanks to the source for the more accurate information. And as always, when I get something wrong on the first go-around, I try to fix it when I get the right information. My apologies...

Copyright 2010 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.   

During a search of the home of Bo Icelar, one of the victims of William Dathan Holbert, better known as Wild Bill, authorities found dozens of antique masks and figures carved in stone, wood and bronze. The Items were stored in the basement of the American Icelar, located in the Big Creek area of Isla Colon, Bocas del Toro. Authorities are investigating the origin and use of these artifacts, and are consulting with the Heritage Division of the National Institute of Culture, to determine their value and origin, and to determine if these were smuggled into the country. (Telemetro)

Editor's Comment: Of course they were smuggled into the country. Bo Icelar was a well known collector and trader of antiquities and artifacts in New Mexico before he came to Panama. He apparently shipped these things to Panama before declaring bankruptcy back home. They are probably all listed on a shipping manifest somewhere as "old stuff" but I guarantee you Icelar didn't do whatever is legally required to declare and import antiquities to Panama. Once again, these are the things he was trying to hide. My question - they just found this stuff now? On 24 August 2010? Wasn't Bo Icelar reported missing back in December of 2009? How come his house was never searched back then? Why did the authorities wait another full month after the bodies of Cher Hughes and Bo Icelar were found to throughly search his house? What else are they not doing in a timely manner? (Rhetorical questions...)   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - I can see this Petaquilla stuff is going to get stupid, quick. I just received the following email: "Don, honey: As much as you have made a living in this forsaken land - to the expense of locals - there is such thing as feedom of speech, still. Mrs. Pérez, myself and the rest of this society have the right to post whatever the hell we want on our Facebook accounts. Now, what's really interesting is your oh so sudden concern with our opinion regarding Petaquilla. Are you on their payroll? Is "eco tourism" not paying these days? Well, there's always the option of leaving our land, resources, people, and rights alone. Ah! Silly me! I forgot! It's hard to pull these stunts back in the States. Sincerely, Lili Mendoza"

Man, She Really Doesn't Know Me, Does She? Lili - you have the right to pound sand. Proceed. The "sudden interest" comes from the notion that the information posted about Petaquilla was most likely false. As in - bullshit. Or, are you saying it's true? If so, I'd love to know about it. Really. Someone might want to clue in "Lili Mendoza" (whoever the hell she is). And to answer your question Lili - no, I am not on Petaquilla's payroll, they've never paid me a dime for any reason. I have been interested in Petaquilla for about five or six years now. Here - plug this into Google and hit search - "Petaquilla site:www.panama-guide.com" - and you will see what I'm talking about. And besides, I didn't say a word about you or your Facebook account - some other dude did. Lady, get a clue...

Oh, I See Now: Ana Perez posted the following:

• "Escribanle a este ser tan BRILLANTE don@panama-guide.com... Que ha hecho su plata a cuesta del turismo Panameño, y lo mas increible es que el recurso natural que tenemos es justo lo que el quiere hacer pensar que esta cool destruir CON MINERIA POR PROFIT QUE ES LO QUE SE ALARDE DICIENDO EN EL ARTICULO ... PEREZA ESCRIBANLE!

• (Translation) Write to this oh-so BRILLIANT don@panama-guide.com - who has made his money at the cost of Panamanian tourism, and the most amazing thing is that the natural resources we have is exactly what he wants people to think is that it's cool to destroy WITH A MINE FOR PROFIT THAT IS WHAT THE ARTICLE IS SAYING ... WRITE TO HIM!

• "Noah Burgos - soy panameño y ningun Gringo va a venir a decirnos que la MINERIA y los daños colaterales son aceptables" (Translation - Noah Burgos - I am a Panamanian and no Gringo is going to come here to tell us that a Mine and the collateral damage are acceptable.")

Hey Ana Peres - Why Not Write Yourself? Do you really think it's necessary to make some kind of a "set your hair on fire" call to ask your (what, minions?) to write me an email, when you can just write me yourself? You have my email address, and my cell phone number is 6614-0451. Please feel free to first, take a deep breath. And then, I will be more than happy to talk to you, and to publish your views of this issue. I really have only one question for you - did the reported leaking at the Petaquilla mine actually occur, or not? Other than that, you can ramble on about whatever you might like to talk about. If you don't want to talk to me, then please write something up and I'll publish it, in full, no edits or deletes. Is that fair enough for you? But first, please stick your head in a bucket of water, because your hair is on fire, and it's kinda distracting...

Update - She Did Write: OK, I just spoke to Ana Perez on the phone. And, I made my offer to her. She will send me an article about Petaquilla - any length with no restrictions on size or content - and I promised to publish that article, word for word, with no edits, deletions, or changes. That is, quite literally, the best I can do.

And For The Record: Since all of you Panamanian environmental activists are now apparently waking up to the fact that I exist - listen up. My opinion on this issue does not matter one iota. Meaning, not one little bit. Petaquilla is operating in Panama because the government of Panama has allowed it to do so. With that having been said, it is my humble opinion - I think - that in the long run the economic benefits will outweigh the potential negative consequences. If you would take the time to read the HUNDREDS of articles I've posted on this subject you would see that I have been absolutely consistent on this issue since about 2004, when Petaquilla first hit the radar screen. I think (again, simply my opinion, for what it's worth) that it is possible to operate a gold mine in an environmentally responsible manner. If you disagree with that, then more power to you. Let's agree to disagree. I also take issue with the idea of twisting the truth in order to score public opinion points. My question - did the leak occur, or not? What are the truth and facts? That's what I care about. The rest is bullshit.

Want To Publish A Rebuttal? Ana Perez - write whatever you want, and I will publish it word for word. Scout's honor...

Copyright 2010 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 - Yeah, that's what I thought. When I got back from my trip to the US I shot out a quick note on the Americans in Panama Yahoo email group, just to let everyone know that I was marking about 160 messages as "read" (even though I had not actually read them.) And, I asked if I had missed anything important. Check this out:

• "Mr. Winner: Among the messages you have transferred o your "read" file, there were at least 2 which referred to the erroneous La Prensa story on Saturday claiming that Petaquilla's tailings pond overflowed due to heavy rains, contaminating the site and forcing workers to flee to safety. This story was patently untrue, but wreaked havoc with investors and the company, just following the release by PTQ of the news of the long-pending Deutsche Bank financing deal. Although countered by a Petaquilla Minerals news release and an article in the Silvermine website, as well as another positive blog, no retraction was ever made by La Prensa, or by Newsroom Panama, which pulled rebuttal comments from its own derogatory article. Consequently, I have just written and submitted a short rebuttal artice for your consideration and hopeful publication. I appreciate your prior support of the Petaquilla's development of their Molejon project, and the fact that it is an initial attempt to responsibly develop Panama's resources. I hope you will see fit either to publish the article as submitted, or write one of your own after investigating the situation. I'll be happy to assist, without credit, in any way you may wish. Sincerely, Peter."

• "Published rebuttals to erroneous story: On August 21st, La Prensa published a story claiming that Petaquilla Minerals' Molejon gold mining site was spilling seriously contaminated water from its supposedly overflowing tailings pond. This story has been refuted by Panama's environmental agency (as published today in La Prensa). Following is a link to a Petaquilla Minerals update to correct the misinformation in the press: www.petaquillalive.com. In addition, there have been two other websites which have tried to offset the apparently purposeful negative publicity:http://bsc2001.wordpress.com/ and http://www.silverminers.com/commentary/wallace/index.php?&content_id=691.

That's Too Bad: I noticed a long time ago that the La Prensa newspaper has a regular and repeating tendency to "lean" toward the environmental angle of any story. Apparently it has now become clear that the information contained in their article about this supposed spill is incorrect. Anyway, by now my personal position on mining operations in Panama should be perfectly clear because I've discussed this topic on literally dozens of occasions. I believe it is possible to conduct mining operations in a responsible manner, while mitigating and controlling potential environmental damage. I'm generally in favor of mineral exploitation as long as a fair share of those resources are returned to the people of Panama. And, the money being spent in the country to develop and operate the mines is significant. The people who are now working at that mine were probably unemployed before, for example. Anyway, I just wish the news media would treat the entire issue "straight up" and fairly. And believe me, if Petaquilla (or any other mine operator) was in fact not in compliance with the environmental oversight requirements, then I would be right there, pinging away. In this case it's sad that the environmental activists had to stoop to an outright fabrication in order to score a few points. Someone should explain to them that these kind of shenanigans will actually hurt their cause, in a strategic sense.

Update: Apparently the wordpress blog has only one entry - this article about Petaquilla and the Facebook postings of Ana Perez and others. That means it was a hit-piece done to get the information out there, but in a manner typical of Panama - trying to hide behind some kind on anonymity.

Copyright 2010 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 - Apparently someone is trying to shut down two of the water taxi operations in order to take them over. Apparently, it's political, because the owner of the Taxi25 is a PRD guy. Anyway, those people who have been affected by the government shutdown have sent their guys to blockade the ferry service, in order to bring pressure on the government to lift the sanctions that have been placed to shut down the water taxi service. I've received the following via email:

• "Don, This is second hand so treat it accordingly. Apparently the water taxi drivers from the companies which the government has shut down for safety reasons are protesting this by blocking the Almirante-Bocas del Toro ferry from unloading. Apparently they have allowed a truck of diesel fuel to unload to drive the generators but that is all. I feel that this is pretty good information as I have heard the same thing from several different sources. I have also been told that they have shut down the airport ... this is one source only. Martinelli must feel he is running a kindergarten. Regards, Dick"

• "Don ... It's true. The ferry is not being allowed to dock and it's been like that for a number of days. (I just got back from the states on Friday, so I don't know how long.) But nothing is getting in. Very soon there will be no diesel, so no power, water, etc. The land taxi's closed off the roads yesterday, but today seems okay. I'm concerned food won't be getting in except by plane and what the smaller boats can bring from the mainland, but perishables won't keep without refrigeration. Yesterday there was talk about the taxi drivers (land) blocking the runway, but the airport is still okay. My daughter is visiting and has to leave in the morning and we're keeping our fingers crossed that there will be flights out of here. Also, when the ferry is again allowed to dock, there will be quite a bottleneck, so who knows when things will be back to normal. I heard that the ferry raised it's passenger fees as soon as the water taxi companies were shut down and the people who come here to work from Almirante and other places on the mainland could not afford (or would not pay) the increase. I've about had it here. My house is up for sale. Susan"

• "There is definitely something going on in Bocas. Yesterday the ferry was prevented from docking by children protesting. Something is up !! Tony"

And Then The Cops Showed Up: At some point there will be riot police on the ground where the ferry docks, to make sure it is allowed to land. I understand there's "someone else" who simply wants to take over the water taxi service in Bocas to make that money, so they are simply using the law and lawyers to shut down the existing operators. In short, business as usual in Panama. I don't suspect this whole situation will last long. The residents of the area are being held hostage, both literally and figuratively, by the warring factions. And I wonder when the residents will figure out the fact that they outnumber both sides by a factor of 25-1? No, the taxis will run and the ferry will dock because WE THE RESIDENTS said so. And all of this, as if Bocas needed yet another black eye right now. Hey, they say bad things come in threes. So maybe the banana riots in Changuinola, Wild Bill, and now this makes three... I hope so.

Copyright 2010 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.   

THE U.S. CONSULAR SECTION (AMERICAN CITIZEN SERVICES, FEDERAL BENEFITS, AND VISAS UNITS) WILL BE CLOSED ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2010, (ONE DAY ONLY) DUE TO ADMINISTRATIVE WORK. The Consular Section (including the American Citizen Services Unit) will be closed for administrative work on Wednesday, September 1, 2010. In the event of an emergency, please call 207-7000. On Thursday, September 2, 2010, the Consular Section will resume full operations with its regular schedule (please see http://panama.usembassy.gov)