JimAndNena

13 hours ago, Bonnie said:

Back in 2007-2008, a wealthy Canadian (or maybe Australian) expat named Peter Gordon was sued by HSBC bank for criticizing the bank on a public forum. I don't remember the outcome, but I recall that all his assets, held in a private foundation, were frozen while the case was pending and that the case made it all the way to the Supreme Court, which upheld the freezing of the assets. Mr. Gordon's issue, as I recall, was what he considered to be exorbitant bank fees and other instances of less than friendly customer service. This is the case that scared the beegeezus out of expats and forms the basis for the widespread fear of the injuria y  calumnia law today.

"Ten Years After"

The best report was on Global Voices, a collection of postings about the HSBC:

https://globalvoices.org/2007/03/15/panama-hsbc-sues-customer-for-yahoo-postings/#

There were several discussions on the old ning, of course.

jim

3 hours ago, Uncle Doug said:

I have to confess, Bonnie, that I knew that. It was a mild attempt at humor in an effort to help to keep this important notice prominent at Chiriqui Life.  I do hope the residents and businesses on the municipal system are ready for no running water on Monday morning. 

I'd offer my bathroom to everyone on Monday except they've been advised in advance, and I'm almost positive that I'm not quite that generous in real life.  Limited quantities of shampoo, etc....

So much for the luck of the Irish. My sister's first visit to Panama with us in 2013, we awoke to find the water pressure at Mima's house in Los Cabezos so low that the showers didn't work.  This is how we shampoo when that happens. Still, Nena says it was better than when they used to haul water from the neighborhood hydrant down the road.

jim

I first encountered the "now serving" system in Venezuela in 1983.

Cashing a check involved 4 windows. Some folks would get past the first window, get another number, and leave to go shopping.  Sometime later (hours), they would return, go to the head of the line for the next window. The lines would all stall waiting for someone's ticket who was shopping, having lunch, whatever.

Most places that have lines/tickets also have runners who, for a few bucks, will bypass the ticket system and you are out the door in minutes. Nena's last cedula renewal took 20 minutes and the place was packed.  The police used to offer the same service to avoid a day in traffic court but someone claimed it was bribery so the service was mostly discontinued.

jim

13 hours ago, Bonnie said:

Funny, but I remember it being easier a decade ago. My husband and I got our visa at the old immigration office on, I believe, the Via Rapida in David and our driver's licenses in the Chiriqui Mall.

One factor, and there are many, in dealing with the government is the sometimes complete turnover in government workers soon after every election. It takes each new administration a couple of years to get all the new folks from the winning party to learn the ropes.  One bit of advice is never plan the move to Panama soon after the new administration takes office.  I remember the reports of folks hoping to get licenses, revisados, etc. just after Varela's victory. 

Another large ripple occurred when Panama realized that police reports from the USA on future expats were from county sheriff's, city PDs, or other law agencies. When one gets a police report in Panama, it is by default a national police record. So, Panama rightly decided that all future police reports from the USA would be from the national police force, the FBI. Some folks were caught in the middle of their paperwork with having to get fingerprints and requesting an FBI report (causing more delay because I don't believe the FBI was given a heads up by Panama).

Then there is the lawyer factor. Some folks had the same lawyer and got varying degrees of satisfaction. I know that there are lawyers who will collect all the paperwork to take to Panama to save the expat the hassle of a trip to the city. I know they charge extra for each client. I know that if they have several clients, they will wait until they have a sufficient number of cases collected before they make the trip. If your paperwork is submitted first, you may wait a month until all the clients have turned in their paperwork, adding a month to your wait time.  The last client to submit paperwork gets speedy service and is pleased with the same lawyer's efficiency. 

One additional point to remember with government services is the multiple "windows" required.  Each window has a specific task and requires specific paperwork. One must get through the windows in the correct order to win the prize.  And the person at any window can change at any time so as they say, "Variety is the spice of life".

jim

This concern about water and sanitation has been continuing for many decades. There has been some progress but as history shows it is mostly all about Panama City.  Perhaps Varela's lack of accomplishments so far in his administration prompted the article above.  It has the earmarks of someone trying to gain political traction.

A good summary article states in part:

According to Ordóňez, plans to build a water sanitation system for Panama City stretch all the way back to 1959, when the Panamanian government commissioned the first of a what turned out be a series of studies stretching across ensuing decades.

http://www.govtech.com/fs/news/Panama-Citys-Sustainable-and-Resilient-Infrastructure-Development.html

If one wishes to see truly bad water and sewage problems, Colón would be a good place to look.  Those folks have the misfortune to be on the wrong end of the canal and the wrong side of the isthmus.

jim

Probably here, looks like it is finished, awaiting "tenants".

EVERY family that had a kid marching in the parade knew. And everyone within earshot of the drum practice probably knew.

Best guess is that Boyd was shot as a message to Cucalón to remind him of the danger of talking to anyone. As always, it is about the money. Part of the problem with the investigation of Martinelli and the missing billions is that someone will believe they got shortchanged. 

2 hours ago, Penny said:

Personally, I enjoy the articles sent out by Chuck Bolotin. They're both entertaining and occasionally informative.

I read all of his articles.  Not right away but whenever I remember to check my spam folder I always read the latest post.

He cites surveys in every article, never posts the data or the methodology, just the positive results.  His latest "less stress" article actually supported the " mañana " culture as being a good thing. He promoted the culture of not being on time as a good thing.  These are unimportant issues if one is RV-ing his way across Central America but very important issues if one is trying to get electrical power, internet, water, telephone, garbage pickup, or any other service working.  Retirement being stress-free is not having to worry about when one of these services will be missing or what the back up plan is if they fail.

Entertaining? Yes if you know the true about what he is offering.

Informative?  I would have to call it borderline fraud.

jim

24 minutes ago, Brundageba said:

Thank you Jim and Nena for a background on Chuck Bolotin.  What you said is spot-on. 

...and Nena, I have one package that contains a single tube of lipstick hung up in customs for now well over a month.  The form letter sent to me asked me to verify that I was not a commercial dealer.   It took an hour or so in MBE to get all the forms signed and E-Cedula copied. It's a total pain for MBE and as well their customers.  In time it will arrive.  It is what it is.  I'm surviving.  Stress?.....nah, kinda humorous and it gives us something to do.  Many of our friends ask us "What do you do there in Panama?"...OK, there's an example.

Yikes!  Any government that would mess with a gal and her cosmetics is doomed!  I would be in a rubber room without my Amazon. When my last printer died, I went on line to surf a replacement, found one at a local WalMart 2 miles away. Checked Amazon, found the same printer, same price, no shipping (with Prime), and same day delivery!  And no standing in line at the checkout!

I won't even go into the problems I would have with no Lowes/Home Depot nearby.  I can't move to Panama until my retirement ToDo list is complete.

jim

Point of interest, OLX published this ad for Plaza San Francisco within a month of the Buena Vista ad.  It is advertising vacant spaces there now.  Clearly it does not have the panoramic views that Buena Vista will have but it does indicate there is more space available than businesses to fill them.

https://boquete.olx.com.pa/plaza-san-francisco-en-alto-boquete-alquila-locales-de-90mt2-iid-920371109

The first thought the locals have with any big construction project is money laundering.  Probably just a myth though.

jim

Chuck Bolotin and his wife, Jet Metier are living in a van while traveling through Central America.  They are not "settled" anywhere so all the hype they publish could best be described as tourism.

Living somewhere for possibly the remainder of one's life is far different than experiencing paradise for a 2 or 3 week trip. Many folks can't see past the first month and by the time the reality sets in, the return to their place of origin is indeed stressful.  Our yearly visits to Panama are a departure from a very comfortable, stress-free life in the U.S. The pace in Panama is slower but being retired in the USA means we can set our own schedule.  Seeing the Panamanians' ability to adjust to power outages, and lack of infrastructure makes us aware of just how good we have it.  Even the cultures between Panama City and Chiriqui are remarkable.  Many older locals in Boquete remember hauling water and kerosene lamps so no power or water is not a big event in their daily lives.  The same outages in Panama City ARE a big discomfort as it would be in any large urban area.

Not having same day delivery from Amazon is our stress point!

jim

I think the structure might be finished in a timely fashion; selling all the commercial space could take a while.

If the layout is done well, the views of Boquete from 3 stores up would be a popular tourist mirador from the food court.

The upper level stores won't be a problem for visitors, it does not look as if it is being built for local consumption.

Occasional tranques at Volcancito Road should prepare tourists for the minefield roads left by the water projects once they venture down the hill.

I wonder if there will be turnstiles at the entrances?

jim

The problem is not plastic bags. Or plastic bottles.

The government is ignoring the obvious problem which is the lack of sanitation services to efficiently collect all the garbage. This promotes a culture that makes it easier to toss garbage anywhere rather than dropping it in an overflowing trashcan that never gets collected.  Everyone has seen the piles of trash that ruin a view of an otherwise beautiful landscape.  The USA and its endless miles of highway systems was once lined with trash but by changing the public's mindset (and imposing heavy fines sometimes), the public largely got the message.

The tourist industry in Panama is a bigger part of the economy than the canal or the Free Trade Zone based on reports of those who track these things.  The government is planning on growing tourism to include "ecotourism and 'sun, sea, and sand'" activities but those won't do well unless the country can eliminate the garbage problem.

jim

OK, I admit it up front, I am a geek. Or a nerd, not sure which. Anyway, I love math.

I looked at the leaderboard and I could not resist putting it in order.  The pure points count didn't seem to tell the whole story so I scanned it into a spreadsheet to get a points per post value for ranking.  Keep in mind, I do this for entertainment (I used to make a living at it too but still fun).

So, here is how I see the most valuable contributors to CL. jim

56 minutes ago, Bonnie said:

If I'm reading this correctly, SINAPROC is just proclaiming the El Pianista trail to be unsafe, nothing more. Is that correct, Keith?

The trail is not unsafe for those locals who live there using it. The trail can be very unsafe for those not familiar with it. If tourists have a guide, it is a great hike and on some days, spectacular views.

2 hours ago, JohnF13 said:

Just not us, huh Keith?  

From my favorite movie.

B. F. Skinner would be thrilled.

I like the Facebook notation better, Like or nothing.

5 hours ago, Panawanna said:

We learned that there is no replacement to actual boots on the ground and your own research.  I agree with Bonnie...what some of the known overseas retirement publications print is just false advertising at best and intentional fraud at worst. Or maybe just substandard reporting.  What we have concluded is that there is no perfect place to live regardless of what you read.  It all depends on what you are willing to deal with. 

It is not just the publications, Panawanna. Everyone with a rental property to let or a used car to sell or a service to provide is dependent on new expats arriving for their revenues. More than a few blogs have reported being taken in by expats far more often than by the locals. Just because someone speaks your language you should still follow the advice, "trust but verify".

Foremost on the list of things to check is the reliability of the services that are taken for granted in the US. Power, water, sanitation, security, transportation can not be assumed to be available outside Panama City. Significant attention to back up plans will be needed to deal with the outages. Boquete has seen rapid growth in the last 20 years and the infrastructure is showing the strain.

jim

13 hours ago, Panawanna said:

Going back to the U.S. for Medicare is brought up several times.  We are getting ready to move to Panama and I am just at the point of signing up for Medicare.  My question to this forum is... do I sign up for Both Part A and B?  Or just Part A?  (Which I believe will be at no cost to me).  What is the  value of paying for Medicare (any parts) if living out of the U.S. as it provides no coverage? Catastrophic coverage seems the way to go for us, but I need more data to determine what to do about Medicare.  Thanks.

Hola Panawanna,

Part A and Part B information is available here:

https://www.medicare.gov/

Unusual for a government website, this one is surprisingly clear with its explanations.  There is even an "I'm outside the U.S." explanation.

jim

I have just enough room next to these two.

https://www.facebook.com/BQTsticker/

On 9/12/2016 at 2:49 PM, Roger B said:

Hello Gordon:

Panamanians criticize ourselves very hard.  It is our way to express that there are some changes we would like to see and we need to do.  We usually make jokes of ourselves and some traits of our culture.  

Regarding criticism panamanians, specially educated people, accept without any problem constructive criticism.  Said in a very good tone and way. Also generalizing is not good at all.   I know that some people become mad when critics come in a comparative way like: "mine is better than yours".  

Social Media.... well those are other things.  Remember that some people behave so mean in social media and do there what they wont be able to do in person or public.  For me good and well intentioned critics should be done with care.  It is like when you have to give some criticism comments to an employee:  attack the issue not the person. Panamanians asking foreign to leave the country.... well, it is very common, specially lately with all the problems with the venezuelans.  I guess people are tired of hearing to much complains from people who are living here, making money here, eating here but talking bad about eveything and everybody in a very constant way in a country that opened its arms to them.

Regarding colombians.  They were the first wave of immigrants in Panama.  They came here since 1985.  When the guerrilla was very hard in their country and the drug cartels from Medellin and Cali created terror in Colombia.  A lot of professionals came to live and work in Panama.  But panamanians never had bad attitudes to colombians.  We share almost 80 years of being part of that country after we got our independence from Spain.  Colombians, in general never complain, or at least do criticize in a very educated way.  In general colombians are people with good manners, hardworking and very smart.  But when the criminals and drug related people from Colombia started to come to Panama then later hitmans or sicarios came to commit murders and crimes never seen in Panama like kidnapping, killing mafia style, torture, etc and teaching our local maleantes those new ways of criminal activities.  Things changed but not in general to all colombians but only to those bad colombians and people started to complain that Panama should ask for visas to all Colombians coming to Panama.  To separate good people from bad people.  

I cant say the same about the venezuelans.  That is another story that has its genesis about 4 years ago with constant attacks to panamanians in the streets, in the business, in the public spaces, etc that burst in a general protest of panamanians against a group of inadapted venezuelan people that came here with bad attitudes that some people cant stand.

We have a large italian community, a large spaniard community and a large US community and there hasnt being any problem with all of them.   I think if we leave the water come to a rest and level this will pass quietly but if the attacks continue.... well things could go of control.

Now our main sport or activity in social media is to criticize the actual government.  Everyday there is a lot of jokes, memes, cartoons, comments and gossips about our president, the first lady and all the members of the cabinet.  

Roger.

Apologies for reviving an old discussion. Searching for something else and it popped up.

Nena and I had our DNA researched by one of those ancestry tracing places. I had always wanted to see Nena's history; my ancestors were traced by my sister years ago so I knew my side was boring. 

The DNA report basically provided a street address in Ireland where apparently all my family was born!

Nena's results are probably very common for many long-time residents of Panama.  As a "melting pot", I think Panama is the place.

jim

Good stuff.

I would add that you hand your tip to your waiter with a gracias.

Leaving a tip on the table as you leave may never get to your waiter.

jim

Great!!!  One more reason not to learn Spanish. 

Maybe part of the broadcast could include some Spanish lessons?

Perhaps the locals will listen and improve their English? 

jim