Panama Headline News

Remaining Contracts for Canal Expansion

to be decided this month

story by La Prensa

As the Martinelli administration settles in, wheels of progress throughout the country roll on. Such is the case of the third set of locks planned in the Canal expansion project, whose winning contractor will be decided during the next month as bids are reviewed, according to the Panama Canal Authority.

The design and cost proposals submitted by three consortia in March, and kept under lock and key at Banco Nacional, will be opened by Canal Authority administrator Alberto Alemán next Wednesday.

Canal Authority officials are also expected to announce their assessment of each consortia's technical studies for the project.

The fourth and final contract left to be determined involves the dry excavation of a 6.1-kilometer channel to connect the new locks with the original Culebra Cut.  Bids for that project, considered the largest phase of the expansion, will open in late July. 
  

"This is certainly an important step in the expansion, which is progressing within budget and on schedule," said Jorge Luis Quijano, vice president of Engineering and Program Management for the Canal Authority. 

Martinelli takes the reigns

Story by La Prensa

Speaking to a crowd of dignitaries, world political leaders and special guests, Ricardo Martinelli promised to bring the same principles from his business career to the halls of government after he was sworn in as the country's president yesterday.

Martinelli, who brought together several opposition parties under the banner, "Alliance for Change," said that he will reduce red tape and offer a leaner, more efficient government.

He said that he will end the tradition of elected leaders "arriving clean and leaving millionaires," which reiterated one of his most popular campaign slogans, and said that the needs of the people will come first in his administration. One of his promises was to provide a pay increase for police officers, viewed as a way to reduce crime, and to give a pension to indigent senior citizens of $100 per month.

Other program outlined by the new president included the construction of low-income housing, the construction of a metro system and the titling of land.

Martinelli opened his speech with words of thanks to former President Martín Torrijos and his wife, Vivian Fernández, "for their service to our country." He followed with another salute to former president Guillermo Endara, who is in the hospital.

"I wish him a speedy recovery," Martinelli said.

The new president then outlined his agenda, which aims at guiding the country through the current economic downturn by injecting a massive amount of spending into the economy, most notably through the continuation of the Panama Canal expansion and the metro project, which Martinelli says will address the problems in Panama's public transportation system, judged to be among the world's worst.  

Also yesterday, José Luis Varela was sworn in as the new president of the National Assembly, giving the Alliance for Change control of both the executive and legislative branches of government. Varela, brother of Vice President Juan Carlos Varela, received the unanimous support of his party, which controls 44 seats in the house.

Varela said that he planned to reduce the number of legislative committees to make the Assembly more efficient, and also announced other cost-saving measures that will reduce spending by $150,000 a year.

He also warned against legislators abusing their privilege to import vehicles duty-free. He said that any politician who imports a Maseratti or Lamborghini for a third party "should be in prison."

"I am willing to promote this attitude of change, together with civil organizations and the media," he said.

Ricardo Martinielli Becomes President of Panama Today He is being sworn in at the Panama Convention Center.  

 

Story By La Prensa

Japanese Volunteer To Help Finance Metro Project

The Japanese government has expressed interest in financing the metro project planned for Panama City, as reported yesterday by Masatoshi Wakabayashi of the special envoy of the Emperor of Japan.

Wakabayashi and fellow diplomats met yesterday with the country's new president, Ricardo Martinelli, Minister of the Presidency Jimmy Papadimitriu and Public Works Minister José Suárez.

"For Japan the most important thing is that economic cooperation with Panama be catalyst for developing the global economy,"  said Wakabayashi, who reiterated his country's "great interest" in other costly projects, such as cleaning up the bay and expansion of the Canal. The Japanese government has already invested heavily in those works.

"Japan has had much experience in urban transportation projects," explained the diplomat. "Besides the metro there are other possibilities the city's transportation system and it's important that the Panamanian government define its direction. to define its direction."

The Corporación Andina de Fomento (CAF) has also publicly offered financial support for the project, while the Taiwanese government said it is willing to provide technical assistance and feasibility studies.

Martinelli and his team also met with Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou and ministers of Foreign Affairs, Communication and Security from that country. 

New WaterFront Road Panama City

Cinta Costera beautifies the capital

 Luis Miguel Blanco / The Panama Post

The Brazilian company Odebrecht has worked 18 months and asked for an extension of 2 more.

The project completes the first phase of modernization of the vehicular movement in the Panamanian capital

An impressive work of engineering and architecture adorns the Panamanian capital since this June: the Cinta Costera, the legacy of President Martín Torrijos, that completes the first phase of modernization of vehicular traffic of a metropolis of more than 1 million people and half a million vehicles.

The project manager, engineer Héctor Castillo, of the Panamanian Ministry of Public Works, does not hide his emotion in describing how they gestated since the 50s, a mechanism to modernize the transportation system, starting with the refilling of the sea that allowed paving Balboa Avenue, which now bears more than 70,000 vehicles daily at a rate of 49 cars per minute.

"In the 80s, other studies were made that gave origin to the Corredor Sur project, which originally established a ring road from Tocumen International Airport to November 3rd Avenue (just where the old city of Panama begins, which was declared Historical Heritage of the Humanity by UNESCO)", he said.

Castillo said that the Cinta Costera, at a cost of $ 189 million, extended the concept of the 50's of just making refillings to be paved, and by listening to the outcry of civil society, green spaces were incorporated, also for the recreation of the population. Final details of these are still being finished because they are practically a work of art.

This action was conducted by the Brazilian construction company Norberto Odebrecht, who despite working 24 hours over the past 18 months, without interruption, with more than 3,000 workers, requested and was granted a 60 days extension due to failing to successfully complete the envisaged date of delivery, last May 28; according to the project manager, time that will be enough for the completion of the details.

One of the factors that helped in the backlog was the delicate work of finishing and the installation of a huge manifold that is part of the sanitation project of the bay and of Panama City; before paving the area to avoid breaking off the work later, he said.

 

 

 

 

 

Castillo said it was in the 90s, with the urban development law, that the concept of the Cinta Costera was conceived separately from Corredor Sur and announced that the same work is planned to be built in the city of Colon, on the shores of the Caribbean Sea, in order to widen the road.

A curiosity during the process was that the monument to the discoverer of the South Sea, Vasco Núñez de Balboa, could not be removed , due to the fragility of the materials that support it, given its age, so it was decided to make an additional curve surrounding him.

According to Castillo, it has been confirmed that the monument has a head different from the original metal statue and has a shot in the groin, for unexplained reasons.

The land reclaimed from the sea is about 35 hectares, and has accommodated a six-lane track, parks, six multi-purpose courts, and a playground, as well as 1,200 parking spaces, space for small businesses, modern lighting and the yacht club that was moved to a new point of 3 hectares where the dealers will raise their buildings only if they comply with the architectural specifications that the government has established to be harmonious with the environment, he added.

The next step will be to dig a tunnel that´ll pass under the Old Town of the capital and connect with the Avenida de los Poetas, where another refill will be done, in order to join the road with the Bridge of the Americas, leading to Central America, explained the source.

Pie de foto: The Cinta Costera is a cherished dream that becomes reality to relieve vehicular congestion.

Women in the Panama Canal

story by Sherly Diaz / The Panama Post 

Women earning opportunities for leadership in the Panama Canal

Gladys Sánchez, mechanic, Cornelia McDonald’s, programmer and Ana María Chiquilani, Vice-President in the ACP, are examples.

Beauty, constancy, multifunctionality, discipline and productivity, enhanced by an ability for negotiation, make the female workforce of the Panama Canal one of its most prized assets.

Since the construction of the strategic waterway, by the U.S., between 1904 and 1914, to date, the role of women has been crucial. Many of them have held positions as pilots of vessels (practical), mechanics, plant superintendants, geologists and currently one of them is a Vice-President in the Administration, the third highest position within the internal hierarchy.

Much progress has been made since August 30, 1908, according to a report in The New York Times, out of the 6,100 gold employees (North American employees who earned more money than the rest, due to their nationality), in the isthmus only 205 were women, 187 of which worked in the construction of the Panama Canal (117 nurses, 25 teachers and 45 copyists), and the rest on the transisthmian railway, also of the U.S.

According to historical data, the first woman employed by the Isthmic Canal Commission was Mary Eugene Hibbart, who was hired in 1904 as Superintendent of Nurses for the team who accompanied Dr. W. C. Gorgas.

In pure heat

Gladys Mireya Sánchez has been working for 10 years in the ACP as a maintenance mechanic at the Pedro Miguel Locks in the Pacific sector. Her work involves using the welding, monitor high-pressure pipes and the mechanics of locomotives.

Sánchez graduated from the University of Technology in Germany and thanks to her studies and effort, she is one of 1,140 women that work in the ACP, amongst nearly 10,000 employees.

"The hardest challenge of my career was the acceptance of my peers, but we overcame it. My colleagues noticed that women can also do this kind of work," she explained.

There is an opportunity

Another of the ladies who work in the waterway is Cornelia McDonald's, who began in 1992 as a telephone operator. She later moved to the section on protection of the Panama Canal in the administrative area, where she became an apprentice.

"We, women, were always encouraged to work in the administrative area to enter non-traditional positions. I had a university degree in systems and applied and gained the position in the section of the locks, "McDonald's said.

Between 1996 and 1997 she began her career as an electrician at the Miraflores Locks. McDonald's has been a maintenance programmer and planner of projects for a year and a half.

 The only one

 

 

 

Ana María Ponce de Chiquilani is since March 12, 2007 the only woman in high senior management of the CPA, as Vice President of Corporate Management, the third position in importance. From 1990 to 1994 (still in the hands of the U.S.), Dr. Cecilia Alegre was a member of the Board of the Panama Canal.

Licenciatiate in Mathematics from the University Our Lady of the Lake, San Antonio Texas, she has a Master's Degree in Education from the University of Florida, and has participated in executive programs at Universities of North Carolina, Cornell, Stanford and Michigan, United States. She has over 25 years of experience in human resources management.

"I feel fortunate not to have faced situations of discrimination because of my gender. In the Canal we have always counted on programs and mechanisms already established in the regulations, which include aspects such as fairness, equal opportunity and merit system, which supports the inclusion and non-discrimination towards women. In other words, we all have the same opportunities, "she said.

The executive said that "our statistics show that the participation (of women) has been about 12% over the past five years and at the managerial and executive level it rises to 24%, which indicates an escalation towards leadership positions and of decision power, "pointing more toward legitimate areas of leadership, she added.

"For this reason, she did not rule out an Administrator in the future," said Chiquilani.

Pie de foto: Women earning opportunities for leadership in the Panama Canal

 stoy by The Panama Post  

 

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 2.5% between January and May 2009 compared with the same period in 2008, and 0.7% compared to last December, the National Statistics and Census Institute (INEC), reported.

The cost of living, also affected by the global financial crisis, has shown an increase in prices in sectors such as furniture, equipment and routine household maintenance, food and beverages, goods and different services, health, education, clothing and footwear, although less than last year.

Regarding last April, the CPI decreased by 0.3% due to a fall in prices of food and beverages (1.3%), leisure (0.4%), clothing and footwear (0.2%) and furniture (0.1%), despite the increase of 1.1% pushed by rising fuel prices.

By WILL WEISSERT and FREDDY CUEVAS, Associated Press Writers

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – A military coup has divided Honduras between two leaders — one recognized by world bodies and another backed by the country's congress, courts and military.

Presidents from around Latin America were gathering in Nicaragua for meetings Monday on how to resolve the first coup in Central America in at least 16 years, while the European Union offered to help start talks between the two sides.

The Obama administration and European governments denounced the coup, but Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez took center stage in the region, casting the dispute as a rebellion by the region's poor.

"If the oligarchies break the rules of the game as they have done, the people have the right to resistance and combat, and we are with them," Chavez said in the Nicaraguan capital, Managua.

Troops with riot shields surrounded the presidential palace on Monday and armored military vehicles were parked in front.

But soldiers made no attempt to clear away about 200 pro-Zelaya protesters who were burning tires and other debris, as well as blocking streets with downed trees and billboards.

"We want out elected and democratic president, not this other one that the world doesn't recognize," said Marco Gallo, a 50-year-old retired teacher, who said he was on his way to join the protests in front of the palace.

There is a deep rift between the outside world — which is clamoring for the return of democratically elected, but largely unpopular and soon-to-leave-office President Manuel Zelaya — and congressionally designated successor Roberto Micheletti.

Micheletti rejected any outside interference and declared a two-night curfew, while Chavez vowed that "we will overthrow (Micheletti)."

Zelaya was seized by soldiers and hustled aboard a plane to Costa Rica early Sunday, just hours before a rogue referendum Zelaya had called in defiance of the courts and Congress, and which his opponents said was an attempt to remain in power after his term ends Jan. 27.

The Honduran constitution limits presidents to a single 4-year term, and Zelaya's opponents feared he would use the referendum results to try to run again, just as Chavez reformed his country's constitution to be able to seek re-election repeatedly.

Micheletti said the army acted on orders from the courts, and the ouster was carried out "to defend respect for the law and the principles of democracy." But he threatened to jail Zelaya and put him on trial if he returned. Micheletti also hit back at Chavez, saying "nobody, not Barack Obama and much less Hugo Chavez, has any right to threaten this country."

Earlier, Obama said in a statement he was "deeply concerned" about the events, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Zelaya's arrest should be condemned.

"I call on all political and social actors in Honduras to respect democratic norms, the rule of law and the tenets of the Inter-American Democratic Charter," Obama's statement read.

For those conditions to be met, Zelaya must be returned to power, U.S. officials said.

Two senior Obama administration officials told reporters that U.S. diplomats were working to ensure Zelaya's safe return.

The officials said the Obama administration in recent days had warned Honduran power players, including the armed forces, that the U.S. would not support a coup, but Honduran military leaders stopped taking their calls.

In Brussels, the EU's External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner urged "all parties involved to resolve their differences peacefully." She said the EU's executive Commission "stands ready" to help start the talks.

Officials said EU envoys were meeting their Central American counterparts in Brussels Monday to discuss the coup and what implications it could have on free trade negotiations between the EU and Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.

EU nations refused to recognize the coup and demanded a return of the deposed president.

Zelaya said soldiers seized him in his pajamas at gunpoint in what he called a "coup" and a "kidnapping." The United Nations, the Organization of American States and governments throughout Latin America called for Zelaya to be allowed to resume office.

"I want to return to my country. I am president of Honduras," Zelaya said Sunday before traveling to Managua on one of Chavez's planes for regional meetings of Central American leaders and Chavez's leftist alliance of nations, known as ALBA.

Some of Zelaya's Cabinet members were detained by soldiers or police following his ouster, according to former government official Armando Sarmiento. And the rights group Freedom of Expression said leftist legislator Cesar Ham had died in a shootout with soldiers trying to detain him.

A Honduran Security Department spokesman said he had no information on Ham.

Armored military vehicles with machine guns rolled through the streets of the Honduran capital and soldiers seized the national palace, but no other incidents of violence were reported.

Sunday afternoon, Congress voted to accept what it said was Zelaya's letter of resignation, with even the president's former allies turning against him. Micheletti, who as leader of Congress is in line to fill any vacancy in the presidency, was sworn in to serve until Zelaya's term ends.

Micheletti belongs to Zelaya's Liberal Party, but opposed the president in the referendum.

Micheletti acknowledged that he had not spoken to any Latin American heads of state, but said, "I'm sure that 80 to 90 percent of the Honduran population is happy with what happened today."

The Organization of American States approved a resolution Sunday demanding "the immediate, safe and unconditional return of the constitutional president, Manuel Zelaya."

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the coup and "urges the reinstatement of the democratically elected representatives of the country," said his spokeswoman, Michele Montas.

The Rio Group, which comprises 23 nations from the hemisphere, issued a statement condemning "the coup d'etat" and calling for Zelaya's "immediate and unconditional restoration to his duties."

And Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou canceled a planned visit to Honduras, one of just 23 countries that still recognize the self-governing island.

Coups were common in Central America until the 1980s, but Sunday's ouster was the first military power grab in Latin America since a brief, failed 2002 coup against Chavez.

It was the first military ouster of a Central American president since 1993, when Guatemalan military officials refused to accept President Jorge Serrano's attempt to seize absolute power, forcing him to resign.

___

Associated Press writers Marianela Jimenez in San Jose, Costa Rica, and Calvin Woodward in Washington contributed to this report.

 By David Kaufman

(Budget Travel) -- Even the most sophisticated traveler could be forgiven for thinking that there's little more to Panama than its iconic canal, seaside capital, and snorkeler-packed Bocas del Toro islands
The Los Santos region of Panama has spectacular rolling farmlands and blissfully empty beaches.

But there's a more secret and equally spectacular side to the country about a five-hour drive west from Panama City: the Pacific coast region of Los Santos. Here, rolling farmlands and stands of mahogany and cocobolo trees hug an azure coastline, luring surfers, nature buffs, and, increasingly, travelers and second-home owners from all over.Although roadside real-estate billboards suggest a far more developed future, Los Santos has managed to stay blessedly free of resorts. In their place are a handful of low-key -- and far more affordable -- boutique hotels. The most stylish is the seven-room Villa Camilla, just outside the fishing village of Pedasí. The red-tiled hideaway, located on an 800-acre parcel of the Azuero Peninsula, started out as a private escape for French interior designer Gilles St.-Gilles and his wife, Camilla. "The area reminded us of Tuscany," says St.-Gilles, who landscaped the estate with fragrant jasmine, plumeria, and hibiscus. In 2005, the couple opened their place as a hotel, and last fall they added 20 new seaside duplex lofts. As stylish as they are family-friendly, the setups come with full-size kitchens, extra guest beds, and mosaic-tile flooring. An in-house stable is ready for shoreline horseback rides, and you can sign up for snorkeling trips to nearby Isla Cañas, a palm-fringed refuge where thousands of leatherback turtles converge to build nests.Farther inland, the center of Pedasí has a cow-town vibe: Picture low-slung cottages painted bright green and yellow, and ranchers wearing handmade Panama hats. Yellow is also the color of choice at the new Casita Margarita. This five-room B&B comes with locally crafted cocobolo furniture and a wraparound veranda overlooking Pedasí's main street. Perhaps best of all, it's within walking distance of local hangout Mano Surf Community, a pro shop that does double duty as a café and juice bar, and El Gringo Dusek, a no-frills, alfresco cantina run by retired U.S. Navy officer Joseph Dusek, which serves the best barbecue ribs in Los Santos.Of course, beyond the culinary surf and turf, the region's big draw is its blissfully empty beaches: Some of Panama's most scenic -- Los Destiladeros, Modroño, and the black-sand Playa Venao with its eight-foot breaks -- are short drives from Pedasí. Closer to home, Pedasí's El Arenal is a good launchpad for day trips to Iguana Island. (Fishermen stationed by the pier rent their motorboats, captain included, for about $50 round trip.) The hotel-free and nearly visitor-free isle is named for its resident black and green iguanas. Sign up for an Iguana Island Foundation snorkeling and hiking tour; you might just get a good look at some hatchlings.While it may be hard to top that sight, 77-year-old Dalila Vera de Quintero knows how to command equal wows. Her lemon-yellow bakery in a bungalow, Dulceria Yely, is famous across Panama for its home-style sweets, like almond queques (pound cakes) and creamy chicheme, a shake blended from sweetened milk, fresh corn, and crushed vanilla beans. She also stashes a cake or two in the kitchen for favorite customers, such as former Panamanian president and Pedasí native Mireya Moscoso. Swoon loudly enough and Quintero may just reward you with a thick presidential slice. 

 

By GREG HITT Wallstreet Journal

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama has signaled in recent days a more positive stance toward free trade than he did on the campaign trail, pleasing business groups but courting a backlash among trade-skeptical Democrats in Congress.

An early test of just how much Mr. Obama will push trade in addition to the other issues on his agenda -- like health care, climate change and financial regulation -- will be whether he prods Congress soon to ratify a free-trade agreement with Panama negotiated under the Bush administration.

The White House's newly confirmed trade representative, Ron Kirk, indicated that was under consideration in a speech last week, saying "we believe there is strong bipartisan support for the pending free-trade agreement with Panama." Mr. Kirk also mentioned possibly moving forward with other stalled Bush-era pacts with Colombia and South Korea.

That came a few days after Obama aides suggested the president wouldn't seek to reopen the North American Free Trade Agreement to address concerns about labor and environmental protections. Mr. Obama had, as a candidate, pledged to renegotiate the deal. And it followed a decision by the Obama administration not to label China a currency manipulator, though Mr. Obama himself had done just that during the campaign. Critics of China say Beijing keeps the value of the yuan artificially low to give their exporters a leg up in the world economy.

After Mr. Obama and congressional Democrats talked tough on trade during the 2008 campaign, business leaders worried about new protectionism out of Washington. Now, some say they are more encouraged.

"If the president could just move the Panama agreement, it would send a signal to the world that we're open for business," Jim Owens, chairman and chief executive of Caterpillar Inc., said in remarks at the Council on Foreign Relations the same day as Mr. Kirk's speech.

But trade skepticism and populist economic sentiments still run high on Capitol Hill. Those sentiments derailed the trade agenda in the final years of the Bush presidency and helped fuel Democratic gains at the polls in the last two elections.

Rep. Mike Michaud (D., Maine) issued a statement after Mr. Kirk's speech denouncing the talk of acting on Panama as "absolutely outrageous and a serious mistake." Mr. Michaud, a strong critic of U.S. trade policy, suggested Mr. Obama risks alienating voters who are worried about trade and globalization, and dividing Democrats on Capitol Hill. "You're just courting trouble," he said in an interview.

That came as other leaders in Congress have stepped up their campaign for Mr. Obama to stick more closely to his trade promises. "I am disappointed that the Treasury Department did not cite China as a currency manipulator," Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown told a Washington audience last week. He called on Mr. Obama to convene a blue-ribbon commission to "help create a new path on trade." He added, "The basic premise of redirecting U.S. trade policy is that we must see evidence that our trade model is working before we pass new trade agreements -- whether with Panama, Colombia or South Korea," he said.

Already this year, Mr. Obama has had some small tussles with Congress on trade. Lawmakers tucked into the stimulus legislation a "Buy American" provision requiring preferences for domestic suppliers on government contracts. That has stirred tensions with trade partners, prompting the administration to vow to water down the rules.

Congress attached to a separate spending bill a provision that killed a program that allowed Mexican trucks to transport cargo into the U.S. Mexico responded with tariffs on a list of American exports. The White House has said it was working to resolve the dispute.

The next big test for trade is Panama. Mr. Kirk said last week that the deal wasn't ready yet for a congressional vote, saying, "I'm working to resolve some labor and other issues before we ask Congress to consider it."

Deborah Mesloh, spokeswoman for Mr. Kirk, said the administration is ready to work with Congress to address concerns on the trade agenda.

 

Green in Panama

 Sherly Diaz / The Panama Post
sherly.diaz@rimolamedios.com

It has been proven that making clean production achieves a transformation toward green economies.

Sectors such as agricultural, tourism, construction and public transportation have great potential in Panama to develop a green economy or business, assured Hussein Abaza, chief of the unit of Economy and Commerce of the United Nations Environment Program (PNUMA).

The expert participated as special guest at the forum "Challenges and opportunities in Panama for the new green economy", organized by the National Environmental Authority (ANAM).

Organic farming will create commercial opportunities and greater access to global markets with the practice of green or clean business.

"The production of organic agriculture is a market segment especially for developing countries," he said.

He pointed out that, therefore, green economies or businesses try to promote a global green new deal; thereby it is important to have a commitment at international level with all countries to be able to implement these practices with partnerships, new technologies and capabilities.

"This is the only viable way to bring us out of the crisis and address economic, social and environmental issues," said the expert.

Abaza indicated that among the main sectors in which Panama is making substantial investments in green businesses is the agricultural, since it has great potential, but that at world level, not enough attention has been given to this area.

In Panama there are very high buildings and housing projects being developed, which is the reason for the tendency of building green structures , using green construction materials in terms of lighting and climate systems.

Public transportation has great potential to become a green business, just like ecotourism.

"Ecotourism is going to continue helping to meet a dual purpose, address environmental issues, while generating jobs and attracting tourists. Panama has forests that we have to make sure are maintained so that local communities can also receive benefits for preserving them, that is to say, income generation", remarked the expert.

Progress at local level

In turn, Minister of ANAM, Ligia Castro, explained that at international level there is a wide range of technologies that are more efficient in energy and water use, which are known as clean energy.

Castro said that in the case of Panama there are 201 companies practicing clean production; as well as owners of agricultural farms practicing sustainable farming, where a gradual change is taking place, which not only succeeds in improving environmental quality, but also in obtaining byproducts from what was previously waste, increasing their profits in compliance with environmental regulations.

"These companies demonstrate that environmental regulations can be fulfilled and, in doing so, they become more efficient and competitive and achieve higher profits," he said.

Castro mentioned as an example that Panamanian organic coffee is being sold well to international markets as Japan, Taiwan and Singapore.

Even ANAM has worked the Ecolabelling certification with coffee, porcine and poultry farmers in addition to hoteliers.

"The fact that Panamanian goods and services show off this Ecolabelling certification will open up markets at international level because consumers want organic products," he concluded.

Stanford bank is saved by buyer

Source: Marijulia Pujol Lloyd / Panama Star

The administrator of the bank said it will correspond to a judge in Dallas to approve the sale of the Panama branches

The administrator designated by the US Security Commission to safeguard the interests of the Stanford Group, Ralph Janvey has announced that a buyer has been found.

Janvey said that on April 16 he received proposals from three consortiums wanting to buy Stanford Bank. One was Venezuelan, the other Colombian and the third Panamanian-American.

Before completing the preliminary prerequisites imposed by the US Security Commission and the Panama Bank Superintendent, one bidder retired.

Janvey did not disclose the name of the ultimate buyer, because a confidentiality agreement is in place, but everything will be revealed in due course.

The purchase will not take place until the contract is approved by a court in Dallas, Texas, and is ratified by the Panama Bank Superintendent.

The process can take several weeks to be approved and Janvey decided not to venture an approximate date.

Stanford Bank operations in Panama were suspended in February when the major shareholder the Texan Robert Allen Stanford was accused of defrauding hundreds of investors in Texas.

The Bank Superintendent decided to take Stanford into administration after its board of directors asked for its intervention when account holders started to take their money out.

Since then all the accounts in the bank have been frozen, creating problems for some clients, who were unable to have access to their funds and companies had to seek funds elsewhere to avoid bankruptcy. Some of them were in such bad shape that they did not have enough money to pay the payroll.

According to one administrator of Stanford Bank in Great Britain, once the sale of financial institution is completed, the process of giving the account holders access to their money will commence, after permission has been sought from US authorities.

Currently, representatives of Stanford Bank Switzerland are seeking permission from the United States to unfreeze the accounts.
Stanford Bank Panama has a capital of $228.6 million. The bank has been operating with a skeleton staff over the last four months collecting money owed to the bank and avoiding the depletion of the principal capital.

THE STANFORD SCANDAL
Last February hundreds of investors woke up to news that they had lost all their savings after the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) accused Mr. Robert Allen Stanford of operating a fraud centered on the sale of certificates of deposit from his Antiguan affiliate, Stanford International Bank Ltd ( SIB ).

According to the SEC complaint, Antigua-based Stanford International Bank lied to investors about where it was putting their money.

Instead of putting it into "safe" CDs as promised, the SEC says the firm invested it in "illiquid investments, such as real estate and private equity."

Stanford promised his investors too-good-to-be-true returns based on his own unique formula. But the SEC called those returns "improbable, if not impossible."

THE BANK
For the last 100 days accounts has been frozen at Stanford Bank, causing a lot of hardship to those who have all their money deposited in that financial institution.

By finding a buyer the bank will avoid liquidation and continue to trade in Panama, once it has the approval of the Bank Superintendent and a court in the United States.

Panama - Telecoms, Mobile, Broadband and Forecasts - New Company & Market Analysis

Source: Lucia Bibolini / PR-Inside

Panama’s telecom market is one of the most advanced in Central America. With the region’s second-highest GDP growth forecast for 2009, plus two new competitors entering the mobile market, the outlook is promising for mobile telephony in Panama.

Until December 2008, Telefónicas Movistar and C&WP’s +Movil were the only mobile operators in Panama, vying neck-and-neck for market share. But their duopoly has come to an end with the market entry of Digicel and América Móvil’s Claro.

In basic telephony, on the other hand, competition has been slower to develop; the incumbent Cable & Wireless Panamá (C&WP) still controls around 86% of the country’s fixed lines in service, but the long distance sector is highly competitive.

Compared with the rest of Central America, Panama’s fixed-line teledensity is about 11% higher than the regional average, which is consistent with the country’s economic indicators, while mobile penetration is 33% higher.

Panama’s geographical position and connection to numerous submarine cables have made it a burgeoning business hub and strategic location for telecom companies and Internet Data Centres. The country’s broadband market has the highest broadband penetration in Central America.

Key Highlights
- Mobile number portability is to be implemented in Panama by April 2010.

- Triple play is gaining popularity; Cable Onda, the dominant cable TV operator, offers cable modem broadband and VoIP telephony over its coaxial and fibre optic cable.

- Movistar launched a UMTS network in December 2008. It is the only company offering 3G services, with coverage only over Panama City.

- Two new companies are bringing new competition to the Panamanian mobile market: Digicel, which began services in December 2008, and América Móvil’s Claro, expected to launch services in April 2009.

Musical party in Casco Viejo

Source: Panama Star

PANAMA. More than 40 artists, local and international, will perform on Saturday in the third annual “Fiesta de la Musica”, a cultural event organized by the Casco Antiguo Office (OCA), and the French Embassy. The festival will offer 35 free concerts on six stages in Casco Viejo.

The opening concert will be held at the National theatre on Friday June 19, and will pay homage to Brazilian and Panamanian composers, according to Judith Jaen, sub director of OCA.

The Panamanian version of “Fete de la Musique” will actually begin the next day, Saturday 20 starting at 3:00 p.m.

Each genre will have its own stage: tropical music at Plaza Herrera; tipico music at the Cathedral Plaza; world music at the Arco Chato; rock&roll at La Casona, and jazz at Paseo Esteban Huertas.

Classical music lovers will have a special space at the Anita Villalaz Theatre with the performance of the Musica Viva Choir, the “Aguas de Chorrillo” Orchestra and the University of Panama Chamber and Symphonic Orchestras.

Also known as World Music Day, the Fete de la Musique was started in France in 1982 by the French Ministry of Culture with the purpose of offering a diverse musical exposure to large audiences for free. It also aims to give artists the opportunity to perform in non-traditional stages.

Nowadays it is celebrated in 130 countries around the world.

In Panama, the third edition of thefestival will have as backdrop the historical San Felipe neighborhood, declared World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1997.

This music festival takes place every year on June 21, the summer solstice, the official beginning of the northern hemisphere summer.

The streets of Casco Viejo will be for pedestrians only, available parking will be provided at the Causeway, and a free bus service will take the attendees to the concert area all day.

The audience will enjoy open air performances of artists such as Samy & Sandra Sandoval, Yomira Jones, The Vox, The Beachers, Om Kalsum from Egypt, Carlos Garnett, among many others.

 

Panama: A Land of Opportunity

Source: Jeremy Shorenstein / Republic of Panama Visitor’s Guide

In our economy today, only the most beneficial and proficient projects and companies survive. The Panamanian economy has taken the same hit as most countries, but is holding strong throughout this global endeavor. Projects such as the Panama Canal Expansion and the development of Howard Air Force Base as a business and residential zone are keeping Panama’s economic status on the rise. In addition, the people of Panama have high hopes for President Elect Ricardo Martinelli to keep business and real-estate ventures moving forward. With these factors pushing Panama to a brighter future, this country is emerging as a new land of opportunity.

The Panama Canal Expansion is a big player in keeping the Panamanian economy running smoothly. The$ 5.25 billion project employs over 5000 workers and is to be completed by 2014. Officials overseeing the construction of the expansion see no delay in their projected time estimates, using the $50 million bonus for completing the project by the canal’s 100th anniversary as incentive to continue as scheduled. The expansion will allow ships sized at ‘post-panamax’ to pass through. Since these ‘post-panamax’ ships can hold more than four times as much cargo as the original ‘panamax’ sized ships can, the canal will make a significantly more profit. With all of this money coming into the country from the existing canal as well as the increase in the near future from the expansion, Panama has little threat of economic instability.

The area formerly known as Howard Air Force Base has become a bustling town of bulldozers and cement mixers. The construction in this area is booming because of its prime location across the canal from Panama City. London and Regional Properties recently acquired a $750 million deal to transform the old air force base into a mixed-use, business, residential and recreational center named Panama Pacifico over the next 40 years. Incentives are being given to those companies who relocate to Panama Pacifico, such as the implementation of this area as a free-trade zone; this meaning exemption from taxes for certain business activities and other legal, immigration and labor benefits. Dell Computers has already created one of the largest call centers in the world inside the free-trade zone. These incentives will draw in companies looking to take advantage of the opportunity, giving the option for expansion and more stability in Panama.

Tying these other components together so they may help Panama move forward as a single strong entity is President Elect Ricardo Martinelli. Martinelli, owner of the Ranch 99 Market franchise, swept the vote with 61% in his favor. With his inauguration into presidency, the business sector of Panama has an ally on their side. With Martinelli’s success and experience in the business world, he has the ability to help Panama do more than just keep its head above water. Already, Martinelli is planning on cutting corporate taxes to instate a flat tax and resist more information sharing and transparency taxes among corporations. These proclaimed actions will also give the United States more incentive to instate the Free-Trade Agreement sooner than later. Martinelli’s experience as being the Minister for Canal Affairs and also Chairman of the body that oversees the canal provides him with knowledge of politics and how he may use the expansion to improve Panama in the most effective manner.

With Panama having all of these projects moving toward an improved economic position, construction and real-estate lead the global market for foreign investors. Unfortunately, with the booming market for these products, there are those who look to take advantage of this type of situation, making it difficult to find a reliable firm to choose from. It is time consuming but crucial to take the time to find trustworthy companies such as Templar Panama who “lead the way” in the market by providing both Panamanian and foreign investors with a reliable and safe company to find the best fitting properties and/or investments. Construction companies as well are finding themselves neck deep in project offers, not knowing which one to take first.

With the expansion of the canal, the revamping of Howard Air Force Base, the Election of Ricardo Martinelli and the growing real-estate and investment market, Panama has an upper-hand in this economic crisis. If Panama had only the expansion of the canal the country would still be on the rise. However, when the expansion is matched with all of the other positive movements happening within the country, Panama becomes an unstoppable force that has no choice but to rise to a new level and earn the title of “The Land of Opportunity”.

 

Panama Property "One of Best Investments on Global Market"

Source: PR inside

Panama property is one of the best investments for 2009 according to a well known expert on overseas property investment.

The Panamanian economy is growing even during a global recession, putting it in good position to resume accelerated growth next year, according to Liam Bailey of Write About Property.

"Just as I forecast when I was recommending Panama property for investment last year, the economy is to continue growing strongly this year according to the IMF [International Monetary Fund], which forecasts
an impressive 3% growth for Panama's economy this year and 4% next year," he said.

"As I said then, Panama's economy growing this strongly as almost the entire world falls into recession, makes property in the country one of the best investments on the global market," added Bailey.

"This is because of the canal expansion, to be completed in 2014, when we will see economic growth in Panama increase up to three fold. Economic growth translates to more people buying homes and increasing living (and operating costs), which translates to rising property values. Panama property prices are likely to double between now and 2014, and will be at least three times what they are now in 2016," he explained.

Julie Liddle, emerging markets analyst with overseas property portal Property Abroad concurred with Bailey.

"In such gloomy times it is easy to get scared of making positive forecasts about overseas property markets, but in the case of Panama it cannot be avoided. Though the news is thin on the ground, we are seeing prices holding firm, and even rising in terms of the asking prices of new properties coming onto the site," she said.

Property Abroad.com is currently advertising dozens of properties for sale in Panama, prices start from around £50k.

 

Panama: A Land of Opportunity

By: Jeremy Shorenstein 

In our economy today, only the most beneficial and proficient projects and companies survive.  The Panamanian economy has taken the same hit as most countries, but is holding strong throughout this global endeavor. Projects such as the Panama Canal Expansion and the development of Howard Air Force Base as a business and residential zone are keeping Panama’s economic status on the rise. In addition, the people of Panama have high hopes for President Elect Ricardo Martinelli to keep business and real-estate ventures moving forward. With these factors pushing Panama to a brighter future, this country is emerging as a new land of opportunity.

                The Panama Canal Expansion is a big player in keeping the Panamanian economy running smoothly. The$ 5.25 billion project employs over 5000 workers and is to be completed by 2014. Officials overseeing the construction of the expansion see no delay in their projected time estimates, using the $50 million bonus for completing the project by the canal’s 100^th anniversary as incentive to continue as scheduled. The expansion will allow ships sized at ‘post-panamax’ to pass through. Since these ‘post-panamax’ ships can hold more than four times as much cargo as the original ‘panamax’ sized ships can, the canal will make a significantly more profit.  With all of this money coming into the country from the existing canal as well as the increase in the near future from the expansion, Panama has little threat of economic instability.

                The area formerly known as Howard Air Force Base has become a bustling town of bulldozers and cement mixers. The construction in this area is booming because of its prime location across the canal from Panama City. London and Regional Properties recently acquired a $750 million deal to transform the old air force base into a mixed-use, business, residential and recreational center named Panama Pacifico over the next 40 years. Incentives are being given to those companies who relocate to Panama Pacifico, such as the implementation of this area as a free-trade zone; this meaning exemption from taxes for certain business activities and other legal, immigration and labor benefits. Dell Computers has already created one of the largest call centers in the world inside the free-trade zone. These incentives will draw in companies looking to take advantage of the opportunity, giving the option for expansion and more stability in Panama.               

                Tying these other components together so they may help Panama move forward as a single strong entity is President Elect Ricardo Martinelli.  Martinelli, owner of the Ranch 99 Market franchise, swept the vote with 61% in his favor. With his inauguration into presidency, the business sector of Panama has an ally on their side. With Martinelli’s success and experience in the business world, he has the ability to help Panama do more than just keep its head above water. Already, Martinelli is planning on cutting corporate taxes to instate a flat tax and resist more information sharing and transparency taxes among corporations. These proclaimed actions will also give the United States more incentive to instate the Free-Trade Agreement sooner than later. Martinelli’s experience as being the Minister for Canal Affairs and also Chairman of the body that oversees the canal provides him with knowledge of politics and how he may use the expansion to improve Panama in the most effective manner.

                With Panama having all of these projects moving toward an improved economic position, construction and real-estate lead the global market for foreign investors. Unfortunately, with the booming market for these products, there are those who look to take advantage of this type of situation, making it difficult to find a reliable firm to choose from. It is time consuming but crucial to take the time to find trustworthy companies such as Templar Panama who “lead the way” in the market by providing both Panamanian and foreign investors with a reliable and safe company to find the best fitting properties and/or investments. Construction companies as well are finding themselves neck deep in project offers, not knowing which one to take first.

                With the expansion of the canal, the revamping of Howard Air Force Base, the Election of Ricardo Martinelli and the growing real-estate and investment market, Panama has an upper-hand in this economic crisis. If Panama had only the expansion of the canal the country would still be on the rise. However, when the expansion is matched with all of the other positive movements happening within the country, Panama becomes an unstoppable force that has no choice but to rise to a new level and earn the title of “The Land of Opportunity”.

Panama Headline News

Panama: Graffiti on wheels

Source: Sara Miller Llana / CSMonitor

PANAMA CITY – Liriola Miranda, a college statistics professor, steps aboard Mr. Chiriqui, an old school bus blazing with splashes of red and green that give homage to the owner’s home province, Chiriqui, in Panama.

“The buses are an expression of identity,” she says of Panama City’s main transport system – a fleet of US hand-me-downs known affectionately in Panama as “red devils,” both for their hues and their hastiness as they fly down the capital’s roads, honking in search of passengers.

Sometimes the colorful expressions are patriotic, other times it’s something entirely different, Ms. Miranda explains, shaking her head as another “red devil” passes by, decorated with images of bikini-clad women in both back windows.

The “red devils,” painted down to the hubcaps, have turned Panama City’s streets into a whirl of bright reds and oranges and blues. Some are emblazoned with superheroes and saints, pictures of Colombian singer Shakira, or epic scenes of warriors fighting off lions.

Bus décor is a mixture of romanticism and manliness. Many are named after the owner’s girlfriend or wife – but they are also painted with macho slogans that shout “force,” “power,” and “thunder” or instructions like “If you don’t know the rules, I’ll teach them to you.”

But now the transport system, which is both ridiculed as anachronistic and celebrated (like the privately owned taxis called “tap-taps” that crowd Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince) as a form of public urban art, faces an uncertain fate.

The winner in Panama’s presidential election early in May, supermarket tycoon and right-leaning Ricardo Martinelli, made modernizing the public transportation system a main campaign pledge – calling for a Panama City subway to alleviate the traffic jams that have become chronic throughout the capital.

Carlos Diaz, a bus driver for 18 years, says he supports a new fleet of buses. “Let the new ones come,” says Mr. Diaz, behind the wheel of Mr. Chiriqui, his friend’s bus. “We’ll paint the new ones!” he says, smiling, before closing his doors and driving off.

For Miranda, it’s a mixed bag. “On one hand it is primitive. Panama is a city with money, and we deserve a good public transportation system,” she says, adding that her cellphone was stolen from her on her commute back from work recently.

Transportation consistently ranked as one of voters’ top concerns, and helped knock out the incumbent party. On the other hand, a new fleet will replace one of the last remaining idiosyncrasies of Panama City – not unlike the way a chain store drives out the local mom-and-pop shop.

“There is nowhere else in the world you can find these [buses],” says Miranda wistfully, but then perks up. “When they get rid of them, I’ll try to buy one as a souvenir,” she says. Or better yet, she brainstorms later, she can transport one to her home province and start a mini-tourist operation. “That way their memory will live on.”

 

 

 

Panama Real Estate: Hopes Run High for the New President

Source: Yemi Kifle / NuWire Investor
http://realestatepanama.net/

Panama's most recent election was full of surprises. For one thing, Ricardo Martinelli, who in his first presidential bid in 2004 only got 5.3 percent of the vote, won the contest. Equally striking is the fact that Mr. Martinelli won 61 percent of the votes, making him the first president in the country's modern history to be elected into office with an absolute majority.

So, who is this man that has caught Panama's ruling party, the PRD (Revolutionary Democratic Party), by complete surprise? The 57 year old Ricardo Martinelli is a conservative tycoon who owns a spectrum of businesses including supermarkets, banks, and agricultural companies, according to Time magazine. The U.S. educated candidate campaigned promising change and voters decided he is the man that can deliver. "The Martinelli victory breaks the Latin Left’s 2009 electoral winning streak of Venezuela, El Salvador, and Ecuador," said Ray Walser, a fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative American think tank.

The fact that the ruling party's candidate had to fight accusations of corruption during the campaign is sure to have helped Martinelli. It probably also made a difference that he was once the chairman of the board of directors at the Panama Canal. The Canal is often cited as an example of the kind of efficiency Panamaians want from their government. Martinelli was also the Minister of Canal Affairs when, in 2006, voters said yes to a $5.25 billion investment into the sector. This canal expansion project, which will be finished in 2014, has generated over 2,000 new jobs with many more expected to follow.

Martinelli and his party, Democratic Change, hold the majority of seats in the National Assembly. This puts him in a position where he can implement his reforms, including budget cuts and business friendly regulations regarding taxes and labor, once he takes office on July 1. If he carries though, international investors, real estate or otherwise, will likely give Panama an even closer look. He is also expected to push for the passing of a bi-lateral trade agreement between the U.S. and Panama. "The average voter in Panama is betting on a dynamic and productive relationship with the U.S. and has demonstrated confidence in continued strong ties between the two nations," said Walser.

Real Estate in Panama City and beyond
The current state of the property market in Panama City is nothing to envy. The city's real estate sector is in crisis. Sales have practically ground to a halt, according to Sam Taliaferro, who was recently interviewed by the New York Times.

Mr. Taliaferro, who is the author of the widely read Panama Investor Blog, said he has yet been able to sell properties he bought on speculation. Prices in the capital are also dropping. "In a building in Punta Pacifica that I happen to own property in, they were selling at $2,400 a square meter as of, say, six or eight months ago. Now I can’t sell it at $1,300 a square meter," Taliaferro told the Times. Anyone who is interested in buying in Panama City should have plenty of options and opportunities to negotiate the purchase price. In fact, for those willing to look and haggle with developers, there are a lot of choices.

In addition, the $200,000 to $400,000 market that was popular over the past five years has disappeared, according to Mr. Taliaferro. That market, he argues, was highly dependent on the abundant credit conditions that existed before the subprime mortgage crisis. The new market that is now emerging in Panama's real estate sector is one that is made up of well-heeled clients in search of a safe place to park their money.

Looking ahead
Panama's president "happens to own the largest supermarket chain in the country. But he’s also a businessman and has a number of buildings and towers that he has under construction. So he will do everything, obviously, to keep that machine going as long as possible," Taliaferro told the times.

In addition, the finishing of the Panama Canal will mean it can process large ships that can carry up to 12,000 20 feet long containers, according to Time magazine. There is a lot of hope that with the help of an efficient and trustworthy government in place, Panama will become the regional Singapore.

The Indians of Kuna Yala

The Republic of Panama  

 

The Indians of Kuna Yala, Panama

Source: Richard Holledge / Times Online
An independent island society off the coast of Panama retains its traditional culture in idyllic surroundings

Surprising place, Panama. A few minutes from the city with its shiny new 21st century skyscrapers the plane is flying over empty rainforest.

The only sign of life below is the Trans American Highway, which in various forms starts in Alaska and comes to a stop 110 miles from the border with Colombia before continuing to the tip of the continent.

It’s a cramped, knees-up-to-the-chin, 50-minute flight which ends on a grass strip right on the water’s edge. A short walk and a boat trip to the island of Uaguinega and the tourist finds he has taken a journey into the past.

This is Kuna Yala, an autonomous state of Indians who originally settled in the Darien area of Panama after fleeing Colombia in the 1600s and then left the disease of the jungle for the sea and the islands in the 18th century. Life has been carefully - and tenaciously - frozen in time. It’s as much of a contrast with Panama City as you could imagine.

Kuna Yala is a strip of land and string of 365 islands that stretch 200 miles along the Caribbean coast. For the tourist the lure of the islands is irresistible, particularly as there are few places to stay, keeping it untouched, uncommercial and as soothing as you could hope with clear seas and palm-lined beaches and always in the distance the misty ridge of the mainland mountains like a barrier to the outside world.

Anyone expecting the bland luxury of a Four Seasons-style resort will be disappointed. The few lodges on the islands are made of the local materials, thatched in palm with walls of bamboo and shutters which are simply planks of wood.

When the winds gets up at night the cabin creaks and billows like a yacht under full sail. The electricity – in the form of a 40 watt bulb - is switched on at six and off at eleven, the facilities are simple with water warmed by solar power.

Food is invariably fish or lobster with tamales and plantain. And don’t expect anything as 20th century as a television. But that’s the appeal, even if Dolphin Lodge, which is one of the biggest resorts with 11 cabins, costs £194 a night per person. Tour operator Journey Latin America offers a two-night three-day package from Panama City including flights and transfers for £372 per person.

The Kuna have fought, literally, to keep things simple. In 1925 an armed group attacked the Panamanian police who had been involved in the violent suppression of Kuna cultural practices by the government and in 1930 they were granted their independence rather in the way Scotland has its own administration.

Ever since, the Kunu Yala – 72,000 of them - have been determined to preserve their traditional life. The islands are tightly packed with one-roomed houses of bamboo, smoke spiraling from an open fire. Small shops sell crisps, biscuits, washing powder and tins of meat. Simple cafes serve Coke to the few tourists, each island has a school and a square for basketball.

The men work on their fishing nets, the waters alive with boats struggling against the waves with outboard engines, paddles and scrawny sails. One of their biggest catches is lobsters, most of which end up on tables in Colombia and Panama City.

Each island has its own identity. Utupu a stomach–turning one and a half hours through a heavy swell demands a $4 dollar entry fee and is like a little bamboo Venice with bridges over lagoons and houses built around inlets.

No pictures are allowed unless you pay one dollar – then it’s not a problem. The men of Utupu provided a spectacular side show. Our guide took us to a yard where a tapir – a sort of pig with a long nose - had been caught. Its head sat in a washing up bowl while the hunters enthusiastically hacked its body to bloody pieces in a dug out canoe. Well, that was the village’s supper looked after.

It seems a civilized and gentle society (unless you are a tapir) though it is hard to tell after only a few days. Co-operative labor is still the norm - they all take it in turns to sweep the dusty lanes, for example - but there is no escaping the fact that they are poor, relying on the 30,000 plus who live in Panama City to send home money.

They have over-fished their waters and increasingly have to turn to tourism to make a living. The biggest source of income, after the few lodges, is the sale of the traditional embroidery which enlivens the costumes of Kuna women.

Known as molas, they consist of a patterned blue cotton wrapped skirt, red and yellow headscarf, arm and leg beads, gold nose rings and earrings and the many layered and finely sewn blouses with patterns of flowers, sea animals and birds. Brightly-colored leggings complete the ensemble. It is striking how few dress in western style even when they move to Panama City.

As the tourists stroll on the island of Achutupu, right across the water from Dolphin Lodge, they are soon caught up in a non stop display of wares. It’s all very gentle with women, grannies and children gathering outside their houses holding up their embroidery. There is no attempt to haggle or harass and everything seems to cost five dollars.

Our guide took us to meet his family, as he probably does with every group of tourists, to entice us to buy molas and good luck charms. His young bride and new baby lolled on a hammock, a talking doll beside her, still in its wrapping. It was her christening present, reciting, at a push of its stomach, 'Have a Nice Day' in an American accent.

The mola is the most striking symbol of the Kuna’s independent spirit but maybe the most admirable feature of their society is simply that it has survived with much of its unique cultural identity intact. Despite the talking doll.