Government of Panama Hires Copa Air To Create "Air Bridge" to David
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 07:01 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 13
By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - The government of Panama has coordinated with Copa Airlines to create an "air bridge" to move people between the Enrique Malek International Airport in the city of David in the province of Chiriqui and the Tocumen International Airport in Panama City. According to the Director of the Civil Air Authority of Panama, Rafael Barcenas, the first flight will be arriving at Tocumen this evening at about 8:00 pm with 94 passengers aboard. He said "the public should be aware these flights are for the emergency evacuation of tourists and those who have been stuck in David and who cannot return to Panama City due to the protests. These flights should not be considered as free flights for tourists to travel to Chiriqui." Copa's Embraer 190AR has a capacity to move 84 passengers in coach and 10 in first class.
Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.
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Costa Ricans Trapped Inside Panama As Protesters Close Off Border Road
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 06:55 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 40
The situation in Panama keeps worsening as the Inter American highway of San Felix, Chiriqui, where Ngobe Bugle indigenous people oppose hydroelectric and mining projects, the highway remains blocked for four days now and 270 Costa Ricans are trapped on the Panamanian side of the border. "We have been here for four days and supplies are running low. There are people with diabetes and asthma, the situation is out of control", Allan Roman, one of the Costa Ricans trapped by the blockages, told the press. Roman is part of a group of Costa Ricans who traveled to Panama on an excursion, describing his situation and that of the others to Radio ADN 90.7.
Jorge Medrano, another Tico, told ADN that "they say we are not Panamanians and they cannot do anything about it". The Tico trapped in Panama have to resort to ingenuity and the kindness of Panamanians for help. Some are paying local residents for drinking water and the use of toilets.
The Inter American highway has been closed since Monday and protesters say they will continue blocking the roads until article five of a mining bill that deputies are discussing is restored, according to the Coordinating Committee for the Defense of the Rights of the Ngobe Bugle People. The article excludes indigenous regions from mining and hydroelectric activities, but, apparently, there is a non-agreed extra excerpt that includes them.
Truck drivers and producers asked the government to solve the problem, since they are suffering terrible losses due to the deterioration of perishable products such as vegetables. Hundreds of vehicles are stranded along the highway of San Felix and Remedios. (insidecostarica.com)
Editor's Comment: Late this afternoon the protesting Indians took 42 Costa Rican tourists hostage, saying they would be held as their "guarantee."
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Indians block Panama roads in debate over mining
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 06:51 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 32
(AP) PANAMA CITY — Members of an Indian tribe in Panama are blocking roads in two provinces on the border with Costa Rica in a dispute over mineral exploitation on their lands. Protesters from the Ngobe-Bugle tribe have been manning roadblocks of stones and branches set up Monday in Bocas del Toro and Chiriqui in western Panama. They have also closed sections of road in Veraguas province. A tribal spokesman told The Associated Press on Thursday that the protesters will not negotiate directly with the government but want discussions with the Central American country's Legislative Assembly. The assembly has taken initial steps toward lifting a mining moratorium in the region where many of the tribe's members live.
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Indian Protesters Kidnap About 40 Costa Rican Tourists - Holding Them As Hostages
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 06:19 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 62
By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - The situation in San Felix just changed significantly. According to the Director of Panama's National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC), Arturo Alvarado De Icaza, the protesting indigenous Ngöbe Bugle Indians have kidnapped about 40 Costa Rican citizens who were traveling aboard a "Tica Bus" in the area of the protest. While speaking to the channel 2 TVN evening news broadcast, Alvarado said the Ngöbe Bugle Indians said the Costa Rican tourists would be serving as their "guarantee" and they called them their "hostages."
Provoking A Confrontation: Obviously, the protesters are trying to provoke a confrontation with the authorities of the Panamanian government. They have now taken Costa Rican citizens as hostages. The last time this kind of thing happened, the protesters took police officers as hostages. And now of course the Panamanian government is going to be forced to respond in order to secure and guarantee the safety of the Costa Rican tourists, who have been taken as hostages.
Get The Hell Out Of There! If you are anywhere near any of these protests - MOVE. Go in the other direction. I don't care if you have to abandon your vehicle and walk. Do so, right now. Get to someplace safe, or there's a good chance that you might be the next hostage. There's practically no difference between a Costa Rican tourist and a "gringo" hostage - what's more the protesters would probably rather have a "gringo" than a Costa Rican. So, take action to put as much distance between you and these protesters as possible. Any and all foreigners in the area are now at risk of becoming involved in a bad way.
Could Be Fatal: When a nation's Tier One force (Delta equivalent) is forced to take action in order to liberate hostages, the outcome is never guaranteed. Panama has this kind of a force, and they are relatively capable. However, they have no (zero) practical experience is this kind of a real world situation. I'm trying to remember the last time a Panamanian special forces unit rescued a hostage, and there might have been one or two incidents. But not a bus full of foreign hostages, surrounded by hundreds of pissed off protesting Indians. I don't know how this situation is going to evolve, and I certainly hope it can be negotiated away, but if the authorities are forced to go in hot, the survival of the hostages is not guaranteed. This is not good.
Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.
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Protesting Indians Blocking Roads in Bocas del Toro
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 05:23 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 51
By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - According to RPC Radio, protesting Indians have closed the bridge over the Changuinola river, and blocked the road going towards Almirante.
Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.
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Car Flipped on Northern Corridor - Road Blocked
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 05:19 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 52
A sedan that as traveling down the Norther Corridor flipped over and ended up in the middle of the road. The accident occurred at about 4:30 pm and the driver is injured. This accident occurred exactly at the exit near the Via Juan Pablo II. The road is paralyzed. (Telemetro)
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Raw Sewage Still Running Through Panama's Tourist District
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 05:07 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 37
By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - You might remember that back on 17 January 2012 I posted this video documenting raw sewage that was running down Calle D in El Cangrejo, an area of the city where there are many hotels, restaurants, and rental car companies that cater to international tourists. Panama's National Institute of Water and Sewers came out that same day and cleared the blockage in the line - temporarily. The problem is that the primary sewer line running through this area under the street has collapsed. When the IDAAN comes out they run a sort of "Roto Rooter" kind of thing down the hole to clear the blockage. That works for awhile, but it doesn't last long. In this case they cleared the blockage on 17 January, and by Sunday, 29 January, just 12 days later, it was blocked again. This time it's been blocked for more than five days now. The hotel where the raw sewage is running notified the IDAAN seven times - and they still have not come out to even temporarily clear the blockage, much less actually do anything more substantial like tear up the street and actually replace the collapsed sewage line. I myself have personally notified Ministers - and nada. I guess they want the tourists to spend their dry season dodging balls of crap in the streets...
Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.
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Panama Denies Colombia's Request To Extradite Maria del Pilar Hurtado
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 02:49 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 53
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Panama on Friday denied the request for extradition of the former director of Colombia's DAS, Maria del Pilar Hurtado. In a statement, the Panamanian Foreign Ministry ruled on the Colombian request stating that "it has reviewed the documentation submitted, and determined that extradition is not feasible in accordance with national legislation and the Bilateral Agreement on Extradition." The Foreign Ministry of Colombia, through their Minister Maria Angela Holguin, requested the extradition of the former official to the government of Martinelli on 9 December 2011, based on the Extradition Treaty signed between the two countries on 24 December 1927.
On 19 November 2010 the government of Panama granted "territorial asylum" to Hurtado, causing the anger of many of that country's authorities for the crimes alleged against her. Among the grounds for the denial of extradition, Panama indicates that the American Convention on Human Rights (Pact of San José) provides in Article 22 that "everyone has the right to seek and receive asylum in a foreign territory in case of persecution for political or criminal offenses related to politics, and in accordance with the laws of each state and international conventions."
Hurtado is a key part in the investigations into illegal surveillance operations conducted against judges of the Supreme Court, journalists, and opposition politicians in Colombia. Last June, Colombia's Attorney General Vivian Morales confirmed that an international arrest warrant had been issued for Hurtado, when Juan Carlos Varela was serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Now, the Foreign Ministry is headed by Roberto Henriquez.
On 29 April 2011, President Ricardo Martinelli, whose government has defended the asylum granted to the former official from the times of former Colombian president Alvaro Uribe, telling reporter Luis Carlos Velez, CNN in Spanish, "I don't plan to extradite the former director of the DAS." (Estrella)
Editor's Comment: Boy, she must have provided some really valuable intelligence information to Ricardo Martinelli during the run-up to the election in May 2009. I don't know what she did, but she's certainly getting paid back now.
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At Least 270 Costa Rican Tourists Stuck in Panama Due To Protests
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 02:36 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 64
At least 270 Costa Rican tourists are stuck in Panama because of an indigenous protest against mining has been keeping the Inter American highway closed, which connects the two countries, official sources said today. The Costa Rican Foreign Ministry said Friday in a statement that people traveled to Panama, at an unspecified date, excursions aboard 12 buses, and they have not been able to return home due to the road blockade that started last Tuesday. The Costa Rican ambassador in Panama, Melvin Saenz said in the bulletin released in San Jose that their Consul General in the country, Gustavo Zelendon, has moved to the area, and their Consul in the city of David, Chiriquí, Flora Venegas, will remain there "as long as necessary." "This presence will make the necessary efforts to maintain contact with our compatriots in the area, ensuring their physical and emotional well being, and to provide any consular services that might be required," said Saenz.
The Foreign Ministry reported that they sent a note on Thursday to the Government of Panama in which they requested relief for Costa Ricans who are not able to move back to the country.
The government of Panama made a new call for dialog on Friday to the Indians who have blocked the Panamerican Highway for a fourth day, and warned there will be no waiver of the government's obligation to ensure free movement. The blockage of the Inter American Highway, a road linking the country with the rest of Central America, has caused shortages in the capital of many types of fruits and vegetables, which come largely agricultural area of Chiriqui, near Costa Rica.
Indigenous groups of ethnic Ngäbe Bugle have kept the road closed since Tuesday due to a bill being debated in the National Assembly to regulate mining activity in its region that does not meet their aspirations. (Panama America)
Editor's Comment: Patience. The government should remain on the sidelines and wait for more and more situations such as this to surface. They should only move in to reopen the roadway when there are screams from the people who are being most affected, demanding the government to "do something, for the love of God..." Then, and only then, should they move in. They should wait for the public perception to completely flip over, until the protesters are seen as the ones responsible for the problem. In the meantime, the protesters will try to incite violence or provoke a reaction, because that's what they've wanted from day one. Steady...
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Paychecks Of 42 Judges Withheld For Failing To Disclose Assets
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 02:28 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 58
Penalty - The Comptroller ordered the withholding of paychecks for the second half of Januart 2012 for 42 judges of the judicial branch, for failing to file an affidavit of assets and thereby violating Article 304 of the Constitution and Law 59 of December 29, 1999. The information was disclosed yesterday in a press release stating their salary will be withheld until the judges file the required statements. Among those who were sanction are a mix of civil, criminal, and family judges from across the country. (Prensa)
Editor's Comment: Yeah! Enforcing the law. What a concept...
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Panama Becomes Hot Spot for Minnesotan Retirees
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 02:04 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 109
Panama is fast becoming retirement hot-spot for thousands of Americans, including Minnesotans. The lure of a less expensive lifestyle is motivating retirees to take a long look at living overseas. From a lower cost of living, to guaranteed discounts for retirees, to medical care at a fraction of the cost of comparable care in the United States, retirement in Panama is a very real option for anyone looking to make their retirement savings work harder.
We traveled to Panama and spend 3 days talking to Minnesotans who have already retired to Panama, we take you to see everything from a grocery store to the inside of a hospital room, so you can decide for yourself if life in Panama could be a right fit for your retirement.
Right now Panama is in the spotlight. Below we've provided links to some of the articles we read as we researched our story.
This is the biggie! The New York Times article says Panama tops the list of places to see in 2012.
Http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/travel/45-places-to-go-in-2012.html?pagewanted=all
This article provides a basic background on retirement issues and questions.
Http://www.businessinsider.com/best-places-in-the-world-to-retire-part-ii-2012-1
This article answers some basic questions on property. We were told that rental property is plentiful. The website below is a wealth of information, you could spend hours searching through this one.
Http://www.panama-guide.com/article.php/20061001104137881?query=rental+property
Finally: International Living Magazine. We spoke with Panama Editor Jessica Ramesch and she has weekly articles on Panama that provide information and insight into life in Panama. I will warn you, her articles are fun to read, and they will tempt you to sell everything and fly out later in the afternoon. (kstp.com)
Government of Panama Hires Copa Air To Create "Air Bridge" to David
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 07:01 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 13
By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - The government of Panama has coordinated with Copa Airlines to create an "air bridge" to move people between the Enrique Malek International Airport in the city of David in the province of Chiriqui and the Tocumen International Airport in Panama City. According to the Director of the Civil Air Authority of Panama, Rafael Barcenas, the first flight will be arriving at Tocumen this evening at about 8:00 pm with 94 passengers aboard. He said "the public should be aware these flights are for the emergency evacuation of tourists and those who have been stuck in David and who cannot return to Panama City due to the protests. These flights should not be considered as free flights for tourists to travel to Chiriqui." Copa's Embraer 190AR has a capacity to move 84 passengers in coach and 10 in first class.
Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.
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Costa Ricans Trapped Inside Panama As Protesters Close Off Border Road
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 06:55 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 40
The situation in Panama keeps worsening as the Inter American highway of San Felix, Chiriqui, where Ngobe Bugle indigenous people oppose hydroelectric and mining projects, the highway remains blocked for four days now and 270 Costa Ricans are trapped on the Panamanian side of the border. "We have been here for four days and supplies are running low. There are people with diabetes and asthma, the situation is out of control", Allan Roman, one of the Costa Ricans trapped by the blockages, told the press. Roman is part of a group of Costa Ricans who traveled to Panama on an excursion, describing his situation and that of the others to Radio ADN 90.7.
Jorge Medrano, another Tico, told ADN that "they say we are not Panamanians and they cannot do anything about it". The Tico trapped in Panama have to resort to ingenuity and the kindness of Panamanians for help. Some are paying local residents for drinking water and the use of toilets.
The Inter American highway has been closed since Monday and protesters say they will continue blocking the roads until article five of a mining bill that deputies are discussing is restored, according to the Coordinating Committee for the Defense of the Rights of the Ngobe Bugle People. The article excludes indigenous regions from mining and hydroelectric activities, but, apparently, there is a non-agreed extra excerpt that includes them.
Truck drivers and producers asked the government to solve the problem, since they are suffering terrible losses due to the deterioration of perishable products such as vegetables. Hundreds of vehicles are stranded along the highway of San Felix and Remedios. (insidecostarica.com)
Editor's Comment: Late this afternoon the protesting Indians took 42 Costa Rican tourists hostage, saying they would be held as their "guarantee."
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Indians block Panama roads in debate over mining
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 06:51 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 32
(AP) PANAMA CITY — Members of an Indian tribe in Panama are blocking roads in two provinces on the border with Costa Rica in a dispute over mineral exploitation on their lands. Protesters from the Ngobe-Bugle tribe have been manning roadblocks of stones and branches set up Monday in Bocas del Toro and Chiriqui in western Panama. They have also closed sections of road in Veraguas province. A tribal spokesman told The Associated Press on Thursday that the protesters will not negotiate directly with the government but want discussions with the Central American country's Legislative Assembly. The assembly has taken initial steps toward lifting a mining moratorium in the region where many of the tribe's members live.
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Indian Protesters Kidnap About 40 Costa Rican Tourists - Holding Them As Hostages
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 06:19 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 62
By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - The situation in San Felix just changed significantly. According to the Director of Panama's National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC), Arturo Alvarado De Icaza, the protesting indigenous Ngöbe Bugle Indians have kidnapped about 40 Costa Rican citizens who were traveling aboard a "Tica Bus" in the area of the protest. While speaking to the channel 2 TVN evening news broadcast, Alvarado said the Ngöbe Bugle Indians said the Costa Rican tourists would be serving as their "guarantee" and they called them their "hostages."
Provoking A Confrontation: Obviously, the protesters are trying to provoke a confrontation with the authorities of the Panamanian government. They have now taken Costa Rican citizens as hostages. The last time this kind of thing happened, the protesters took police officers as hostages. And now of course the Panamanian government is going to be forced to respond in order to secure and guarantee the safety of the Costa Rican tourists, who have been taken as hostages.
Get The Hell Out Of There! If you are anywhere near any of these protests - MOVE. Go in the other direction. I don't care if you have to abandon your vehicle and walk. Do so, right now. Get to someplace safe, or there's a good chance that you might be the next hostage. There's practically no difference between a Costa Rican tourist and a "gringo" hostage - what's more the protesters would probably rather have a "gringo" than a Costa Rican. So, take action to put as much distance between you and these protesters as possible. Any and all foreigners in the area are now at risk of becoming involved in a bad way.
Could Be Fatal: When a nation's Tier One force (Delta equivalent) is forced to take action in order to liberate hostages, the outcome is never guaranteed. Panama has this kind of a force, and they are relatively capable. However, they have no (zero) practical experience is this kind of a real world situation. I'm trying to remember the last time a Panamanian special forces unit rescued a hostage, and there might have been one or two incidents. But not a bus full of foreign hostages, surrounded by hundreds of pissed off protesting Indians. I don't know how this situation is going to evolve, and I certainly hope it can be negotiated away, but if the authorities are forced to go in hot, the survival of the hostages is not guaranteed. This is not good.
Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.
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Protesting Indians Blocking Roads in Bocas del Toro
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 05:23 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 51
By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - According to RPC Radio, protesting Indians have closed the bridge over the Changuinola river, and blocked the road going towards Almirante.
Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.
Post a comment
Comments (0)
Car Flipped on Northern Corridor - Road Blocked
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 05:19 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 52
A sedan that as traveling down the Norther Corridor flipped over and ended up in the middle of the road. The accident occurred at about 4:30 pm and the driver is injured. This accident occurred exactly at the exit near the Via Juan Pablo II. The road is paralyzed. (Telemetro)
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Raw Sewage Still Running Through Panama's Tourist District
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 05:07 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 37
By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - You might remember that back on 17 January 2012 I posted this video documenting raw sewage that was running down Calle D in El Cangrejo, an area of the city where there are many hotels, restaurants, and rental car companies that cater to international tourists. Panama's National Institute of Water and Sewers came out that same day and cleared the blockage in the line - temporarily. The problem is that the primary sewer line running through this area under the street has collapsed. When the IDAAN comes out they run a sort of "Roto Rooter" kind of thing down the hole to clear the blockage. That works for awhile, but it doesn't last long. In this case they cleared the blockage on 17 January, and by Sunday, 29 January, just 12 days later, it was blocked again. This time it's been blocked for more than five days now. The hotel where the raw sewage is running notified the IDAAN seven times - and they still have not come out to even temporarily clear the blockage, much less actually do anything more substantial like tear up the street and actually replace the collapsed sewage line. I myself have personally notified Ministers - and nada. I guess they want the tourists to spend their dry season dodging balls of crap in the streets...
Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.
Post a comment
Comments (0)
Panama Denies Colombia's Request To Extradite Maria del Pilar Hurtado
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 02:49 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 53
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Panama on Friday denied the request for extradition of the former director of Colombia's DAS, Maria del Pilar Hurtado. In a statement, the Panamanian Foreign Ministry ruled on the Colombian request stating that "it has reviewed the documentation submitted, and determined that extradition is not feasible in accordance with national legislation and the Bilateral Agreement on Extradition." The Foreign Ministry of Colombia, through their Minister Maria Angela Holguin, requested the extradition of the former official to the government of Martinelli on 9 December 2011, based on the Extradition Treaty signed between the two countries on 24 December 1927.
On 19 November 2010 the government of Panama granted "territorial asylum" to Hurtado, causing the anger of many of that country's authorities for the crimes alleged against her. Among the grounds for the denial of extradition, Panama indicates that the American Convention on Human Rights (Pact of San José) provides in Article 22 that "everyone has the right to seek and receive asylum in a foreign territory in case of persecution for political or criminal offenses related to politics, and in accordance with the laws of each state and international conventions."
Hurtado is a key part in the investigations into illegal surveillance operations conducted against judges of the Supreme Court, journalists, and opposition politicians in Colombia. Last June, Colombia's Attorney General Vivian Morales confirmed that an international arrest warrant had been issued for Hurtado, when Juan Carlos Varela was serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Now, the Foreign Ministry is headed by Roberto Henriquez.
On 29 April 2011, President Ricardo Martinelli, whose government has defended the asylum granted to the former official from the times of former Colombian president Alvaro Uribe, telling reporter Luis Carlos Velez, CNN in Spanish, "I don't plan to extradite the former director of the DAS." (Estrella)
Editor's Comment: Boy, she must have provided some really valuable intelligence information to Ricardo Martinelli during the run-up to the election in May 2009. I don't know what she did, but she's certainly getting paid back now.
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At Least 270 Costa Rican Tourists Stuck in Panama Due To Protests
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 02:36 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 64
At least 270 Costa Rican tourists are stuck in Panama because of an indigenous protest against mining has been keeping the Inter American highway closed, which connects the two countries, official sources said today. The Costa Rican Foreign Ministry said Friday in a statement that people traveled to Panama, at an unspecified date, excursions aboard 12 buses, and they have not been able to return home due to the road blockade that started last Tuesday. The Costa Rican ambassador in Panama, Melvin Saenz said in the bulletin released in San Jose that their Consul General in the country, Gustavo Zelendon, has moved to the area, and their Consul in the city of David, Chiriquí, Flora Venegas, will remain there "as long as necessary." "This presence will make the necessary efforts to maintain contact with our compatriots in the area, ensuring their physical and emotional well being, and to provide any consular services that might be required," said Saenz.
The Foreign Ministry reported that they sent a note on Thursday to the Government of Panama in which they requested relief for Costa Ricans who are not able to move back to the country.
The government of Panama made a new call for dialog on Friday to the Indians who have blocked the Panamerican Highway for a fourth day, and warned there will be no waiver of the government's obligation to ensure free movement. The blockage of the Inter American Highway, a road linking the country with the rest of Central America, has caused shortages in the capital of many types of fruits and vegetables, which come largely agricultural area of Chiriqui, near Costa Rica.
Indigenous groups of ethnic Ngäbe Bugle have kept the road closed since Tuesday due to a bill being debated in the National Assembly to regulate mining activity in its region that does not meet their aspirations. (Panama America)
Editor's Comment: Patience. The government should remain on the sidelines and wait for more and more situations such as this to surface. They should only move in to reopen the roadway when there are screams from the people who are being most affected, demanding the government to "do something, for the love of God..." Then, and only then, should they move in. They should wait for the public perception to completely flip over, until the protesters are seen as the ones responsible for the problem. In the meantime, the protesters will try to incite violence or provoke a reaction, because that's what they've wanted from day one. Steady...
Post a comment
Comments (0)
Paychecks Of 42 Judges Withheld For Failing To Disclose Assets
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 02:28 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 58
Penalty - The Comptroller ordered the withholding of paychecks for the second half of Januart 2012 for 42 judges of the judicial branch, for failing to file an affidavit of assets and thereby violating Article 304 of the Constitution and Law 59 of December 29, 1999. The information was disclosed yesterday in a press release stating their salary will be withheld until the judges file the required statements. Among those who were sanction are a mix of civil, criminal, and family judges from across the country. (Prensa)
Editor's Comment: Yeah! Enforcing the law. What a concept...
Post a comment
Comments (0)
Panama Becomes Hot Spot for Minnesotan Retirees
Friday, February 03 2012 @ 02:04 PM COT
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 109
Panama is fast becoming retirement hot-spot for thousands of Americans, including Minnesotans. The lure of a less expensive lifestyle is motivating retirees to take a long look at living overseas. From a lower cost of living, to guaranteed discounts for retirees, to medical care at a fraction of the cost of comparable care in the United States, retirement in Panama is a very real option for anyone looking to make their retirement savings work harder.
We traveled to Panama and spend 3 days talking to Minnesotans who have already retired to Panama, we take you to see everything from a grocery store to the inside of a hospital room, so you can decide for yourself if life in Panama could be a right fit for your retirement.
Right now Panama is in the spotlight. Below we've provided links to some of the articles we read as we researched our story.
This is the biggie! The New York Times article says Panama tops the list of places to see in 2012.
Http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/travel/45-places-to-go-in-2012.html?pagewanted=all
This article provides a basic background on retirement issues and questions.
Http://www.businessinsider.com/best-places-in-the-world-to-retire-part-ii-2012-1
This article answers some basic questions on property. We were told that rental property is plentiful. The website below is a wealth of information, you could spend hours searching through this one.
Http://www.panama-guide.com/article.php/20061001104137881?query=rental+property
Finally: International Living Magazine. We spoke with Panama Editor Jessica Ramesch and she has weekly articles on Panama that provide information and insight into life in Panama. I will warn you, her articles are fun to read, and they will tempt you to sell everything and fly out later in the afternoon. (kstp.com)
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 13
By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - The government of Panama has coordinated with Copa Airlines to create an "air bridge" to move people between the Enrique Malek International Airport in the city of David in the province of Chiriqui and the Tocumen International Airport in Panama City. According to the Director of the Civil Air Authority of Panama, Rafael Barcenas, the first flight will be arriving at Tocumen this evening at about 8:00 pm with 94 passengers aboard. He said "the public should be aware these flights are for the emergency evacuation of tourists and those who have been stuck in David and who cannot return to Panama City due to the protests. These flights should not be considered as free flights for tourists to travel to Chiriqui." Copa's Embraer 190AR has a capacity to move 84 passengers in coach and 10 in first class.
Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.
Comments (0)
Costa Ricans Trapped Inside Panama As Protesters Close Off Border Road
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 40
The situation in Panama keeps worsening as the Inter American highway of San Felix, Chiriqui, where Ngobe Bugle indigenous people oppose hydroelectric and mining projects, the highway remains blocked for four days now and 270 Costa Ricans are trapped on the Panamanian side of the border. "We have been here for four days and supplies are running low. There are people with diabetes and asthma, the situation is out of control", Allan Roman, one of the Costa Ricans trapped by the blockages, told the press. Roman is part of a group of Costa Ricans who traveled to Panama on an excursion, describing his situation and that of the others to Radio ADN 90.7.
Jorge Medrano, another Tico, told ADN that "they say we are not Panamanians and they cannot do anything about it". The Tico trapped in Panama have to resort to ingenuity and the kindness of Panamanians for help. Some are paying local residents for drinking water and the use of toilets.
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Indians block Panama roads in debate over mining
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 32
(AP) PANAMA CITY — Members of an Indian tribe in Panama are blocking roads in two provinces on the border with Costa Rica in a dispute over mineral exploitation on their lands. Protesters from the Ngobe-Bugle tribe have been manning roadblocks of stones and branches set up Monday in Bocas del Toro and Chiriqui in western Panama. They have also closed sections of road in Veraguas province. A tribal spokesman told The Associated Press on Thursday that the protesters will not negotiate directly with the government but want discussions with the Central American country's Legislative Assembly. The assembly has taken initial steps toward lifting a mining moratorium in the region where many of the tribe's members live.
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Indian Protesters Kidnap About 40 Costa Rican Tourists - Holding Them As Hostages
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 62
By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - The situation in San Felix just changed significantly. According to the Director of Panama's National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC), Arturo Alvarado De Icaza, the protesting indigenous Ngöbe Bugle Indians have kidnapped about 40 Costa Rican citizens who were traveling aboard a "Tica Bus" in the area of the protest. While speaking to the channel 2 TVN evening news broadcast, Alvarado said the Ngöbe Bugle Indians said the Costa Rican tourists would be serving as their "guarantee" and they called them their "hostages."
Provoking A Confrontation: Obviously, the protesters are trying to provoke a confrontation with the authorities of the Panamanian government. They have now taken Costa Rican citizens as hostages. The last time this kind of thing happened, the protesters took police officers as hostages. And now of course the Panamanian government is going to be forced to respond in order to secure and guarantee the safety of the Costa Rican tourists, who have been taken as hostages.
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Protesting Indians Blocking Roads in Bocas del Toro
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 51
By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - According to RPC Radio, protesting Indians have closed the bridge over the Changuinola river, and blocked the road going towards Almirante.
Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.
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Car Flipped on Northern Corridor - Road Blocked
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 52
A sedan that as traveling down the Norther Corridor flipped over and ended up in the middle of the road. The accident occurred at about 4:30 pm and the driver is injured. This accident occurred exactly at the exit near the Via Juan Pablo II. The road is paralyzed. (Telemetro)
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Raw Sewage Still Running Through Panama's Tourist District
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 37
By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - You might remember that back on 17 January 2012 I posted this video documenting raw sewage that was running down Calle D in El Cangrejo, an area of the city where there are many hotels, restaurants, and rental car companies that cater to international tourists. Panama's National Institute of Water and Sewers came out that same day and cleared the blockage in the line - temporarily. The problem is that the primary sewer line running through this area under the street has collapsed. When the IDAAN comes out they run a sort of "Roto Rooter" kind of thing down the hole to clear the blockage. That works for awhile, but it doesn't last long. In this case they cleared the blockage on 17 January, and by Sunday, 29 January, just 12 days later, it was blocked again. This time it's been blocked for more than five days now. The hotel where the raw sewage is running notified the IDAAN seven times - and they still have not come out to even temporarily clear the blockage, much less actually do anything more substantial like tear up the street and actually replace the collapsed sewage line. I myself have personally notified Ministers - and nada. I guess they want the tourists to spend their dry season dodging balls of crap in the streets...
Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.
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Panama Denies Colombia's Request To Extradite Maria del Pilar Hurtado
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 53
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Panama on Friday denied the request for extradition of the former director of Colombia's DAS, Maria del Pilar Hurtado. In a statement, the Panamanian Foreign Ministry ruled on the Colombian request stating that "it has reviewed the documentation submitted, and determined that extradition is not feasible in accordance with national legislation and the Bilateral Agreement on Extradition." The Foreign Ministry of Colombia, through their Minister Maria Angela Holguin, requested the extradition of the former official to the government of Martinelli on 9 December 2011, based on the Extradition Treaty signed between the two countries on 24 December 1927.
On 19 November 2010 the government of Panama granted "territorial asylum" to Hurtado, causing the anger of many of that country's authorities for the crimes alleged against her. Among the grounds for the denial of extradition, Panama indicates that the American Convention on Human Rights (Pact of San José) provides in Article 22 that "everyone has the right to seek and receive asylum in a foreign territory in case of persecution for political or criminal offenses related to politics, and in accordance with the laws of each state and international conventions."
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At Least 270 Costa Rican Tourists Stuck in Panama Due To Protests
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 64
At least 270 Costa Rican tourists are stuck in Panama because of an indigenous protest against mining has been keeping the Inter American highway closed, which connects the two countries, official sources said today. The Costa Rican Foreign Ministry said Friday in a statement that people traveled to Panama, at an unspecified date, excursions aboard 12 buses, and they have not been able to return home due to the road blockade that started last Tuesday. The Costa Rican ambassador in Panama, Melvin Saenz said in the bulletin released in San Jose that their Consul General in the country, Gustavo Zelendon, has moved to the area, and their Consul in the city of David, Chiriquí, Flora Venegas, will remain there "as long as necessary." "This presence will make the necessary efforts to maintain contact with our compatriots in the area, ensuring their physical and emotional well being, and to provide any consular services that might be required," said Saenz.
The Foreign Ministry reported that they sent a note on Thursday to the Government of Panama in which they requested relief for Costa Ricans who are not able to move back to the country.
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Paychecks Of 42 Judges Withheld For Failing To Disclose Assets
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 58
Penalty - The Comptroller ordered the withholding of paychecks for the second half of Januart 2012 for 42 judges of the judicial branch, for failing to file an affidavit of assets and thereby violating Article 304 of the Constitution and Law 59 of December 29, 1999. The information was disclosed yesterday in a press release stating their salary will be withheld until the judges file the required statements. Among those who were sanction are a mix of civil, criminal, and family judges from across the country. (Prensa)
Editor's Comment: Yeah! Enforcing the law. What a concept...
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Panama Becomes Hot Spot for Minnesotan Retirees
Contributed by: Don Winner
Views: 109
Panama is fast becoming retirement hot-spot for thousands of Americans, including Minnesotans. The lure of a less expensive lifestyle is motivating retirees to take a long look at living overseas. From a lower cost of living, to guaranteed discounts for retirees, to medical care at a fraction of the cost of comparable care in the United States, retirement in Panama is a very real option for anyone looking to make their retirement savings work harder.
We traveled to Panama and spend 3 days talking to Minnesotans who have already retired to Panama, we take you to see everything from a grocery store to the inside of a hospital room, so you can decide for yourself if life in Panama could be a right fit for your retirement.
