Ex-Panamanian president who replaced Noriega dies

Delicious Digg Facebook Fark Newsvine Reddit StumbleUpon Technorati Twitter Yahoo! Bookmarks Print AP – In this photo taken Feb. 2, 2009, former Panama's President Guillermo Endara holds a stick as he talks … By KATHIA MARTINEZ, Associated Press Writer Kathia Martinez, Associated Press Writer – Mon Sep 28, 10:55 pm ET
PANAMA CITY – Former President Guillermo Endara, who led Panama to democracy after the U.S. invasion that toppled dictator Gen. Manuel Noriega, died Monday. He was 73.

Endara, who governed from 1989 to 1994, died at his home in Panama City. His cardiologist, Dr. Sergio Solis, said the cause might have been a heart attack. Endara, who suffered from diabetes and kidney ailments, had been hospitalized recently for dialysis treatment.

President Ricardo Martinelli expressed condolences and hailed Endara for "delivering us from dictatorship and giving us back democracy."

"He was a great politician, statesman, and I feel personally, and in the name of the government, very saddened by this tragic death," Martinelli said.

Backed by a coalition of civilian parties, Endara overwhelmingly won the presidential election in May 1989, but Noriega refused to recognize the results and unleashed a wave of repression against his opponents.

Seven months later, President George H.W. Bush ordered in U.S. troops and toppled the Noriega regime as it became increasingly linked to Colombian cocaine cartels. Endara took over the presidency in the middle of the fighting.

Noriega was tried and convicted of drug racketeering in a Miami federal court. His sentence, reduced for good behavior, ended Sept. 9, 2007, but he remains in custody as he fights extradition to France, where he faces money-laundering charges.

Robust and good-natured, Endara tried to put aside past grievances and focus on restoring democracy to Panama. He promoted freedom of speech and created a new civilian-led police force to replace Noriega's Defense Forces, which were devastated in the invasion.

Endara also faced the challenge of lifting Panama from ruin after years of economic turmoil, U.S. sanctions and devastating rioting during the invasion. Under his presidency, the economy grew at an average annual rate of 8 percent.

But Endara also faced intense street protests and sporadic uprisings from Panamanians incensed over the U.S. invasion.

In the 1994 presidential elections, his Arnulfista Party lost to the Democratic Revolutionary Party, the former political arm of the military.

As he handed over the presidency to Ernesto Perez Balladares, Endara expressed confidence his achievements would be recognized in the long-run.

"When the passage of time erases the passion of the moment, when it eliminates mistrust and doubt between brothers, when it clarifies the uncertainty and confusion of our nascent liberty, only then will the efforts of those who took over in 1989 be appreciated," Endara said his speech.

Endara later broke with the Arnulfista Party and made two unsuccessful bids for the presidency, the latest in May when he received just 2 percent of the vote.

He is survived by his wife and a daughter.

www.republicofpanama.net

Hondurans weary after 3 months of coup dispute

Fark Newsvine Reddit Stumble Upon Technorati Twitter Yahoo! AP – Honduras' interim President Roberto Micheletti gestures during a press conference at the presidential …
Slideshow:Honduran president ousted By MARK STEVENSON, Associated Press Writer Mark Stevenson, Associated Press Writer – 6 mins ago
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – Honduras' interim president promised to restore civil liberties and allow into the country an Organization of American States mediation team, quickly backpedalling from tough measures amid criticism from his own allies that he had gone too far in his fight to stay in power.

Roberto Micheletti's decision Monday to reverse an emergency decree declared a day earlier reflected the largest public show of dissent within the ranks of his supporters to date. Some conservatives feared the decree would endanger the Nov. 29 presidential election, which they consider Honduras' best hope for regaining international recognition.

Zelaya, speaking via telephone to a United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, deplored the decree, which suspended freedoms of speech and assembly and allowed warrantless arrests. He called it proof "this is a fascist dictatorship that has repressed the Honduran people."

The interim government said the measures were needed to counter calls for civil war by Zelaya's supporters.

The reversals came in a roller-coaster 24 hours.

Micheletti first gave the Brazilian government a 10-day ultimatum to get rid of Zelaya — who has been holed up at the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa since sneaking back into the country Sept. 21 — warning Brazil it would have to take down its flag and remove the embassy crest. Then on Monday, Micheletti said he wanted to send "a big hug" to Brazil's president and pledged nothing would happen to the diplomatic mission.

Ahead of the three-month anniversary of the June 28 coup that ousted Zelaya, officials restricted free speech and the right to assemble, closed dissident television and radio stations and expelled OAS employees. But they revoked the measures Monday and said an OAS delegation would be welcome to help mediate talks scheduled for early October.

Micheletti said he had been swayed by a delegation of congressional leaders who asked him to revoke the decree. He acknowledged his government was concerned about the decree's affect on the election, in which all the major candidates oppose Zelaya's policies.

Thousands of Zelaya supporters had responded to his call for a "final offensive" against the government. That and Zelaya's presence in the country had rattled interim authorities.

"Some radio stations, some television stations, were calling for violence, for guerrilla war, and that had us in the government super worried," Micheletti said.

He said that was why they issued the decree banning unauthorized gatherings and allowing police to arrest people without warrants or shut news media for "statements that attack peace and the public order, or which offend the human dignity of public officials, or attack the law."

All the drama belied the fact that throughout three long months demonstrations by both sides have been largely peaceful.

On the average day, pro-Zelaya marches have been accompanied by mocking "Goriletti" gorilla dolls dancing on poles, while the Jesus Aguilar Paz School band beat out a samba-like "punto" rhythm from Honduras' Garifuna region, sending anti-government protesters into hip-swaying dances.

The months of protests have given rise to impromptu heroes like 75-year-old Dionicia Diaz, affectionately known as "Granny Number One," who marches with a megaphone in hand. Shouting slogans and instructions, Granny Number One is considered a leader, in part because soldiers and police are thought to be less likely to confront her.

"We've been in the streets for 91 days, and nobody is going to stop us," she said.

But Honduras is deeply divided. Even the high school band is split: the more conservative horn section quit, while the drums renamed themselves "The Band of the Resistance" and have marched in about five dozen protests to demand Zelaya's reinstatement.

Band leader and music teacher Rafael Rubio said the music "takes the stress out of people ... it makes them less likely to be confrontational." But the 35-member band isn't here; only about 14 drummers remain, with their drums heavily patched and only a few drumsticks.

"When this started, society got divided. Some of the kids' families belong to the National Party, and they support the coup," including almost the entire horn section, Rubio said.

The conflict has divided Honduras into two camps: the conservative "white shirts" and the liberal "red shirts" — "the perfumed ones" against "the sweaty ones."

So far, protests have seen little bloodshed. The government says three people have been killed since the coup, while protesters put the number at 10. Protest leader Juan Barahona said that could change.

"This mass movement is peaceful, but to the extent they repress us, fence us in and make this method useless, we have to find some other form of struggle," he said.

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China in huge Venezuela oil deal

By Will Grant

BBC News, Caracas

Mr Chavez is seeking greater economic independence from the US
Venezuela has announced a $16bn (£10bn) investment deal with China for oil exploration in the Orinoco river.

The move comes shortly after Venezuela signed a similar agreement with Russia, which is estimated to be $20bn (£12bn).

President Hugo Chavez said the deals would boost oil production in Venezuela by about 900,000 barrels per day.

Investors in Venezuela's oil industry have complained for months that a lack of government investment in infrastructure has hurt production.

Multi-polar world

Speaking on state television, Mr Chavez said the deal with China was over three years and that the investment would go towards developing heavy crude oil resources in the Orinoco River belt.

For President Chavez it is part of a wider effort to increase his base of bilateral partners in the oil industry.

The socialist leader often speaks of what he calls a "multi-polar world" in which Latin American countries are less dependent on Washington.

However, US companies and the US government are still the mainstay of the Venezuelan energy industry.

The Venezuelan leader will hope that these multibillion dollar deals, signed with countries which are more friendly to his "21st Century Socialist Revolution", will give him further economic independence from Washington.
Posted by Panama Visitors Guide at 12:57 PM 0 comments
Hugo Chaves Friends: Taliban gun down tribal elders in Pakistan

Taliban gun down tribal elders in Pakistan

Associated Press

PESHAWAR, Pakistan - Militants ambushed a convoy of prominent anti-Taliban tribal elders in volatile northwestern Pakistan on Thursday, spraying their cars with gunfire and killing nine people, police said.

The members of the anti-Taliban citizens' group were traveling from the Machikhel area to meet security officials in Bannu district when their three-vehicle convoy was attacked by insurgents, police officer Mohammad Ghani Khan said.

Pakistani authorities have urged tribal elders to speak out against the Taliban, and in turn the militants have killed scores of local leaders. With government backing, some elders have raised militias, known as lashkars, to battle the insurgents. The militias have been compared to Iraq's Awakening Councils, which helped U.S. forces turn the tide against al-Qaida there.

Nine bodies were recovered from the bullet-riddled cars, including at least four tribal elders who had opposed the Taliban in the region, said Ajaz Khan, another police officer. Six people were hospitalized with injuries, he said.

Armed local residents came out of their homes and fought off the Taliban after the ambush, preventing them from killing the survivors, Khan said. Witness Inayatullah Khan said tribesmen killed two militants in the gunbattle. Security forces later arrived in the Khaisur area and joined the fight.

The ambush followed a separate attack by militants who killed two members of another anti-Taliban committee Thursday in the Swat Valley to the northeast. The assailants struck as members of the "peace committee" slept in the Sertelegram area, Mayor Mohammad Ibrar Khan said. Security guards fought the militants and killed several of them, although no bodies were recovered, he said.

Local people formed the Sertelegram group last week to protect their area from Taliban fighters who controlled the valley until July, when a major offensive by the Pakistani army scattered them.

The formation of militias has angered the Taliban, leading to deadly attacks.

In a third area, the Kanju district near Swat's main town, Mingora, thousands of armed citizens gathered at the Saidu Sharif airport, fearing a possible Taliban comeback and pledging to protect their area.

"This is our effort of self-help and people turned up here with whatever weapon they have from a baton to an assault rifle and pistols. ... We will resist militants and guard our area for a lasting peace," Inamur Rehman, head of the Swat National Council, told The Associated Press.

A leader of the private militia will be chosen in the coming days, Rehman said.

"This is a welcome sign that people have risen to protect themselves and guard against the militants," senior army official Brigadier Salman Akber said, adding that security forces would assist the group.

Soldiers killed at least six militants in the nearby Malakand region during a clash early Thursday, police said.

Insurgents ambushed a vehicle carrying Pakistani troops near an Afghan refugee camp, police official Akram Khan said. The soldiers returned fire and killed the six attackers, he said. None of the troops was hurt.

The military said in a statement that 10 suspects were arrested in operations over the past 24 hours and 15 militants surrendered to security forces.
Posted by Panama Visitors Guide at 12:54 PM 0 comments
Chavez Offers Obama Backhanded Compliments

Chavez Offers Obama Backhanded Compliments

By WILL WEISSERT
Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- The last time he was here, Hugo Chavez called then U.S. President George W. Bush "the devil," but on Wednesday Venezuela's leader offered slightly more-positive sentiments for Barack Obama.

"The arrival of President Obama, who can deny it, generates, has generated and will continue to generate big expectations," Chavez told a meeting of U.S. union leaders at the Venezuelan mission to the U.N.

In New York for his scheduled address before the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, Chavez praised Obama's Wednesday speech before the same body, noting that the U.S. president said Washington is ready to work to promote peace.

But Chavez also said the White House and the foreign policy it crafts is unlikely to live up to the president's lofty words.

"Sometimes one gets the sensation that there are two Obamas. One, who gave the speech, is good. The other, really, makes decisions that are contradictory to his speech," he said.

In his words to the General Assembly, Obama pleaded for "a new era of engagement" on global problems, telling assembled world leaders that the United States shouldn't pursue a go-it-alone stance.

Chavez said that when Obama talks about peace, "you have to applaud that," but added "if you are promoting peace, then why the seven military bases in Colombia?"

The U.S. has asked Colombia for greater access to that country's military facilities, but says the proposal will not constitute a permanent presence there. Chavez isn't buying that.

"More soldiers, more weapons, more war," he said. "Don't send more soldiers, nor more bombs because what you would be doing is, well, throwing gasoline on the fire. And that effects all of us in South America."

"Obama, instead lets talk about peace. Let's set up a peace dialogue," Chavez said, later adding, "I say 'Obama, let's go Obama! Let's work truly together to promote peace! But I hope, hope, hope to God ... that Obama could become the instigator for a process of internal change."

Chavez has a history of causing a stir at the General Assembly. In 2006, he used his speech there to infamously call Bush "the devil" no less than eight times.

Later Wednesday, the Venezuelan president headed with Oliver Stone, actor Danny Glover and Bolivian President Evo Morales to the U.S. debut of Stone's documentary "South of the Border."

The director said the movie is meant to illustrate the sweeping progressive changes in Venezuela and elsewhere in South America in recent years as a counterpoint to what he sees as Chavez's depiction as a dictator by U.S. and European media.

"We're hearing one side of the story in America and that's all," Stone said. "He's an underdog and I want to give him the fair shake."

Chavez softened his stance toward Obama a bit as the night wore on, saying "it's important the American public learns the truth ... we want peace, we are brothers and we want to be brothers."

"We want good relations with Obama," he said.

Chavez also provided some - but not all - of the details about ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya's cloak-and-daggar return to his homeland, where he has been holed up for days in the Brazilian embassy in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa.

Zelaya was escorted from the country in his pajamas at gunpoint in a June military coup and the new government has remained in power despite not being recognized by any other nation.

"It's not up to me reveal secrets and it was a secret operation," Chavez said.

But he also said he called Zelaya and told him he would fly him to New York for the U.N. General Assembly aboard a Venezuelan plane, repeating the plans over and over by telephone because he was convinced agents of the new Honduran government had bugged his lines.

The plane took off as normal, but secretly landed in an undisclosed Central American location en route, Chavez said, and Zelaya rode in a series of car trunks and even aboard tractors to cross into Honduras by land.

"It was Zelaya who came up with the plan," Chavez said. "He's a cowboy like Pancho Villa. Brave and with lots of courage." Pancho Villa was a famous Mexican outlaw and revolutionary.

"He told me, 'Chavez, if I die, I die, but I am going to get to Tegucigalpa," Chavez said, "and that's where he is now."

---

AP reporter Rachel Jones in Caracas, Venezuela contributed to this report.

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Posted by Panama Visitors Guide at 12:49 PM 0 comments
Ousted president says he hopes dialogue will reinstate him

Ousted president says he hopes dialogue will reinstate him

www.amcostarica.com

By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

Ousted Honduran president José Manuel Zelaya Rosales says he has hope that dialogue will soon be re-established with the current government.

Zelaya remains in the Brazilian Embassy in the capital, Tegucigalpa, where he has taken refuge since his return to Honduras Monday.

The leader of the interim government, Roberto Micheletti, says he is willing to talk with the deposed leader, but only if Zelaya recognizes presidential elections scheduled for November. Micheletti also says he will not discuss dropping any of the charges against Zelaya.

Meanwhile, the situation at the Brazilian Embassy remains tense. Soldiers and police continue to patrol surrounding streets. A nationwide curfew, airport closings and roadblocks are also in place to keep Zelaya's supporters from rallying around him.
Brazil is calling for the U.N. Security Council to hold an emergency meeting on Honduras. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio da Silva told the U.N. General Assembly Wednesday the international community is demanding Zelaya immediately resume his role as president. He also stressed the importance of ensuring the Brazilian Embassy is secure from violation.

Zelaya is in the embassy with dozens of friends, relatives and some embassy staffers.

Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse thousands of demonstrators outside the embassy Tuesday. The ousted leader has urged supporters to stage peaceful protests. One man died of gunshot wounds and five others suffered injuries in confrontations elsewhere in ther capital.

Zelaya was forced out of Honduras at gunpoint on June 28. The interim government accuses the deposed leader of planning to hold an illegal referendum in a bid to extend his time in power.
Posted by Panama Visitors Guide at 12:44 PM 0 comments
Zelaya gets a litany of support at U.N. General Assembl

Zelaya gets a litany of support at U.N. General Assembly

By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

www.amcostarica.com

Latin American leaders pressed for the return to office of ousted Honduran president José Manuel Zelaya Rosales in their U.N. General Assembly speeches Wednesday, as the deposed leader remained holed up in Brazil's embassy in Tegucigalpa. In his U.N. speech, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio da Silva demanded protection for his country's mission in Honduras.

The ouster of the Honduran president in June was condemned by all other member countries of the Organization of American States, and U.N. General Assembly policy statements by several Latin American leaders Wednesday made clear that diplomatic support for Zelaya has not diminished.

Da Silva, whose country by tradition opens the annual General Assembly debate, warned that unless international support for Zelaya is able to force his return to office, Latin America could see a return to an era when military coups were commonplace.

"Unless there is more political will, we will see more coups, like the one which toppled the constitutional president of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya, who has been granted refuge in Brazil's embassy in Tegucigalpa since Monday," said Da Silva. "The international community demands that Mr. Zelaya immediately return to the presidency of his country, and must be alert to insure the inviolability of Brazil's diplomatic mission in the capital of Honduras."

The left-leaning Zelaya was arrested and deported by the Honduran military June 28, as he sought to arrange a referendum that could have kept him in office beyond the end of his term in January.

Honduran authorities contend that his ouster and
replacement by interim President Roberto Micheletti was carried out in accordance with the country's laws. But that position was rejected by all other Organization of American States countries, including the United States.

In their U.N. messages, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and Uruguayan President Tabaré Vázquez also demanded Zelaya's immediate restoration to power, with the Chilean leader saying Honduras' planned November elections should go forward only with, in her words, the country's "constitutional president leading this process."

Argentine President Cristina Kirchner protested water and power cutoffs this week to the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa and a local television station that reported Zelaya's return as well as a crackdown on his supporters.

She said the action by Tegucigalpa authorities was misbehavior that not even the 1980s military dictatorships in South America would have engaged in.

"Not even in Chile under the dictatorship of General Pinochet, nor in Argentina under the dictatorship of GeneralVidela - perhaps the most cruel dictatorships in Latin America — even then, we didn't see similar conduct with embassies that were actively working to give shelter to refugees," said President Kirchner.

Ms. Kirchner warned that if multi-lateral political action fails to return democracy to Honduras, it would set a very serious precedent in a region where in past decades military regimes killed thousands of opponents and exiled many others.

The U.S. State Department said Wednesday that Brazil has asked the U.N. Security Council to meet to discuss the safety and security of Zelaya and Brazilian facilities in Honduras, and that the United States, holder of the council's rotating presidency, is working on that request.

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Venezuelan’s A People with No Balls

Story by Panama Jack

I do not think I have seen a sadder bunch of misfits then the Venezuelan’s. In Venezuela the people let a thug of a dictator take power steal peoples assets and threaten North, South and Central America with the installation of nuclear missiles on its soil. The North American are the biggest blame for the Hugo Chaves problem that plagues the America’s, Allowing him to seize United States oil assets and use the stolen moneys to wage war on the United States with the aid of his terrorist buddies in the middle east.

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Iran Plans to Install Missile Bases in Venezuela Capable of Hitting Panama and the United States and all of Central, South and North America.

Story by Panama Jack

President Mahmoud Ahmaninejad and Hugo Chaves have signed a pact to install Iranian missile bases in Venezuela. The question is are they going to be nuclear and is Panama and the United States going to allow this to happen ? Hugo Chaves has borrowed 2 billion dollars from Russia for the purchase of missiles from Iran soon to be capable of carrying Iranian nuclear warheads. I thought Chaves hero was Castro, but it appears not to be it is Hitler. Is this the beginning World War III? In the streets of Iran people chant “Down With The United States”. Iran has the American troops tied down in Iraq and Afghanistan and now is moving the war front to America’s. Are the American people, I mean all the American People North, South and Central America going to allow Hugo Chaves to install nuclear missile bases in his country? Here is a bigger question are there no Venezuelan’s with the balls to stand up to Hugo Chaves and take care of this problem.

It is wake-up time

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Chávez Appears To Be Starting A Latin American Arms Race

By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez is leading a new diplomatic effort to strengthen ties with a set of distant partners. He signed a new billion-dollar arms deal with Russia and has promised to ship gasoline to Iran to circumvent possible international sanctions.

Chávez is no stranger to foreign capitals, and he has just completed an 11-day tour of Africa that included stops in Libya, Iran and Russia. One of the outcomes was a deal to buy 100 Russian battle tanks and air-defense rockets with all the funding coming from Moscow.

"The Russian government approved a $2.2 billion loan for weapons," Chávez said. "And we must thank them."

Chávez announced the deal only days after voicing support for pro-Russian separatists in South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Nicaragua is the only other nation in the world community to recognize those regions' breakaway from Georgia.

Some Latin American leaders fear the Venezuelan deal is part of an arms race. Uruguay's President Tabaré Vázquez expressed his concern at a meeting in Washington.

"We have already expressed time and again our position against an arms race," Vázquez said. "We believe it is quite inconvenient for the region to devote such significant economic resources to purchasing arms."

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says Chávez has not been clear about how the weapons will be used.

"So there is concern that we have expressed, and we'll continue to raise with other countries in the region. And we hope that we can see a change in behavior and attitude on the part of the Venezuelan government," Mrs. Clinton said.
The Venezuelan leader says the deals with Russia, which also include fighter jets, are for self-defense. Tensions are rising with Colombia, since Chávez denounced his neighbor for opening Colombian military bases for use by U.S. anti-drug missions.

Venezuela's oil sector, crucial to the national economy, also has been watching the new agreements that Chávez signed.

Jorge Pinon is a former executive for Amoco Oil and a researcher at the University of Miami.

"There are a lot of people concerned, even in the energy sector, with what we see in the region as an arms race. There is no need," Pinon said, "I am not aware of any armed conflict going on between two Latin American countries."

Pinon says the concern is that Venezuela's struggling oil sector may lose much-needed investment. Production has yet to recover from a major strike in 2002, and slumping world oil prices have reduced government revenues.

Chávez also risks pushing away Western nations. During his travels, Chávez slammed Israel as genocidal, and he pledged to send 20,000 barrels of gasoline a day to Iran to offset possible U.N. sanctions arising from Tehran's nuclear development program.

But Pinon says that may be a hard promise for Venezuela to keep."In the last 60 days, Venezuela has had problems with its refinery structure, and is actually importing gasoline from Brazil. Anything Venezuela does today, you have to look at it," he adds, "Is it really a political issue, or is there an economic foundation behind it?"

Over time, Chavez's actions will show which alliances are more important to his government.

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Panama City: Panama Can Stop the War That Is Coming To Central America

Story by Panama Jack editor of the Republic of Panama

It is now time for the Republic of Panama to shine in the eyes of the world. Panama has the ability to stop in its tracks the arms buildup that is coming soon to Central and South America. The government of the Republic of Panama needs to issue a direct statement to Hugo Chaves that if he continues the purchase of Missiles, Fighter Planes, Warships, Tanks and Arms, that are capable attacking Panama, that Panama will not allow Venezuela to ship any oil through the Panama Canal. This voice from Panama will be heard loud and clear to the president of Venezuela. Ricardo Martinelli has the power to stop this now

www.republicofpanama.net

New York City, The United States Of America: United Nations

Story by Panama Jack

President Mahmoud Ahmaninejad is coming to speak at the United Nations building in New York City. Upon arrival to New York he should be arrested for the kidnapping of American Diplomats and other personal at the American embassy in Iran. He has never paid for this crime he committed; Ahmaninejad was not a diplomat at the time and has no immunity from this crime.

Panama: Rosh Hashanah celebration
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Jewish Community Readies for Rosh Hashanah

La Prensa

Traditional foods are an important part of the Rosh Hashanah celebration.

The Jewish community will begin celebrating Rosh Hashanah, of the Jewish New Year, Saturday with prayers and family gatherings, said Panama's head rabbi, Haim Levy.

The holiday is actually two days, as Sunday is the Day of Reckoning. According to tradition, this is the day that God judges people according to the acts committed during the year that just ended, and decides their fate for next year.

This holiday calls for businesses owned by Jews to be closed on Saturday and Sunday, as no work is permitted during these holidays.

A highlight of the holiday is the feast at which symbolic foods are eaten, including pomegranate seeds, lentils or beans and dates. It also includes an apple with honey and beef.

Another symbolic food eaten on this day is pumpkin, which is supposed to help get rid of bad luck and replace it with good luck.

The first 10 days of the Jewish new year also have a special meaning within the religion. These days are considered the holiest of the year, and are meant as a period for prayer and self-reflection. The belief, said Levy, is that God is closely watching the actions and behaviors of his followers during this time.

This period ends with Yom Kippur, which is a period of fasting for 24 hours. This year, Yom Kippur is from the afternoon of Sept. 27 until the evening of Sept. 29.

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Panama: More Tainted Medicine in 1,155 Bottles


Writer Juan Zamorano, Associated Press Writer

PANAMA CITY – The death toll from contaminated medicine sold three years ago in Panama could be higher than previously believed after 1,155 bottles of tested positive for a chemical commonly found in antifreeze and brake fluid, investigators said Thursday.

Authorities are trying to track down the names that appear on the bottles that tested positive for diethylene glycol to see if any of the users of the medication died, possibly raising the official count of 116 fatalities.

"At the moment, we have no knowledge of these 1,155 people," Guevara said. "We don't know if any of them died, we don't know if any were affected."

The 1,155 bottles are among 6,774 handed over to authorities after people were sickened in 2006 from poisonous cough syrup, antihistamine tablets, calamine lotion and rash ointment made at a government laboratory.

Prosecutor Dimas Guevara said test results were pending for thousands more bottles.

Relatives of the victims have long questioned the official estimates of how many people were sickened by the chemical, which was allegedly made by two Chinese companies that sold it to a Spanish firm saying it was 99.5 percent pure glycerin, a sweetener and thickening agent commonly used in drugs. The Spanish company then allegedly sold it to a company in Panama, which in turn sold it to the government lab.

A director of the Panamanian company, Medicom, has been detained for a year pending the investigation. Another dozen people are also under investigation.

The Committee of Families for the Right to Health and Life, which represents relatives of other victims, has always said more than 1,000 people have been affected, said Gabriel Pascual, the leader of the group.

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22 Countries Taking Part In Military Exercise Involving Canal

Story La Prensa

Some 800 officers from Panama's Aeronaval Service are taking part in "Operation Panamax 2009," which will conclude Sept. 22.

The military operation has taken place annually since 2003, but this is the first time that tactical maneuvers will be held on land, sea and in the air. Admiral Roberto García Márquez, of Colombia, who is in charge of the headquarters of the multinational exercise, said that some 5,000 troops from 22 countries will take part in the operation.

Panama will contribute six patrol boats to the exercise, as well as 10 ships from the Aeronaval Service.

The military maneuvers are focusing on counter-terrorist activities, drug and arms trafficking, and possible cases of a pandemic. One of the scenarios that the troops will be using is a potential attack on the Panama Canal by submarine

Boxing Champ Lines Up Next Opponent

Sroty by La Prensa

Bantamweight champion of the World Boxing Association Anselmo Chemito Moreno has accepted a challenge issued by Venezuelan contender Nehomar Cermeño for the title.

"We have never refused a fight," Moreno said Tuesday. "I will fight Cermeño anywhere."

Representatives of Moreno said that details about the fight, such as where and when it will take place and the amount of prize money that it will generate, have yet to be worked out.

Moreno won his last title defense with a split decision victory over Mahyar Monshipour of France in July. He won his title by defeating Ukranian Wladimir Sidorenko in 2008. His record is 24 wins, a loss and a tie.

Credit Cards Can Overwhelm Users

story by La Prensa

Credit cards can be a double-edged tool: a financial lifeline or an overwhelming wave.

They are easier to carry than cash, but there are risks, especially when consumers don't think carefully before pulling them out to pay for an item.

As of June 1, Panama's residents had some 524,000 credit cards with a total outstanding balance of $799 million.

According to the Panamanian Association of Credit, a consumer should carefully read the terms of a contract and be clear on issues such as late fees and dates when payments need to be made. Many cards require the holder to cancel all balances within 25 days from the date of
the issuance of the bill, or face financing charges.

The minimum monthly payment for most cards is 3 percent of the amount financed, but the customer must bear in mind that if the only amount paid is the minimum, the interest will quickly begin to pile up.

The ideal scenario for consumers is to use a credit card responsibly, and avoid compiling a huge debt that generates large amounts of interest payments.

Taxi Permit Scandal Takes New Direction

Story La Prensa

ATTT, the country's transportation authority, decided Tuesday to suspend the process of canceling the more than 200 temporary taxi permits that were allegedly improperly issued by a senior official of the entity.

After a meeting between ATTT representatives and transportation union leaders, president of the National Transport Chamber, Dionisio Ortega, explained that the order to revoke the permits was lifted because those drivers have documentation certifying that they complied with the legal requisites to obtain one.

Additionally, Ortega said compelling evidence corroborating charges that ATTT Deputy Director Roberto Moreno sold the permits to taxi drivers. "It's a question of signatures and of who is authorized to sign permits and that's no problem for us," said Ortega. "And whether or not there's corruption, the drivers are not involved in it."

General Secretary of United Taxi of Arraiján Eduardo Restrepo reported that the ATTT had canceled the permits of all drivers within his company, and though they could still operate for 90 days, they must appear at ATTT offices this week with the contested documents.

It was also agreed at the meeting that the ATTT inspectors would visit the taxi yards to verify that vehicles meet conditions required to provide taxi services.

Bolivia, Venezuela and Burma on U. S. Anti-Drug Blacklist

Special to A.M. Costa Rica

www.amcostarica.com

Three countries, Bolivia, Burma, and Venezuela, have failed to adhere to international counternarcotic pacts and take anti-drug measures, according to the White House.

Under the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, the president is required to notify Congress of those countries he determines to be major illicit drug-producing countries or major drug-transit countries. A country’s presence on the list does not necessarily reflect its counternarcotics efforts nor does it reflect its cooperation with the United States, said the State Department. The designation can reflect a combination of geographic, commercial, and economic factors that allow drugs to be produced and/or trafficked through a country despite its own best efforts, the department said.

When a country does not live up to its obligations under international counternarcotics agreements and conventions, the president determines that the country has “failed demonstrably.” Such a designation can lead to sanctions, according to the law. However, the president may also execute a waiver should he determine that continuing U.S. assistance is in the national interest of the United States. Even without such a waiver, humanitarian assistance and
counternarcotics assistance may continue.

This year Barack Obama has identified the following countries as major drug-transit or drug-producing countries: Afghanistan, the Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela.

Of these 20, the president has determined that only Bolivia, Burma, and Venezuela, “failed demonstrably” during the last 12 months to adhere to international counternarcotic agreements and take counternarcotic measures set forth in U.S. law, said the State Department. In the cases of Bolivia and Venezuela, the president has issued a national interest waiver so that the United States may continue to support specific programs.

In Venezuela, funds will continue to support civil society programs and small community development programs, the State Department said.

In Bolivia, the waiver will permit continued support for agricultural development, exchange programs, small enterprise development, and police training programs among others, the State Department said.
Posted by Templar Panama

www.republicofpanama.net

Chaves: Getting Ready To Start A War With The United States of America, What a Stupid Monkey He Is.

Venezuela Buys Powerful Missiles With Russian loan

CARACAS (Reuters)

Russia has agreed to lend Venezuela over $2 billion to purchase tanks and advanced anti-aircraft missiles in deals that show Moscow's commitment to working closely with Washington-foe President Hugo Chavez.

Chavez said on Sunday the purchases agreed upon on a trip to Moscow last week included 92 tanks and an S-300 missile system that can shoot down fighter jets and cruise missiles.

Two years ago, Russia agreed to sell the same S-300 system to Iran but has dragged its feet over delivering the weapons amid U.S. and Israeli concerns they will be used to defend Iran's nuclear installations.

The socialist Chavez, who claims the United States could attack Venezuela for its oil reserves, also reiterated that Moscow was helping Venezuela develop nuclear energy but said he had no intention of developing an atomic bomb.

"Let me be clear, Venezuela has no plans to invade anybody, or to be aggressive toward anybody," Chavez said on his weekly television show after announcing the $2.2 billion loan. He did not say how much the new weapons cost.

A major oil exporter, Venezuela's finances have suffered this year because of lower crude prices. Chavez said Venezuela needed to borrow the money for defense spending to avoid cuts in education and health.

In recent years, Venezuela has bought over $4 billion in weapons from Russia including 24 Sukhoi fighter jets. Critics say Venezuela is fueling an arms race in Latin America, but Chavez says he is modernizing the military for defensive purposes.

Venezuela is embroiled in a diplomatic dispute with Colombia over a deal to allow U.S. troops into more bases in the neighboring country to help fight drug traffickers and guerrillas.

Chavez, a fierce critic of U.S. foreign policy, says the Colombian bases plan could be used to launch an attack on Venezuela and increases the risk of war in South America.

Last year, he ordered tanks to the Colombian border in a dispute over a Colombian bombing raid in Ecuadorean territory.

ATOMIC POWER

Chavez, who visited Moscow last week, said Venezuela was now buying 92 Russian T-72 tanks along with several types of missiles to build an air defense system.

He mentioned the Buk-M2 and S-300 surface-to-air missile systems and the Smerch rocket launcher. The S-300, also known as the SA-20, is an extremely effective anti-aircraft system capable of tracking 100 targets at once.

It can be used with missiles with a range of about 125 miles and can engage six targets simultaneously.

"With these rockets it's going to be very difficult for foreign planes to come and bomb us," Chavez said.

It was not immediately clear when Venezuela would receive the new weapons. Continued.

Russia signed a contract in 2007 to supply Iran with the S-300 system. Last week Russia dismissed rumors that a ship supposedly loaded with timber that went missing in the Atlantic in July had really been carrying a cargo of S-300s for Iran.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited Russia on Thursday. Although Israel has not discussed the purpose of the trip it is thought he was discussing the S-300.

Chavez repeated on Sunday his commitment to developing nuclear power for peaceful purposes with the help of Russia and said he was opposed to nuclear weapons.

"With Russia we have created an atomic energy commission and I tell the world -- Venezuela is going to start developing nuclear energy, but we are not going to make an atomic bomb."

Russia agreed last year to help restart Venezuela's nuclear program. Venezuela has one mothballed experimental nuclear reactor built decades ago. Experts say it will take many years for the South American country to produce atomic energy.

Last week, New York District Attorney Robert Morgenthau said he suspected Venezuela was helping Iran's nuclear program through its banking system.

Chavez, an ally of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, often jokes that Washington thinks Iranian built dairies and bicycle factories in Venezuela are really producing weapons.

(Reporting by Frank Jack Daniel and Patricia Rondon, editing by Philip Barbara and Todd Eastham)
Posted by Templar Panama at 8:07 AM 0 comments
Sept. 11 Has Another Meaning In Most of Latin America

Sept. 11 Has Another Meaning In Most of Latin America

Dear A.M. Costa Rica:

Your article this morning, more an editorial than an article, on "September 11 [being] just another day at the office" displays an appalling degree of Gringo chauvinism. It is almost certainly forgotten by your writer, but is well remembered throughout Latin America that the date also marks an anniversary that is quite important to Latin Americans, and all but forgotten by the Gringos — the date in 1973 when the United States overthrew a democratically elected, representative government in Chile and installed a brutal right-wing authoritarian dictatorship friendly to its interests that ultimately killed more people in that country than were killed in Manhattan a quarter century later, subjected 10 times that number to excruciating torture and caused nearly a quarter million to flee into exile, and traumatized a continent. And, of course, Chile isn't the only Latin American country where this has occurred.

Because it happened to them, this is the anniversary that is ultimately far more important to Latin Americans than is the one of which you are complaining that is going unobserved. Demanding that Latins observe your trauma while completely ignoring theirs is appallingly insensitive and demonstrative of the kind of nationalist chauvinism for which the Gringos have become so well known and often disliked.

If your writer would set aside his Gringo nationalism for a moment and reflect on the history of the region in which he lives and the frequently sordid involvement of the United States in it, he would not only not offend Latin American sensitivities with such articles, but might benefit from it with a sense of perspective.

Scott Bidstrup
Cartago
Posted by Templar Panama at 8:02 AM 0 comments
Don't Try To Bribe Cop If You Go To Chile

Don't Try To Bribe Cop If You Go To Chile

Dear A.M. Costa Rica:

Americans, of the northern type, may assume that the current evidence of widespread police corruption in Cost Rica is endemic to Latin American cultures. I had the privilege of visiting Chile a few years ago and learned that Chileans take great pride in the honesty and integrity of their police force. The offering of a bribe to a police officer would be very unwise.

I experienced a sense of safety and security in Chile I never found in Costa Rica. Perhaps the fact I was never robbed in Chile, unlike Costa Rica, helped foster this sense of well being.

J. Sam Mobley
Indianapolis, Indiana
Posted by Templar Panama at 7:57 AM 0 comments
Costa Rica:
Trash and Littering Have Become Major Problems

Costa Rica: Trash and Littering Have Become Major Problems

By Garland M. Baker

Special to A.M. Costa Rica

Generating, disposing and treating waste has become one of the biggest and most serious problems of Costa Rican culture. The problem is not only a contradiction to the self-proclaimed ecological, diverse and clean reputation of the country, but also accurately illustrates the Tico short sightedness that prevents Costa Rica from becoming a developed nation.

The Tico littering mentality is, in fact, a combination of short sightedness, laziness and pecking order. Many Ticos believe someone else should pick up their messes, as illustrated by going to any fast food restaurant. Rarely do Tico’s pick up their tables and throw their trash in the garbage can.

Government officials lack the vision and commitment of turning waste into lucrative businesses and much needed sources of employment, keeping civilians in the dark about how serious the littering problem is for their health, their communities and the planet. Therefore, Ticos have never worried about what a chocolate bar wrapping or a bottle of water can create when they mindlessly throw it on the street or out their car’s window. They only think of getting it out of their immediate surroundings. They still think recycling is just an ecological trend, not a necessity.

The question remains: What was first, the chicken or the egg? Short-sighted government officials or short-sighted Costa Ricans? As puzzling as that question may be, the reality of this so-called green paradise is changing into a littering nightmare, and faster than anyone imagines.

According to a 2003 report written by Ronulfo Alvarado Salas of the municipal management department of research and development (Dirección de Gestión Municipal Sección de Investigación y Desarrollo) called "Solid Waste," Costa Rica’s problem became serious in a very short time. Because the waste produced in the country before and during the first half of the 20th century was mostly organic, littering was a minor problem up until the 1950s. However, due to the rapid industrial growth and massive manufacturing, the growing population’s littering habits created a problem that turned into a national emergency reflected in an executive order May 15, 1991.

During the Figueres Olsen administration in the 90s, the department of specific matters (Ministerio de Asuntos Específicos), conducted a study which revealed that up to that point, 55.7 percent of the country’s municipalities were depositing solid waste in outdoor individual garbage dumps, 14.8 perrcent in collective outdoor dumps and the rest in partially controlled dumps. Different associations were formed to solve the waste management problem, which gradually opened a series of landfills and dumps along the different provinces of the country. However, landfills are the oldest waste management method, which consist of burying the garbage and piling it until it reaches its maximum capacity. This leaves the products of leaching and gases untreated unless there is specific equipment to do so, and even though the government has repeatedly announced initiatives to use the energy of leach products and gases, there are still reports that those pollutants are running out of control in the dumps, threatening the subsoil water tables that servcies different communities.

Besides, according to researcher Silvia Soto in her 2005 account on solid waste for the 11th report of the state of the nation (Undécimo Informe sobre el Estado de la Nación en Desarrollo Humano Sostenible), even though the dumps and landfills are working better since local municipalities started hiring private companies as contractors to collect and dump the garbage, the country lacks an integral effort on treating waste and reusable materials and educating the population on the matter. There is even evidence that some of the private contractors are dumping garbage by highways and empty lots in some communities, especially in Limón.

In contrast, private companies banded together in Limón Sunday to pick up mountains of trash along the roadways.

Ms. Soto claimed that there are different programs from the government devoted to educating children about generating waste and keeping communities clean, but no aggressive campaigns have been implemented by the government or the media to tackle the problem and change the littering mentality that has infected Costa Rica for several decades. Two decades ago, the media seemed to be launching an environmental campaign propelled by the government. They broadcast a commercial during some months that showed a family in a car

on the way to the beach. Family members were eating and throwing packages, bottles, peels and whatnot out their windows. When they came to a traffic light, a mountain of garbage fell on the car, and a message appeared about not littering. Many Ticos remember that commercial, but no other nationwide campaign followed

All those consulted for this article conclude there is a gap between the need for proper communal waste treatment and the awareness of each individual’s responsibility at the initial phase of that cycle: generating waste. They express concern as to how important the media and schools are for creating a waste-management conscious population committed to eliminating the littering problem. However, they also agree on how the government has not made it a priority to invest in such campaigns, waiting for the private sector to take the initiative. Many private organizations have embraced recycling and educational programs, but. according to Ms. Soto, there is only so much private companies can do, since they do not have access to educating Costa Ricans in a generalized way, and the effort must be complemented by law enforcement and schools in order to be successful.

In terms of law enforcement, several environmental laws have been created, which state the importance of preserving and maintaining a clean environment, such as the Constitution, the general health act (Ley General de Salud), the municipal Code, the environmental act (Ley Orgánica del Ambiente) and the urban planning act (Ley de Planificación Urbana). However, none of these initiatives has any bite when it comes to littering or indiscriminately dumping trash on the roadside or in inappropriate areas.

The old Costa Rican traffic act punished anybody who littered streets with any kind of waste or did not clean their property with fines ranging between ¢5.000 and ¢20.000. The new traffic act – whose enforcement is being postponed for six more months – penalizes citizens who commit the same littering acts with 10 percent of an amount corresponding to the 289.000.-colon base salary of an administrative assistant.

In 1975, the municipal board of San José approved a project to install a waste processing plant to eliminate the landfills, but the government finally decided not to invest in it. Shortly afterwards a German company took notice of the initiative and offered the Costa Rican government a thorough study and affordable plan to purchase its plant and recover the investment from the recycling of metal, paper and plastic (into oil), which the Tico government ignored. To this moment, no plants have been purchased, and garbage is suffocating the biodiversity of the country.

One Reuters article talks about the future plans for waste treatment in Costa Rica. It claims that Costa Rican garbage scavengers are not allowed to enter the landfills to collect their livelihood anymore, since the government wants to solve the problem once and for all, by industrializing solid waste and recovering 70 percent of the generated waste. They hope to cut the country’s greenhouse gas emissions produced in the landfills to zero in 2021. That's a very ambitious statement for a country that has not cared ever before about its rubbish statements.

Garland M. Baker is a 37-year resident and naturalized citizen of Costa Rica who provides multidisciplinary professional services to the international community. Reach him at info@crexpertise.com. Baker has undertaken the research leading to these series of articles in conjunction with A.M. Costa Rica. Find the collection at http://crexpertise.info, a complimentary reprint is available at the end of each article. Copyright 2004-2009, use without permission prohibited.
Posted by Templar Panama at 7:49 AM 0 comments
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Panama City: Mayor Busted

THE BIG MISTAKE

Mayor Under Fire

DEIVIS ELIECER CERRUD
Story by La Estrella in English The Star
PANAMA. Panama City Council will meet again this morning to discuss the on-going investigation into Mayor, Bosco Vallarino, who has admitted requesting almost $5,000 in public funds to pay for his wife’s recent trip to Taipei.

According to Vallarino, his political opponents in the city council deliberately set him up for embarrassment and were attempting to tarnish his honesty. He was just following his civil servant’s instructions - it was “not a fraudulent act” but rather an “administrative error” made by a young and inexperienced administrative manager, he said.

The manager, Carlos Levy, has since been fired - though not for requesting the check, Vallarino said.

However, opposition city councilors at a heated town hall meeting on Tuesday appeared to view the matter differently.

They are calling for the mayor’s General Secretary, Arsenio Fernandez, to be fired for having requested the funds and for Vallarino himself to be censured.

They said his account of the request to use public monies for his wife was not complete and that the only reason he is not facing charges of embezzlement is because the Treasury rejected the payment.

They also said that there were other illegalities and irregularities to be clarified and that excessive payments were made to the vice-mayor, who should have received only 30 per cent and not the full amount of the travel expenses she requested.

!The fact that we’re allowed to get way with mistakes but not with public money, is not an excuse,” one councilor said.

Vallarino vigorously defended his General Secretary.

“I need honest people at my side. For me, Arsenio Fernandez is not negotiable,” Vallarino said.

In his defence, he presented three cheques for a total of $589,000 which were issued in the administration of his predecessor, Juan Carlos Navarro, that were also cancelled by the Treasury.

He said there was no further light to shed on the matter and called on the city council to”turn the page”.

The Town Council remained unconvinced by his arguments and has called on the City Transparency Commission to further investigate the events.

They are due to report back this morning in Panama’s Town Hall

Panama New Parks Open in Panama City, On The Bay

Cinta Costera: Is The Place To Go

Story by Minerva Bethancourth / The Panama Post

SPIA gives recommendations to the MOP The work was inaugurated on June 28 at a cost of US $189 million

The Cinta Costera (Coastal strip) in Balboa Avenue has become a new tourist attraction in the city of Panama. Since its inauguration last June 28, Balboa Avenue is the new meeting point for locals and foreigners.

This work was possible by the use of 2 million cubic meters of landfill in the sea and the doubling of Avenida Balboa to 3.5 kilometers of extension.

Seaside facilities and green trees are a fertile breeding ground for initiatives, because the project is still subject to a number of adjustments to improve its physical installations.

The Government of Panama requested permission from the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) to enable a walk with busts and statues dedicated to heroes of the independence and prominent citizens. And recently, the City Mayor, Bosco Vallarino, suggested at first to make the 2010 Carnival on the Cinta Costera.
For sculptor, Ricaurte Martínez, these sites offer areas that can be used to give life to culture and art.

Recreation

Every day hundreds of people visit the Cinta Costera to enjoy healthy recreational time with family, friends or their partner. And when you think there is not room for more people, new visitors always arrive.

During a tour through the Cinta Costera you can see people working out, playing basketball, volleyball or soccer. Also, the youngest ones enjoy a bicycle tour and couples take a romantic stroll.

There is a panoramic view that allows you to see the skyscrapers of the exclusive area of Punta Paitilla, and on the other side you can observe the Old Town of Panama, declared World Heritage by UNESCO. The Cinta Costera begins over the Bay of Panama, name designated to the fourth wetland of international importance.
At night the Cinta Costera is not uninhabited, because, just as during the day, the assistance of people is still impressive.

The creation of spaces, gardens and pedestrian elements are part of the projects being planned during the current administration.

The Cinta Costera has 26 hectares of recreation and four vehicle lanes in the direction of the Corredor Sur (one fast lane), and the six lanes of Avenida Balboa remain as access to the Capital City. Moreover, it has more than eight courts and recreational parks, five gazebos and a bikeway.

The new structure has access ramps at the bridges, facilitating the traffic and entry for park visitors.

The project cost was $ 189 million and was a task entrusted to the Brazilian consortium Norberto Odebrecht, who is carrying out various infrastructure projects in the country.

Extension

The second phase of the Cinta Costera could start its building process by the end of this year, after the National Economic Council (CENA) recently awarded the concession to the Odebrecht company for over US$ 55 million.

The construction of the second phase will be done to connect the current work from the Mercado del Marisco to the vicinity of the presidency of the Republic and will include a filling in the Bay of Panama area, the building of an amphitheater and a special area to place small businesses.

Official reports reveal that the work could also include the construction of a tunnel that would go through the Old Town, to the Calzada de Amador.

Recommendations

The new administration, in an effort to improve the facilities, requested a series of recommendations to the Panamanian Society of Engineers and Architects (SPIA), who already gave them to the MOP and to the Mayor of Panama.

SPIA´s President, Ernesto De León, said that 32 recommendations were given on issues that can be refined in the Cinta Costera. He added that, along with an interdisciplinary committee, an evaluation was done to improve the facilities offered by the site.

The Mayor of Panama raised the need to build passive communal areas throughout the district, similar to the wide open spaces of the Cinta Costera, where cultural and daily recreational experiences can be exchanged in a healthy and orderly manner.
Posted by Templar Panama at 3:07 PM 0 comments
Panama City:
Heineken Regional in Panama

Heineken Regional in Panama

Editorial / The Panama Post

Heineken Regional Services America, INC., a subsidiary of Heineken International BV Amsterdam Netherlands, decided to establish its regional office in Panama to manage its group's operations in the region.
From Panama, Heineken Regional Services America will offer financial management services to the Heineken financial and corporative group, supporting global and regional functions in areas such as operation control, logistics and personnel training, among others.
Roberto Henriquez, Minister of Commerce and Industry (MCI), said that Heineken Regional will generate new jobs for men and women in Panama.
"The Heineken Group is one of the largest brewing groups in the world. They chose to appeal to the Law of multinational companies not only because of the incentives, but also because of the geographical and logistical advantages that Panama offers to coordinate their operations from their headquarters, located in Holland", he said.
Heineken has assets of over U.S. $ 28,000 million.

Drinking Beer Is What Done in Panama Everyday

Panama:

Country Being Wired for Widespread Internet Access

La Prensa

The government-promoted free internet project is traveling the country at high speed.

The idea is to establish free Internet service in at least 10 of the country's major cities before the end of President Ricardo Martinelli's first 100 days in office, explained Secretary of Government Innovation Eduardo E. Jaén.

The "national internet access network" would ideally provide the service to a total of 2.3 million people nationwide and is expected to start operations in October.

Liberty Technology Corporation, the company awarded the project's five-year, $25.5 million-contract, is installing wi-fi technology for internet access in metropolitan areas as well as parks, tourist sites, schools, libraries, universities, hospitals and health clinics.

"We want a high-speed network and the proposal submitted by Liberty is backed by Cisco and Intel, international leaders in these applications," said Jaén.

The law that created the project also calls for a fund to help finance it. Some financial support will also come from telecommunications companies.

Study Finds Corruption Dissuades New Business

La Prensa

Corruption is the most largest obstacle facing new business in Panama, according to the Global Competitiveness Index of the World Economic Forum.

Director of the National Competitiveness Center Nicolás Ardito Barletta said the effort to reduce or eliminate corruption must be the country's priority.

Moreover, in issues such as "independence of the judiciary branch" and "reliability of police services," Panama found itself on the lowest rung of the index, which evaluates 133 countries worldwide.

Inefficient government bureaucracy, restrictive labor laws, inadequate education of the workforce and criminality are, according to the report, some other major roadblocks to doing business in the country.
Posted by Templar Panama at 2:51 PM 0 comments

Sea Filling in Colón Faces Legal Challenges

La Prensa

The Ocean Pollution Control company has undertaken an unauthorized project to fill in two hectares of sea bottom in the Bay of Manzanillo.

The Amador Causeway and the Bay of Panama aren't the only areas in the country where unauthorized sea filling goes on.

In the Bay of Manzanillo, in the Colón province, developer Ocean Pollution Control (OPC) has filled in sea floor to facilitate port activities there, all without the required permits and environmental studies.

OPC intends to install a passenger terminal, cargo handling and aircraft services, activities very different from the company's mission statement and original goal of controlling
pollution in the country's ocean territories.

Though the board of the Maritime Authority prohibited the company last November from occupying or operating in the area without permits, OPC decided to move forward with the work of filling in and jetties "at its own risk," according to statements made by company representatives to this newspaper.

Additionally, in July of this year, the Comptroller General returned the company's concession contract to the Maritime Authority without endorsing it and has requested further explanations on certain aspects of OPC's plans to fill in a two hectares of sea bottom for which it has proposed a monthly lease of $1,569 for a 20-year period.

At present, the Maritime Authority's current administration has launched an investigation into the case to determine the future of this application for the grant.

www.republicofpanama.net


Braswell Shipyard Operator Will Have to Compete for Concession


Story By La Prensa

Contrary to the requests of the company that operates the Braswell Shipyard, the Maritime Authority has announced it will hold a public tender in 2011, the year the operator's concession expires.

Maritime Authority Director Roberto Linares explained that the decision will allow all interested parties the opportunity to participate on an even playing field.

Astilleros Braswell had asked to renew its contract for operation of the Port of Balboa, located on the Pacific end of the Panama Canal, for another 20 years, for which it pledged to invest $40 million.

Bernardo Fernández, manager of the company, said that Astilleros Braswell has run the shipyard since 2006 and currently employs a staff of 1,000. One of the assets included in the concession is a dam the size of one of the locks along the Canal, he added.

Fernández claimed that since the Spanish company Fábrica de Exquisiteces de Atún acquired the concession in 2006, it has invested $25 million in the shipyard via Astilleros Braswell, S.A., a sum that it has yet to recover.
Posted by Templar Panama at 8:31 AM 0 comments
Panama:
Poor, Elderly Panamanians to Receive first Government Bonus Next Week





Poor, Elderly Panamanians to Receive first Government Bonus Next Week

Story La Prensa

Septuagenarians and their elders will have a little extra pin money as of next Tuesday, when the government will issue checks to 20,000 elderly citizens as part of the "$100 to 70" program pledged by President Ricardo Martinelli during his campaign earlier this year.

Treasury Director Alcibiades García announced that the Ministry of Economy and Finance transferred $6 million to the Ministry of Social Development to realize the retroactive payments for the months of July and August as well as September.

The program offers a monthly stipend of $100 to those Panamanians 70-years-old and up who don't receive retirement or pension benefits.

The law prohibits the money's use for the purchase of alcohol or illegal drugs.
Posted by Templar Panama at 8:26 AM 0 comments
Panama:
National University May See Budget Increase Next Year



National University May See Budget Increase Next Year

Story by La Prensa

The University of Panama could have a budget of $164.6 million next year, equivalent to 12 percent of what the government will allot for education throughout the country in 2010.

Most of this budget will go to cover overhead costs, notably payroll, which would work out to be $90 million for the staff working at the university's 30 regional campuses, according to Dean Gustavo García de Paredes.

Another 3 percent of the proposed budget would be destined for improvements to the school's curriculum and just $6 million would be invested in constructing and equipping new classrooms, a figure that falls short of university administrators' requests.

While some point to deteriorating conditions at the 74-year-old institution, admissions officers complain that entrance exams show a decline in the level of education demonstrated by prospective students.

Last year, only a third of the 18,000 applicants received acceptance letters to the public university.

Admissions Director Maira Thompson said while the small percentage of incoming students has something to do with the institution's restricted quotas to prevent a budget deficit, examining admissions figures in a broader context does reveal that 80 percent of applicants are public school students who tend to fail the entrance exam.

For that reason, psychological tests and exams focusing on history, science and geography will be eliminated from the list of entrance requirements, forcing students to focus on proving their mastery of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and other key subjects.
Posted by Templar Panama at 8:04 AM 0 comments
Panama,
Free Zone leaders refuse to back down over tax reform




Free Zone leaders refuse to back down over tax reform

Story La Prensa

The Association of Colón Free Zone Users failed again in their attempt to halt the imposition of taxes in the marketplace after a round of talks with the government Monday night proved fruitless.

A government source confirmed that association leaders held to their refusal to pay taxes on profits during an informal meeting.
Posted by Templar Panama at 8:01 AM 0 comments
Panama City
Corruption Czar Wants Breaks Set on Car Privileges Enjoyed by Parlacen Deputies




Corruption Czar Wants Breaks Set on Car Privileges Enjoyed by Parlacen Deputies

Story La Prensa Englis Edition

The secretary of Transparency and Corruption, Fernando Núñez Fábrega, has asked for the immediate suspension of the vehicle import tax exemption enjoyed by Panamanian deputies of the Parlacen.

Fábrega said that this request applies to the current members as well as those who may take office in the future.

The corruption czar also ordered that an audit be undertaken to quantify the amount of exemptions members of Parlacen used. While these members are limited to importing one vehicle every two years, many did so more often than that.

His remarks came at a news conference Monday at the offices of the Secretariat of Transparency, located in Ancón.

www.republicofpanama.net

Reply To Prostitution Raids in Panama

Reply to Don Winner

Great article. Now there needs to be a follow up one titled: "Killing the Golden Goose" reminding the powers that be of the millions of dollars in foreign direct investment that the Colombiana working girls are responsible for being pumped into the economy here. How do you say? Many of those Gringos who travel here for the hookers also do lots of business here. They buy a lot of real estate, invest in businesses, set up bank accounts, hire attorneys and other professionals, shop in the stores, rent hotel rooms, rent cars, etc. A huge number make the decision to invest in Panama because of all the hot Colombianas here. If the current government insists on getting rid of the Colombianas the country will pay a huge price in the form or reduced foreign investement. It is that simple. Panama is virutally the only place that offers the Gringo businessman/investor the package of business and pleasure in this combination. What's more, now that Panama is being hit by the economic downturn who do you think is still coming here to spend money? These same guys. I know many of them and all off them told me they made the decision to invest in Panama because of all the girls and that they would not come here and invest if the girls were not here. The current government needs to understand this. They should support the working girls rather than hassle them, detain them, allow the police to rape and rob them (yes, this does happen often), and generally treat them as if they have no human rights whatsoever. What's more, most of these girls are decent people who come here to support their poor families back home. Just my observations.

Wake Up America. Chaves is looking for a fight.
Are the American People Turning a Blind Eye to Chaves until it is to late????
The United States should put Chaves and Ahmadinejad in a no fly zone, in fact a no walk zone.
The Writing is on the wall it is time to get rid of Chaves and Ahmadinejad.

www.republicofpanama.net

CNN) -- Forget Disneyland! Costa Rica is the Happiest Place in the World, according to an independent research group in Britain with the goal of building a new economy, "centered on people and the environment."

Costa Rica is known for its lush rain forests and pristine beaches.

In a report released Saturday, the group ranks nations using the "Happy Planet Index," which seeks countries with the most content people.

In addition to happiness, the index by the New Economics Foundation considers the ecological footprint and life expectancy of countries.

"Costa Ricans report the highest life satisfaction in the world and have the second-highest average life expectancy of the new world (second to Canada)," the organization said in a statement.

They "also have an ecological footprint that means that the country only narrowly fails to achieve the goal of ... consuming its fair share of the Earth's natural resources."

The Central American country, tucked between Nicaragua and Panama, touts its lush rain forests and pristine beaches. Its president, Oscar Arias Sanchez, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for trying to help end civil wars in several Central American countries.

This year's survey, which looked at 143 countries, featured Latin American nations in nine of the Top 10 spots.

Don't Miss
iReporters show off colorful Costa Rica
The runner-up was the Dominican Republic, followed by Jamaica, Guatemala and Vietnam.

Most developed nations lagged in the study.

While Britain ranked 74th, the United States snagged the 114th spot, because of its hefty consumption and massive ecological footprint.

The United States was greener and happier 20 years ago than it is today, the report said.

Other populous nations, such as China and India, had a lower index brought on by their vigorous pursuit of growth-based models, the survey suggested.

"As the world faces the triple crunch of deep financial crisis, accelerating climate change and the looming peak in oil production, we desperately need a new compass to guide us," said Nic Marks, founder of the foundation's center for well-being.

Marks urged nations to make a collective global change before "our high-consuming lifestyles plunge us into the chaos of irreversible climate change."

The report, which was first conducted in 2006, covers 99 percent of the world population, the statement said.

www.republicofpanama.net

Attracting Venezuelan Investors
Sherly Diaz / The Panama Post

September 30th, Caracas, Venezuela The participation of 250 investors is expected

The seminar called "Panama: Investment Opportunities and Businesses it Promotes", will be held next September 30th in Caracas, Venezuela, aiming at Venezuelan businessmen interested in developing their businesses in Panama.
The event will be held at the Pestana hotel in Caracas, Venezuela. About 250 to 300 investors are expected to be there.
Leandro Ciciliani Conde, president of the International Property Networks (IPN), explained that this group works with different associations of Venezuelan professionals such as the Venezuelan Federation of Chambers of Commerce (Fedecamaras), and the Chamber of Venezuelan-Panamanian Integration (CIVENPA), among others.
Ciciliani stated that the participants are CEOs and business owners, who are interested in Panama as an investment destination and logistics platform for their businesses.

Leandro Ciciliani Conde, president of International Property Networks (IPN).

For this event, the hotel has primed two halls. The seminar will be held in one of them, which has the capacity to host a party of up to 250. They will receive updates from professionals and executives of Panama. Entrepreneurs will learn about the country's competitive advantages, its legal framework, the Panama Canal, the Colon Free Zone, the free trade agreements that are in effect in this country, and more.
Meanwhile, the other hall will be hosting lawyers, financial professionals, and real estate companies, among others, offering consulting services and business opportunities to investors interested in coming to Panama.
For any question about the seminar, please visit the following website: www.sipaexpo.com or call either 211-2758 or 6851-4521.
Know-how
This is the second activity to be organized under the same concept of the Seminary of Investment in Panama (SIPA Expo). The first event of this kind was held in Valencia, Venezuela, this past month of June, where around 200 investors participated.
Among the participants were: Hercesa Ferrocarril, Grupo Pro, SkyLine, MDM Inmobiliaria, and the Association of Real Estate Agents (Acobir), among others.
In addition, this event is scheduled to be held also in countries such as Colombia, Ecuador and Peru in 2010.