Bruce Jones Educational Center Helping Poor Street Children In Panama

Bruce Jones Educational Center

Director: Maria Teresa Donato

Objective:
Bruce Jones Educational Center is a not for profit school that takes teaching to where the impoverished kids of Panama are, the streets. The priority of the initial phase of Bruce Jones Educational Center recourses is to introduce these hard to reach kids to English as a second language, helping them improve their skill set in order to achieve a higher level of earning potential. In time Bruce Jones Educational Center will set up a computer lab to teach these same kids computer skills that combined with the English skills will help them leave the streets of Panama, and end the cycle of poverty they have been born into. Bruce Jones Educational Center is also involved with getting basic school supplies to kids that are already in school, and have homes, and loving families that are just unable to afford these basic school supplies. Bruce Jones Educational Center is also dedicated to getting orphans not just educated, but supplying them with those things that make being a kid fun, by purchasing Christmas toys for over one thousand boy's, and girls. With next year's goal doubling, and with some luck, and other kind hearted souls Bruce Jones Educational Center hopes to be able to give every child in Panama that needs a toy to play with, a toy to play with. Why Panama? Panama is an emerging Latin country with a fairly small population, but a high rate of poverty. Bruce Jones Educational Center picked Panama because of the size, which it believes enables it to reach its goal, and affect the most amount of Children in a positive way. Bruce Jones Educational Center has no illusions of eradicating the poverty that so many children are being exposed to, but has a firm commitment to do all that it can to give as many children as possible the opportunity to better their lives, and the lives of their inevitable children if they want it with no other motives then to help. Bruce Jones Educational Center has no ties to any Religious organizations, although it does help where it can with full autonomy, and with the soul beneficiaries being the impoverished children of Panama. Bruce Jones Educational Center has no interest in indoctrinating any children into any belief other than with hard work, and a helping hand they can find all that they seek.

Students: 15 total between the ages of 9 - 15 from Calidonia, Panama

Panama Jack to Visit Hotel Del Rey

China Wants Costa Rica Oil

Chinese represent danger
to Tico culture, environment

Dear A.M. Costa Rica:

The ever sneaky and inscrutable Communist Chinese have one goal in mind here, and it's not promoting "culture." It's to persuade the Costa Rican government to allow the Chinese to develop our offshore oil deposits in order to feed the insatiable Chinese industrial juggernaut. Oscar Arias is playing a dangerous game by opening the country to Chinese influence. He is putting the sociocultural well-being of present and future Costa Ricans at great risk.

For decades, every major human rights organization and Western country has put China at or near the top of worst violators of basic human rights. Let's consider the cultural incompatibilities between Costa Rica and China.

(1) Costa Rica disbanded its military more than 50 years ago. China's nuclear-equipped military is the largest in the world and maintains an open ended threat of an attack on Taiwan, (Costa Rica's ex buddy who got thrown under the bus for a soccer stadium), should that country declare its official independence from the Communists.

(2) China continues its brutal occupation of Tibet in the face of a half century of international condemnation. Look what the Chinese have done to Tibetan culture! The message is clear: China considers its culture to be superior to all others. What kind of political repercussions could Costa Rica expect from its new best friend were she to criticize China's policy towards Tibet? What sort of respect can Costa Rica expect for its OWN culture from a country like that? This should be reason enough for Costa Rica to close its doors to China.

(3) Costa Rica has freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom of religion. FREEDOM!!! China's obsession with curtailing/eliminating these rights and crushing those who support them are all too well known and lately exemplified by the cyber attacks on Google.

(4) China has the death penalty. Costa Rica does not. China uses convict labor to produce consumer goods for export. Costa Rica wouldn't even think of it.

(5) China's record on the environment is nothing short of abysmal. While Costa Rica's environmental regulations/regulatory enforcement leave much to be desired, this country's eco values are far superior to those of the Chinese, who view industrial expansion at any cost as being in the best interests of its people. (Even when they're being poisoned.)

China knows that all over the developing world, poverty and cash strapped, overwhelmed politicians mean political malleability and opportunities to buy and manipulate governments and the natural resources they possess.

The fact that the Chinese are building a soccer stadium here instead of a hospital is very telling. They are wooing the Costa Rican people by feeding their addiction to football. I think this is deplorable. Once China gets its foot in the door with grants, loans and other "carrots," how does Costa Rica then say "no" to the Communists? On ANYTHING!

I would take five minutes sitting in the presence of H. H. the Dalai Lama over a hundred years of exposure to Chinese "culture." Ticos had better wake up to the threat of the dragon at the gate before its too late.

Dean Barbour
Manuel Antonio

Latin America and Caribbean leaders

PLAYA DE CARMEN, Mexico – Latin America and Caribbean leaders united Tuesday to create a regional bloc excluding Canada and the United States, but its birth was undermined by a spat in which the Colombian president told Venezuela's Hugo Chavez "to be a man."

Many of the 32 Latin American and Caribbean countries participating in the summit have long called for a new organization that will not be dominated by the interests of their two wealthy northern neighbors. The Washington-based Organization of American States, the largest diplomatic bloc in the Western Hemisphere, has been heavily influenced by the United States.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon, who hosted the summit in a Caribbean resort, said the bloc "will consolidate and globally project a Latin American and Caribbean identity."

Latin American countries, however, have competing interests of their own — a point driven home by bickering at the summit.

At a dinner Monday night, conservative Colombian President Alvaro Uribe started complaining about Venezuela's trade sanctions against Colombia, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because delegations at the meeting had agreed not to discuss the spat publicly.

He described the following incident to reporters: Chavez shot back that Venezuela was constantly threatened by paramilitaries in the neighboring country and suggested the Colombian government was involved.

Chavez then stood up from the table, ready to storm off, when Uribe told him to stay and "be a man."

Chavez told Uribe to "go to hell," according to Venezuelan state television.

After they calmed down, the leaders agreed to create a "group of friends" to mediate between the feuding presidents. Chavez and Uribe played down the incident Tuesday, promising to work out their differences.

Then, Bolivian President Evo Morales, one of Chavez's strongest allies, reignited tensions by suggesting Uribe was a U.S. "agent" sent to sabotage the bloc.

"What's my conclusion?" Morales said. "Since we are debating a new organization without the United States, the agents of the United States have come to bog this down to make this event fail."

Meanwhile, Washington welcomed the new group.

"Virtually all of the countries attending the unity summit are strong partners of the United States and we are working together with them on a broad range of initiatives," said U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley. "So we consider the meeting in Mexico as consistent with our goals for the hemisphere."

The leaders agreed to meet again in Venezuela in 2011.

The bloc's formation is expected to take years and faces many challenges.

Latin America remains divided on whether to recognize the government of Honduran President Porfirio Lobo, who won November elections organized under interim leaders who took power after the June 28 ouster of then-President Manuel Zelaya.

Lobo was not invited to the summit and had not spoken to any of its participants, although the presidents who did attend spoke of including all 33 Latin American and Caribbean nations — including Honduras — in the new bloc. Lobo's spokesman said Honduras wants to join.

The leaders did not discuss Honduras to avoid polarizing the group, Calderon said.

Participants also disagreed on whether the bloc should replace the OAS, but they did find common ground on some issues, rallying around Argentina in its condemnation of Britain's oil exploration in waters surrounding the Falkland Islands, which Argentina claims.

Peter Hakim, president of the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue, questioned whether Latin American countries sensitive to outside meddling in their affairs will be able to confront touchy issues within their own region.

"It requires making some sacrifices of sovereignty and this is an issue that Latin America seems unyielding on," Hakim said.

President Martinelli meets with presidents of Costa Rica and Mexico

Martinelli meets with presidents of Costa Rica and Mexico
la prensa

President Martinelli, along with 29 other heads of State, are gathered in Cancun for a regional summit.

President of the Republic, Ricardo Martinelli, is scheduled to meet with President of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias, and President of Mexico, Felipe Calderón during his current mission to Cancun to attend the “Latin America and Caribbean Summit of Unity."

One of the objectives of this mission is the signing of an agreement with Mexico to avoid double taxation; an action that forms part of the strategies being developed by the Panamanian government to extricate the country from "the list of uncooperative countries with regards to tax matters.”

During the Summit, which approximately 30 Heads of State are attending, Martinelli, accompanied by Vice-President and Foreign Minister, Juan Carlos Varela, is expected to hold bilateral meetings with his Central American counterparts.

The purpose of these meetings is to join forces to promote the incorporation of Panama into the process of negotiating an Association Agreement between Central American countries and the European Union.

Martinelli is also expected to support efforts being made to rebuild Haiti, as well as to discuss infrastructure investment and regional trade promotion with his counterparts.

Chavez Trying To Start War WIth Columbia

Chavez of Venezuela, Uribe of Colombia in shouting matchBy Rafael Romo, CNN Senior Latin American Affairs EditorFebruary 23, 2010 -- Updated 0347 GMT (1147 HKT)
Hugo Chavez, left, and Alvaro Uribe have had differences in the past and those boiled into harsh words on Monday.STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Two yelled obscenities, called each other names, source says
Cuban President Raul Castro intervenes to stop the verbal fight
Tension between two started last year over Chavez criticism of Uribe deal with U.S.
RELATED TOPICS
Hugo Chavez
Alvaro Uribe
Mexico
Cancun, Mexico (CNN) -- A shouting match involving the presidents of Venezuela and Colombia is the latest rumble in months of tension between the two South American nations.

The presidential outbursts between Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Alvaro Uribe of Colombia happened Monday afternoon at a closed-door luncheon for heads of state attending the so-called "Unity Summit" being held near the Mexican beach resort of Cancun.

According to a source who attended the luncheon and asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the situation, Chavez and Uribe started yelling and called each other names, using obscene language.

The source also said that Cuban President Raul Castro had to intervene to stop the verbal fight, asking, "How is it possible that we're fighting at a summit intended to unite Latin American and Caribbean countries?"

When asked about the incident, Mexican President Felipe Calderon declined to address the incident, but a spokesman for him confirmed that it happened.

The tension between Chavez and Uribe started last year after the Venezuelan president strongly criticized Uribe for allowing United States forces to be stationed at Colombian military bases.

Tensions have escalated as the countries accused each other of attempts to destabilize each other.

Colombia has accused Chavez's government of aiding leftist guerrilla groups that fight in Colombia. Meanwhile, Chavez accused Colombia of sending unmanned planes to spy on Venezuela.

The shouting match between Chavez and Uribe raises questions about the possibility of creating a regional organization that would speak with a unified voice for Latin American and Caribbean nations, one of the stated goals of the summit.

Fears expressed that Colombian war is spilling into Panamá

Fears expressed that Colombian war is spilling into Panamá

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff


The policies of the conservative Martinelli administration are raising fears that Panamá may become more deeply involved in the Colombian war against the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia.

A shootout took place Jan. 27 between Panamanian forces and a small group of the Marxist guerrillas, according to The Panamá News. Three members of the Fuerzas Armadas died, and two were captured, the newspaper said.

The location was said to be on the banks of the Tuira River not far from Boca de Cupe in the Darién Province of eastern Panamá.

The newspaper said that this was at least the third shootout with the Colombian rebel group in the last year. Panamanian sources have been selective in giving information on the run-in, but President Álvaro Uribe in Colombia said that Panamanian forces bombarded a rebel camp in Panamá, said the newspaper, citing reports from El Espectador in Colombia.

Concerns about Panama's involvement in Colombia's civil conflict are being expressed in some of the daily newspapers, said The Panama News. A more recent run-in off the Darien coast may have been with rebels or ordinary criminals.

The area along the Colombian border with Panamá is a lawless one, but the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias
have used the area to purchase supplies and to hide from Colombian government forces.

"Other signs of the Martinelli administration's position in the Colombian internal conflict are less ambiguous: the Panamanian police wanted posters for FARC leaders posted around Darien communities near the border," wrote Eric Jackson, editor of The Panamá News. "Although Colombia's right-wing paramilitaries have attacked Panama and burned villages, assassinated public officials and kidnapped and murdered fleeing Colombians in the course of these attacks, there are no similar posters for the perpetrators of these acts."

Jackson also said in his newspaper that U.S. mercenaries are active in the region.

"If Panama is going to go to war with FARC to the extent that FARC responds in kind, even if they are depleted by defeats in their war with government forces in Colombia, the guerrillas probably outmatch any fighting force of Panama's," said Jackson. "They probably also have the funds to bribe key Panamanian security forces."

Ricardo Martinelli took office July 1 after a campaign that promised a crackdown on crime and corruption. He has a U.S. military school education as well as a conservative political orientation, so support for Uribe's war would not be a surprise. However, in Costa Rica, politicians and others are sure to be troubled by an expansion of the four-decade-old Colombian insurgency into Panamá.

Panamá trade treaty stalled

Panamá trade treaty stalled
Dodd tells officials there


By the A.M. Costa Rica staff


There is little chance that the U.S. Congress will pass the Panamá free trade treaty, according to U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd, who is touring Central American countries with Sen. Bob Corker, according to The Panamá News. Dodd, who will not be seeking re-electionn November after three decades in the Senate, met with Juan Carlos Varela, Panama's foreign minister.

Dodd told Varela that the weak rule of law in Panama as one of the reasons the agreement will not be confirmed, said the newspaper. The treaty was signed in 2006 and has the support of President Barack Obama and the Ricardo Martinelli administration in Panamá.

Dodd and Corker also met Friday with President Óscar Arias Sánchez and president-elect Laura Chinchilla at the Arias home in Rohrmoser. There was no significant announcement after that meeting. The two senators also are visiting Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua on their trip.

Panama vows to defend border area following clash with armed gunmen

Panama vows to defend border area following clash
PANAMA CITY – The government of Panama says it will defend its territory following the wounding of a police officer during a clash between Panamanian police and armed men along the border with Colombia.

The Foreign Ministry says the government will not allow any part of Panama to be used by groups for drug trafficking or other illicit activities.

Sunday's statement does not identify the group that attacked a government patrol boat Saturday. But the wording suggests they may have been related to Colombian cocaine traffickers or rebels who participate in the trade.

A similar border clash in January resulted in the deaths of three Colombian rebels.

Chavez: Saboteurs targeting Venezuela's power grid

Chavez: Saboteurs targeting Venezuela's power grid
CARACAS, Venezuela – President Hugo Chavez accused his adversaries on Sunday of sabotaging Venezuela's electricity grid as part of a broader plan aimed at bringing about the system's collapse — and his downfall.

Chavez said authorities must be "on the alert" and apprehend anyone who cuts electricity cables connected to the grid. Such sabotage has caused power failures in some regions and exacerbated the effects of severe energy shortages, he said.

"Be on the lookout! Patrols must be carried out to capture the saboteurs because those responsible must be caught and put in prison," Chavez said during his weekly television and radio program, "Hello President."

Referring to his government's adversaries, he said: "They think that's how they're going to topple Chavez, and that's what they're seeking, but if there's an electricity collapse, it won't be Chavez who is going to fall. Prepare yourselves, bourgeois folks, because it will be you who will fall."

The accusations were vague and Chavez provided no evidence supporting them.

Energy Minister Ali Rodriguez echoed the allegations.

"I have no doubt that many of the failures that are occurring are the product of sabotage. We are investigating," Rodriguez said.

Opposition leaders scoffed at the president's claim, saying Chavez is trying to shed the blame for power shortages that critics say his government caused by failing to invest enough in electricity production over the last decade.

"The president is a great manipulator and he uses lies to fool the people," Juan Jose Molina, an opposition politician, said in a telephone interview.

He noted more than a dozen projects to build thermoelectric plants have been delayed.

"It's Chavez's own incompetence that's going to bring him down," Molina said. "We want to get him out (of office) with votes."

Chavez declared an energy emergency earlier this month, announcing that his socialist government will punish businesses and industries that use what the government considers excessive amounts of electricity. He promised discounts to those that cut consumption.

Under the plan, large businesses and factories must cut electricity consumption 20 percent or face sanctions, including hefty surcharges on electricity bills. The energy-saving initiative also targets ordinary Venezuelans who use more than 500 kilowatt-hours of electricity a month — an estimated 24 percent of all residential consumers, according to Chavez.

The plan is aimed at easing energy shortages that Chavez blames on a months-long drought. The lack of rain has caused water levels to drop to critical lows behind the Guri Dam, which supplies roughly 70 percent of Venezuela's electricity.

President Ricardo Martinelli graduated from the University of Arkansas

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. --
An international figure paid a visit to Fayetteville Saturday. Panamanian President Riccardo Martinelli studied at the University of Arkansas before embarking on his political journey.

A small crowd watched as Martinelli talked about his love for his alma mater.

"I am very happy to be here and very proud to be an alumnus of the University of Arkansas," Martinelli said.

The university honored Martinelli by establishing a scholarship in his name.

The scholarship will provide financial assistance for students, and preference will be given to students from the Republic of Panama.

"The opportunity during the four and a half years that i spent in Fayetteville has done so much in my life," Martinelli said.

Martinelli hopes the scholarship will provide opportunities for students from Panama to follow in his footsteps, and learn valuable lessons that could help strengthen his home country.

He also says he plans to encourage more communication between Panama and the United States in the future.

"I will do everything in my power to continue strengthening our relationship not only with the university and the state of Arkansas, but with the U.S.," Martinelli said.
The pressure was on for the Razorback baseball team since the opening pitch of the game was thrown by the president of a country.

President Ricardo Martinelli graduated from the University of Arkansas and was elected president of Panama last summer. Panama is a small country in between Central and South America.

This was President Martinelli's first trip to the U of A since he became the president of Panama.

Je says its time here that helped him get where he is today.

"It feels like a dream. I never thought it would come true. I am so proud and happy and so excited. A part of me remains in Arkansas. I love Arkansas and its people. In my life, everything I have become, Arkansas had a lot to do with," said President Martinelli.

Congressman John Boozman agrees.

He graduated from the University of Arkansas at the same time as President Martinelli. "He's somebody that the state of Arkansas can be so proud of. The values, and he's very open and honest about this, that he learned here being in real America has taken and really thrived," said Congressman Boozman.

"The President spent the morning tackling tough issues like free trade and crime in his country of Panama. But things lightened up in the afternoon when he threw out the first pitch at the Razorback baseball game.

The president got a little practice pitching when he recently threw the first pitch at a Yankee's baseball game.

It only took him a couple tries to get the ball across the plate. President Martinelli was given an Arkansas Traveler certificate from Governor Beebe, making him an official ambassador of goodwill from Arkansas.

Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan presented the president with keys to the city.

Panama President Ricardo Martinelli Visits Alma Mater

Panama President Ricardo Martinelli Visits Alma Mater
Comments FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- An international figure paid a visit to Fayetteville Saturday. Panamanian President Riccardo Martinelli studied at the University of Arkansas before embarking on his political journey.

A small crowd watched as Martinelli talked about his love for his alma mater.

"I am very happy to be here and very proud to be an alumnus of the University of Arkansas," Martinelli said.

The university honored Martinelli by establishing a scholarship in his name.

The scholarship will provide financial assistance for students, and preference will be given to students from the Republic of Panama.

"The opportunity during the four and a half years that i spent in Fayetteville has done so much in my life," Martinelli said.

Martinelli hopes the scholarship will provide opportunities for students from Panama to follow in his footsteps, and learn valuable lessons that could help strengthen his home country.

He also says he plans to encourage more communication between Panama and the United States in the future.

"I will do everything in my power to continue strengthening our relationship not only with the university and the state of Arkansas, but with the U.S.," Martinelli said.

Panama New sewage system in Colón already broken

New sewage system in Colón already broken
la prensa

A new sewage system in Colón does not have the capacity to handle waste flowing into it.

Despite numerous warnings from engineers, the government of Martín Torrijos authorized the payment of $12.8 million from the Fund for Social Investment to the firm of Transcaribe Trading for the construction of a new sewage system in Colón in August 2008.

Now, less than two years later, the system has numerous problems.

The work was deemed to be satisfactory by the Torrijos administration when it signed off on the project. But this approval was given despite a number of studies by engineers from water and sewer agency IDANN warning that the work had serious problems.

Francisco Israel Rodriguez, director of the Social Investment Fund at the time the work was presented, said he remembered nothing about the project, then refused to answer any further questions. New IDAAN Director for Colón Mariel Lima Young confirmed that the project lacks the proper capacity and that the pumps are constantly breaking down.

Transcaribe Trading owner David Ochy said that the project was built according to government specifications and that the firm will not replace the pumps because the contract has already been completed.

Panama Arias arrested on alcohol charges

Arias arrested on alcohol charges
The leader of the Panama City Carnival Board, Carlos Arias, was arrested Sunday after police noticed minors being sold alcohol in an area of Vía España.

This comes a day after Arias and the Panama Tourism Authority had a public falling out over a $1 entrance fee to the opening of Carnival festivities in Panama City.

Police came to remove the minors from the area where alcohol was being sold, which caused a disturbance. Arias arrived on the scene and also protested the actions of the officers, which led to his arrest.

Earlier Sunday, Arias had called the dispute over the entrance fee a "misunderstanding."

Arias had hired people to collect a $1 entrance fee, but the Panama Tourism Authority, which oversees Carnival, ordered that practice stopped because all events are supposed to be free.

Arias said that the $1 entrance fee should have been collected only for people heading into a special dance area, and not for general admission. He added that the situation was quickly rectified and that the rest of the activities will be free of charge.

Panama, Carnival deals with problems

Carnival deals with problems
la prensa

Panama City's Carnival has been suspended due to a number of problems.


Panama City's Carnival continues to be plagued by problems.
These problems include the arrest of the Carnival Board president and ongoing disputes between the board and the Panama Tourism Authority, which is in charge of the event. On Sunday, the Carnival Board announced it would suspend all activities, a decision that was reversed about an hour later.

The day started with Carlos Arias, Carnival board president, being arrested following a confrontation with police. Arias was trying to prevent police from cracking down on alcohol sales to minors. This prompted the board to announce Carnival had been suspended, even though it was unclear if they had the authority to do so.

Arias also clashed with the Tourism Authority over a fee he tried to charge to enter the opening day of Carnival on Saturday.

Also Sunday, food and beverage vendors complained about losing money Saturday night when police forced them to close at midnight.

"We feel cheated," said Zuleika Pérez, one of 175 vendors. "The Carnival Board authorized us to sell after midnight, but the police forced is to close."

Pérez said she lost five bags chorizo and other goods that she had planned to sell.

Despite all the problems, entertainment is expected to continue as scheduled, and vendors have been told they can stay open until 3 a.m.

Republic of Panama Welcomes G.S.L Real Estate Panama

Republic of Panama
Welcome to GSL Worldwide, the Real Estate site for properties throughout the whole of Panama. GSL provides a first class service which is based entirely on customer satisfaction for those wishing to rent or purchase Real Estate within Panama. We have connections with all major construction companies and developers in Panama to enable us to locate the property that suits both your budget, and your preference. There is so much to choose from in the cosmopolitan city of Panama, including first class restaurants and bars for those of you who prefer the hustle and bustle of city life. For those who prefer the quieter lifestyle of secluded beaches and mountain locations and prefer to be outside the city, there is also a great deal to choose from. Please select from the menu on the left hand side in order to view the properties on offer and feel free to contact us any time for further advice or just a chat. We have both English and Spanish speaking professionals who are able to assist you in every aspect of moving or retiring to Panama.
•
Our offices are situated at Local #3, Via Espana, close to many of the hotels. Please call in Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 6.00pm or Saturday between 9.00am and 2.00pm, or telephone and arrange for us to meet you at your hotel. We are fully licensed Realtors and will take you through the process of completing all the paperwork for renting a property, or guide you through the laws and regulations of purchasing property. When dealing with GSL you will have peace of mind, knowing that you can relax and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere that Panama has to offer, with the certainty that all legal aspects of your property deal have been completed in an exacting manner.
• Anyone moving to a new country is aware that the assistance of local professionals can be invaluable. It is in our interest to make sure that every aspect of your property purchase or rental is carried out with the utmost professionalism and friendly service that we are renowned for.
• All legal aspects of renting Real Estate in Panama are covered by a lease agreement between yourself and the vendor. All of this paperwork is completed by our own in-house lawyer and registered with the local governing authorities.
• When purchasing Real Estate in Panama it is always advisable to use the services of a fully qualified lawyer, who has the relevant experience. Here at GSL we are able to process all Real Estate transactions, setting up of Corporations and Foundations, and also handle all types of Immigration Visa's.
• Welcome to GSL Worldwide, the Real Estate site for properties throughout the whole of Panama. GSL provides a first class service which is based entirely on customer satisfaction for those wishing to rent or purchase Real Estate within Panama. We have connections with all major construction companies and developers in Panama to enable us to locate the property that suits both your budget, and your preference. There is so much to choose from in the cosmopolitan city of Panama, including first class restaurants and bars for those of you who prefer the hustle and bustle of city life. For those who prefer the quieter lifestyle of secluded beaches and mountain locations and prefer to be outside the city, there is also a great deal to choose from. Please select from the menu on the left hand side in order to view the properties on offer and feel free to contact us any time for further advice or just a chat. We have both English and Spanish speaking professionals who are able to assist you in every aspect of moving or retiring to Panama.
•
Our offices are situated at Local #3, Via Espana, close to many of the hotels. Please call in Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 6.00pm or Saturday between 9.00am and 2.00pm, or telephone and arrange for us to meet you at your hotel. We are fully licensed Realtors and will take you through the process of completing all the paperwork for renting a property, or guide you through the laws and regulations of purchasing property. When dealing with GSL you will have peace of mind, knowing that you can relax and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere that Panama has to offer, with the certainty that all legal aspects of your property deal have been completed in an exacting manner.
• Anyone moving to a new country is aware that the assistance of local professionals can be invaluable. It is in our interest to make sure that every aspect of your property purchase or rental is carried out with the utmost professionalism and friendly service that we are renowned for.
• All legal aspects of renting Real Estate in Panama are covered by a lease agreement between yourself and the vendor. All of this paperwork is completed by our own in-house lawyer and registered with the local governing authorities.
• When purchasing Real Estate in Panama it is always advisable to use the services of a fully qualified lawyer, who has the relevant experience. Here at GSL we are able to process all Real Estate transactions, setting up of Corporations and Foundations, and also handle all types of Immigration Visa's.
• Welcome to GSL Worldwide, the Real Estate site for properties throughout the whole of Panama. GSL provides a first class service which is based entirely on customer satisfaction for those wishing to rent or purchase Real Estate within Panama. We have connections with all major construction companies and developers in Panama to enable us to locate the property that suits both your budget, and your preference. There is so much to choose from in the cosmopolitan city of Panama, including first class restaurants and bars for those of you who prefer the hustle and bustle of city life. For those who prefer the quieter lifestyle of secluded beaches and mountain locations and prefer to be outside the city, there is also a great deal to choose from. Please select from the menu on the left hand side in order to view the properties on offer and feel free to contact us any time for further advice or just a chat. We have both English and Spanish speaking professionals who are able to assist you in every aspect of moving or retiring to Panama.

Panama City Panama Seafood Market without sanitation control

Seafood Market without sanitation control
Ice and water shortages, flies, and odors were some of the irregularities encountered by officials of the metropolitan area health department upon performing a health and sanitation inspection of the municipal seafood market.

Jorge Hassán, Director of Health for the metro area, said "the deplorable condition of the facilities evidences poor management”; a situation that is even more worrisome as the period of Lent begins.

The findings of the Ministry of Health could result in a $500 to $5,000 fine for the administration of the popular market, under the direction of the Mayor's Office of Panama.

According to the market's manager, Víctor Castro, the administrative problems observed by the health officials are strictly a budgetary matter. Without disclosing specific figures or further explanation, Castro assured that the resources necessary to resolved these issues, would be received by the Mayor's Office by March.

I bought some Ceveche at this fish and I never have been so sick life, I through-up and had the shits for 3 days. Panama has to hav ethe worst ceveche I have ever tasted, unlike Costa Rica where I had the best in the world and they are only hour apart by air. Comment by Panama Jack

Panama City Panama Authorities continue to crack down on drug crimes

Authorities continue to crack down on drug crimes
At noon on Thursday, Feb. 11, officers from the Judicial Investigation Department (DIJ) of the National Police, seized 819 kilos of cocaine.

According to police reports, the stash of drugs was uncovered in the false wall of a house located in a residential area of the capital city.

This drug bust is linked to the dismantling of a drug gang this past January that was discovered to be transporting drugs from Tocumen International Airport. Seven people were detained in that incident, including five Panamanians and two Guatemalans.

Yesterday's operation was conducted in coordination with the Drug Prosecution Office, and the confiscated drugs are now in the hands of the corresponding competent authorities.

Costa Rica Jose Joaquin Trejos Dies at 93

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – Jose Joaquin Trejos, who as Costa Rica's president pushed through reforms that prohibited presidential re-election, has died. He was 93.

Trejos, who governed from 1966 to 1970, had no political experience before coming to power, but voters responded to his "clean hands" campaign promising to end corruption.

One of his biggest legacies was the ban on re-electing a president, a step many Latin American countries have taken to prevent strongman rule.

Costa Rica still bans a president from seeking immediate re-election. But a court ruling in 2003 allowed former presidents to run again after sitting out at least one 4-year term.

Family members said Thursday that Trejos died of natural causes Wednesday night.

Chavez Unvails New Curency

Chavez say that this new curency will be able to buy goods from countrys that think like he does. People who have a common goal in life. People who like to have sex with little boys. He is calling the new curency the ( Chavez Dollar )
In todays world the value of the Chavez Dollar is $1,000,000.00 = I banana

Chavez Brings in Cuban to Block Internet

(CNN) -- Ramiro Valdes, 77, is one of only four remaining original rebels led by Fidel Castro in the 1950s in Cuba. By Cuban standards, he has had a remarkable career, serving the Castro brothers loyally for years in a variety of posts, some which made him notorious.

Now, Valdes has accepted a new task outside Cuba that is raising skepticism. He arrived this week in Venezuela as a consultant for that country's energy crisis.

Venezuela is facing critical electricity shortages that have created rolling blackouts in some areas. The government of Hugo Chavez blames a long drought that has reduced energy production at the country's main hydroelectric dam, while others say the real problem is a lack of investment in energy infrastructure.

The issue has become a political one, but regardless of the reason for the electricity shortages, experts warn that Venezuela faces a complete electric collapse if something isn't done soon.

That's where Valdes comes in, as well as the critics who have seized upon his biography.

"His reputation is as a ruthless minister of interior," said Ann Louise Bardach, who wrote about Valdes in her book "Without Fidel: A Death Foretold in Miami, Havana and Washington."

Valdes has been with the Castro brothers from the beginning of the revolution and today is arguably the No. 3 man in the Cuban hierarchy, she said.

As interior minister, Valdes oversaw secret police operations and gained a reputation for being ruthless when it came to suppressing dissidents.

"He's known for his willingness to do crackdowns," Bardach told CNN.

Most recently, he has been in charge of the Internet on the communist island.

"He's the one who makes sure most Cubans don't have access to the Internet," Bardach said.

One thing Valdes lacks, critics say, is experience in the energy sector.

"For us engineers in Venezuela, it makes no sense," Enzo Betancourt, president of Venezuela's Association of Engineers, told CNN.

There are plenty of qualified engineers in the country with the experience to fix the electricity shortfalls, he said. Furthermore, Venezuelan engineers are already familiar with the electric system and equipment in the country, he added.

Chavez has been under increased pressure lately because of the energy problem and other domestic quarrels, including the suspension of an opposition cable broadcaster -- ostensibly for not following broadcast laws. The move resulted in many days of protests and marches, organized in part online through social networking sites.

In a televised speech, Chavez went so far as to say that spreading criticism against the government through the Internet constitutes "terrorism."

So critics are eying the subsequent hiring of Cuba's top Internet censor to help Chavez in Venezuela.

"This man presumably came here to do things other than help us [with the electricity problems]," Betancourt said.

After all, Bardach said, Valdes is the man who has referred to the Internet as a "wild colt" that must be tamed.

But that may not the only explanation for Valdes' arrival, said Jose Vicente Carrasquero, professor of political science at the Universidad Simon Bolivar in Caracas, Venezuela.

While Valdes may not be an energy man, he does have a background in government purchases, Carrasquero told CNN.

Venezuela's alliance with Cuba in areas such as medicine has resulted in a system in which Cuba purchases medical equipment that it in turn sells to Venezuela at a markup, he said.

Carrasquero said it is possible that Valdes is coming to do something similar with the energy sector. That is, assess what equipment Venezuela needs to meet its electricity needs and have the Cuban team purchase it and then sell it to Venezuela.

The bottom line, he said, is that "President Chavez's dependence on Cuba is reaching unprecedented levels."

The Venezuelan government said that the Cuban team is simply one of several foreign teams that have been called to help.

Energy Minister Ali Rodriguez cited teams from Brazil and Argentina that have already arrived, along with offers of help from Russia and China.

As for Valdes and his team, "They have great expertise on matters of saving electricity and electrical efficiency," the minister said, according to the state-run ABN news service. "They have realized extraordinary work in the replacement of a great quantity of very inefficient equipment, pushing forth an energy revolution where they changed all of the incandescent light bulbs for energy-saving bulbs."

The Cubans also came up with an electrical grid that divides the country into rings, so that problems in one area won't affect other areas, Rodriguez said.

In all, the Venezuelan government will invest more than $4 billion to fix the electricity problems, he said.

Calls to Venezuelan authorities for further comment on the appointment of Valdes were not immediately returned.

Gas explosion rocks banking district

Gas explosion rocks banking district
la prensa

Flames shoot up from a gas truck that exploded in the banking district Tuesday.

A truck belonging to Tropigás exploded in the banking district Tuesday, seriously injuring one person and damaging a number of cars and buildings.

One of those injured was Abelardo Matos, who was eating at a restaurant when the explosion happened. Matos is being treated at Santo Tomás for burns, according to medical director of the hospital, Elias Phillips Mayorca.

The two Tropigás employees who were with the truck escaped serious injury. José Remice, 30, an assistant dispenser, is stable and out of any danger, the company said. His partner, driver Fabio de León, 38, was not injured. Esteban Valdés, Ruth Quezada and Heidi Archibold, all of whom were near the truck when it exploded, suffered minor injuries.

"Our company greatly regrets the severity of the accident and we reiterate our full readiness to continue to cooperate in the clarification of the causes of this accident before the national community and the authorities of the country," the company said in a statement.

The first two explosions were reported at 1:44 p.m. and 1:54 p.m. Firefighters rushed to the scene, and were at the location when a third explosion was reported at 2 p.m.

The area was evacuated as firefighters battled the blaze, which damaged a number of cars and a nearby building, Edificio América, which suffered havy damage. A number of families were left homeless by the blaze, which also destroyed 22 vehicles.

Panama, David Chiriqui Airport to get $24 Million Upgrade

Several companies interested in developing the expansion of the airstrip at the Enrique Maleky airport, in the city of David, Chiriquí, whose reference cost is over US$24 million, performed there a field study.
A note published in daily La Prensa indicates that the administrator of this airport, Ricardo Brenes, said that extending the airstrip to 2,600 meters of length and enlarging the airport facilities represents a long term solution to attend the needs of the west region of the country.
He highlighted that the investments executed at the public airports in the interior of the country are due to a strategy oriented to support commerce, tourism and economic development in general, which will also benefit the communities where these facilities are located.

Panama, Martinelli defends tax hike

Martinelli defends tax hike
la prensa

President of the Republic, Ricardo Martinelli.

President of the Republic, Ricardo Martinelli, speaking on RPC Radio yesterday from a work tour in the city of David, defended the recent tax hike.

Martinelli justified the increase, attributing it to the establishment of a universal scholarship for students across the country.

With the adjustment of taxes, the estimated 800,000 school-aged children currently residing in the country, can receive a grant, regardless of the political affiliation of their parents, detailed Martinelli on RPC Radio.

The official went on to inform that, parallel to this increase, the government is simultaneously lowering the income tax, by approximately half. "Those who are paying for this tax are the banks that did not pay taxes prior," said the president.

Diving In Panama

With 1207 kilometers of coastline in the Caribbean and 1700 in the Pacific, Panama is one of the countries of this continent offering its visitors a great variety of adventures at sea.

The Panamanian waters, always warm and transparent, are a haven of diversity of possibilities for diving enthusiasts, and there are many specialized companies that offer all facilities to visitors who want to immerse in these waters.
According to the Panama Tourism Authority (PTA) in the Caribbean there are many coral reefs and an incredible array of animals and amazing underwater flora that surprise even the most knowledgably of deep sea waters.
Portobelo National Park is the most accessible area in this region and also is the site for various diving operations. The archipelago of Bocas del Toro and San Blas also offer places of unique beauty.
In the Pacific there are good sites as the archipelago of Las Perlas, however, most beautiful places are in remote areas as Iguana Island and Coiba National Park.
Many diving enthusiasts come mostly from the U.S. but there are also Brazilians and Colombians

Costs

Costs are attractive to foreigners. For example, a round trip to Portobelo, Colón province which is approximately 1 hour and half journey, complete diving equipment, two dives, 1 hour and 15 minutes each during the day, guardianship in a beach hotel, lunch and soft drinks, costs about $ 125 per person.
Furthermore, in Panama there are rescue divers, and instructors with great experience who accompany visitors during their dives, which is of great importance, since this is a risky sport.
Experts say that one of the best dive sites is Coiba, Panamá is considered one of the 10 best places in the world to plunge into the waters, however, because of its distance, a diving tour to the island requires a minimum of five people . This trip lasts four days and three nights. The package includes transportation to the island in a hotel room, food, beverages and equipment for diving. The cost is U.S. $ 1,075 per person.

Costa Rica new women President Laura Chinchilla

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – Costa Ricans have elected their first woman president as the ruling party candidate won in a landslide after campaigning to continue free market policies in Central America's most stable nation.

With most of the votes from Sunday's election counted, Laura Chinchilla held a 22-point lead over her closest rival. Her 47 percent share of the vote was well beyond the 40 percent needed to avoid a run-off.

The 50-year-old protege of the current president, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Oscar Arias, promised to pursue the same economic policies that recently brought the country into a trade pact with the U.S. and opened commerce with China.

"Today we are making history," said Chinchilla, who will be the fifth Latin American woman to serve as president when she takes office in May. "The Costa Rican people have given me their confidence, and I will not betray it."

The closest contender, Otton Solis of the Citizens Action Party, got 25 percent of the votes. He and the other main rival, Libertarian Otto Guevara, quickly conceded defeat.

It was unclear, however, whether Chinchilla's National Liberation Party would gain a majority in congress.

Analyst Heather Berkman of the Eurasia Group said coalition building without a majority would likely delay or derail controversial fiscal reforms to shore up government finances and energy deregulation.

The third-place candidate, Guevara, congratulated Chinchilla as "our president," but he also pointed out the new political muscle of his tax-bashing Libertarian Movement Party. He won 21 percent of the vote.

Arias' economic policies helped insulate Costa Rica from the world economic crisis as he kept a high profile on the world stage as a negotiator in Honduras' political crisis after a coup deposed President Manuel Zelaya in June.

Critics of the Arias government, in which Chinchilla served as vice president, contended its policies catered to big developers to boost the economy at the cost of the nation's fragile ecosystems.

But most Costa Ricans were reluctant to shake up the status quo in a country with relatively high salaries, the longest life expectancy in Latin America, a thriving ecotourism industry and near-universal literacy.

Chinchilla, the mother of a teenage son, is a social conservative who opposes abortion and gay marriage. She appealed both to Costa Ricans seeking a fresh face and those reluctant to risk the unknown.

As a female president, she would follow an increasingly common trend in many Latin American countries: Nicaragua, Panama, Chile and Argentina have all elected women as presidents.

Alfredo Fernandez, 77, said he has always voted for the National Liberation Party, but this time his ballot was special.

"It is an honor to be able to have a woman president," he said.

Even Costa Ricans on the margins of society backed Chinchilla.

Heizel Arias, a 24-year-old single mother voted at a prison where she is serving an eight-year drug smuggling sentence.

"I voted for Laura Chinchilla because she has promised to fight for women," Arias said. "She was the only one who visited us and told us her plans and I believe in her."

Venezuela: anti Dicktator Chavez Roits

CARACAS, Venezuela – Police used tear gas, plastic bullets and water cannons to scatter hundreds of students protesting against the government Thursday, while President Hugo Chavez's supporters celebrated the 18th anniversary of his failed coup as an army officer.

Caracas Police Chief Carlos Meza said authorities broke up the protest because university students had not been granted permission to march. He said the denial was aimed at preventing clashes with thousands of "Chavistas" marching across the capital to mark the botched 1992 military rebellion that Chavez led as a lieutenant colonel.

"They don't have permission to march," Meza said.

Student leaders countered that they have the right to stage peaceful protests, and they said authorities loyal to Chavez frequently deny them permission to demonstrate. Before the protest was dispersed, students chanted: "We're students, not coup plotters!"

"This is one more demonstration of the government's abuse of power," student leader Roderick Navarro said.

Students started leading protests last week after the government pressured cable and satellite TV providers to drop an opposition channel. Students have organized demonstrations in cities across the country, accusing Chavez of forcing Radio Caracas Television International off the airwaves as a means of silencing his critics.

Chavez challenged the students to continue staging demonstrations, saying they won't weaken his socialist government. But he warned them against stirring up violence, suggesting authorities would break up protests that get out of control.

"Don't make a mistake with us. You'll get a firm response," Chavez said during a speech to his supporters at Venezuela's largest military fort.

Thousands of Chavez's backers gathered to listen to Chavez, who hailed the Feb. 4, 1992, military uprising against then-President Carlos Andres Perez as a justified rebellion seeking to topple a corrupt government that ignored the plight of Venezuela's poor.

More than 80 civilians and 17 soldiers were killed before troops loyal to the government quelled the coup attempt, which Chavez commemorates annually.

Costa Rica may have a women president

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – Costa Rican voters appear likely to elect the country's first female president, a protege of Nobel laureate Oscar Arias who holds a nearly 20-point lead over two male rivals ahead of Sunday's balloting.

Laura Chinchilla's election would mark another political triumph in the storied career of outgoing President Arias, who has been regularly called on to put out Central America's political fires.

Chinchilla was Arias' vice president before launching her campaign. If victorious, she has pledged to continue Aria's moderate free-market policies in what is considered the most politically stable country in the region.

Costa Rica "got on the right path four years ago and now is the moment to stay the course," Chinchilla said during a recent debate. "It's not the moment for some change that will take us down a road we don't know."

Arias, 69, has suffered health problems and has said little about his plans after the presidency. Critics worry he will try to govern behind the scenes. One of her rivals' campaign ads depicts Chinchilla as a marionette, spouting answers to tough questions while a puppeteer resembling Arias pulls her strings.

Chinchilla, the 50-year-old mother of a teenage boy, is a social conservative who opposes abortion and gay marriage. She says she will leave her own, unique mark on history if elected.

"For me, as a woman, it is a point of pride and satisfaction that Costa Rica is recognizing my leadership abilities," she said. "That speaks well of Costa Rica as far as overcoming gender distinctions and instead putting stock in one's abilities for the overall good of our country."

Her gender and political ties to Arias mean she appeals both to Costa Ricans seeking a fresh face in politics and to those reluctant to risk shaking up the status quo: relatively high salaries, the longest life expectancy in Latin America, a thriving ecotourism industry and a population that is almost completely literate.

Arias won the Nobel Peace Prize during his first presidential term in 1987 for working to end civil wars in several Central American countries.

After returning to the presidency 20 years later, he was called in to mediate another regional crisis in 2009: a coup that ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya.

Arias tried to negotiate Zelaya's return to office. While the coup-installed government refused, his mediation helped calm the turmoil as the country elected a new president.

At home, Arias coaxed Costa Ricans into joining the Central American Free Trade Agreement with the United States — overcoming strong resistance from many who did not want the state-run telecommunications company opened to competition. He also pursued trade pacts with the European Union and China.

At the same time, he launched an initiative to convert Costa Rica into a carbon-neutral nation by 2021, though activists complain that Arias has catered to big developers to boost the economy at the cost of the environment. They point to his proposal to shrink Las Baulas Marine Park and his decision to lift a moratorium on mining.

Many conservationists back Otton Solis of the left-leaning Citizens' Action Party, who they believe will reverse some of Arias' policies. Solis narrowly lost the 2006 presidential election to Arias.

Otto Guevara of the Libertarian Movement Party has emerged as Chinchilla's most serious challenger. He wants to deepen free-market policies by lowering taxes, dismantling remaining monopolies and adopting the U.S. dollar as the country's currency.

Both men portray Arias' centrist National Liberation Party as stagnant and ridden with old-school Latin American cronyism.

Costa Rica Tamara Maria Rosa Dondi Calvo

Tamara Maria Rosa Dondi Calvo is 21 years old.
She is a very sweet girl, she lives in San Jose Costa Rica.
Panama Jack
editor of Panama Visitors Guide

jack@republicofpanama.net

Panama Large cocaine shipment seized

Large cocaine shipment seized in Panama
Police confiscated 177 kilograms of cocaine Tuesday as it was about to be loaded into a container at the Port of Cristóbal in Colón.

Authorities arrested two employees of Panama Ports Company who were allegedly traing to load the cocaine. Preliminary reports indicate that the two employees brought the drugs with them into the shipping area.

They were taken into custody while the investigation continues.

Visit by Pope Benedict Panama

Visit by Pope Benedict confirmed for 2013
Pope Benedict XVI will make an official visit to Panama to coincide with the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the Pacific Ocean by Europeans in September 2013.

Confirmation was made on Wednesday by the Minister of the Presidency, Demetrius Papadimitriu, in a meeting with representatives of foreign and local press.

The pope received President Ricardo Martinelli at the papal summer residence of Castelgandolfo in September 2009. On that occasion, the Holy Father was invited by Martinelli to Panama for the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the sighting of the Pacific by Balboa.

The visit will coincide with Panama's planned hosting of the Central American Games.