Roger B

Usually this kind or Police action is done because the authorities has previous information and keep the persons in surveillance until it is time to catch them. Usually looking for the big shots behind the business.

JudyS Panama is a little country in terms of territory and population. We are not more than 4 millions people. In Panama, according to government statistics there are around 70K of venezuelans living in Panama and only 25K are legal. I think that Panama has cooperated very well to accept them as refugees even that some of them did not qualify for this status. There is not enough room for so many people. Panama has not room for more than 1 millions of venezuelans that want to fly away from their country. Not all of them are professionals of trades needed in Panama. Most of them are normal people with the same skills of people of the country.

Bonnie Nobody and specially government officers wont shoot on their foot. I know and am aware that politics are morons but I am so sure they wont be that stupid.

No need to fear. As you can see these extreme measures only addresses nationals from one specific country because of the uncontrolled immigration Panama has now.

Judy You are right. There is not tourism in Venezuela. There is not business relations with Venezuela. They cant pay you in US dollars and/or Euros. Venezuela is extremelly insecure and dangerous. So people in Panama didnt care about any kind of reciprocation

Penny In some ocassions this delay in getting a quick and fast trial is caused by the Judicial Authorities but on other ocassions they are caused by some "strategy" used by the lawyers of the person that tries to looks for some legal resources to help his customers to get rid of a severe condemn. It works sometimes but on the other hand it creates more delays and did not help the person at all.

Thanks Bonnie Looks like Airbox Express took the lead for presenting a claim to the authorities. Facts: 1. Cosmetics products and medicines can be imported in Panama but those products should follow the requisites and must be sent for a Sanitary Registry Code in order to be marketed and sold in the country. 2. According to what the official of the Direccion de Farmacias y Drogas told the TV Journalist any person could import those products but they are limited to one product per individual and not more than 3 in a month. Also invoices should be presented and a document must be signed by the person stating that they will be using those products under they own risk. I called Airbox Express today asking for more clarifications about this and also about medicines. I ask for a formal note from them telling me about this "new measure". They promised to send me this email in the afternoon. Roger

Well. Me with 57 yo and almost hundreds people in Panama that I know such as family, relatives and friends have been taking all the vaccines required and given in Panama and I am here. Alive and kicking. Still productive, without any strange disease, only the normal caused by the wear and tear of the age.

Marie Elaine you could get them at any Centro de Salud.

I was the week of July 18 to July 23 in David, Chiriqui for business purposes and visiting some projects in the province with a very tight schedule. I have to admit that from all the drivers in Panama the driver from David and Chiriqui in general are..... wow the worst. I warned my wife to drive defensively all time. It was amazing to see that they seems to be always in a hurry. I can accept that from any driver in Panama City because of the extremely heavy traffic but from a driver in David it is unacceptable. Looks like the main problem is speeding. Most of the worst accident ocurred because the driver was at very high speed and couldnt control his vehicle causing a terrible accident. The second cause of accidents seems to be distraction while driving. Technology is making idiot drivers. People cant leave their smartphones and wanted to be texting and chatting while driving making them to distract and cause accidents.

Interesting. This article probes.... that I need to know more about my own country. There are some places that I didnt know they existed.

I know the father of Monica. I have talked him a couple of times since that terrible day. We have talked about business and other stuff but never about this tragic accident. I couldn't do it. I knew he is not the same man since that day. He is carrying a heavy burden in his heart. She was his baby and it hurts too much when something like this happened to your son or daughter. A father should never bury a son/daugther.

Bonnie Maybe because this type of design is not being used for small housing projects and/or small institutional buildings. In Panama City is being used mostly for big buildings, industrial, commercial and institutional building projects.

Bonnie There is a trend in the architectural world to design buildings that complies with some requirements of environmental issues. For example the design must be one that could save electricity by having better ilumination elements in its design that allows sun light to illuminate in daytime and some special lamps located in some places that will give better illumination at night. Other things are regarding the use of fixtures at toilets, bathrooms, etc that will save sustantially water any time you flush it. Also the type of material used should be one that could be recycled or is recycled and wont contaminate. Those norms and points are actually under what is called in the US LEED. Insert other media

Keith That is correct.

Keith It depends on the felony. I could be arrested because I did have a trouble - fight with a neighbor. Also arrested because I insulted a policeman or any other minor felony . Even that I wont go to La Joya or La Joyita this case was attended by a Municipal Judge and probably fined it will reflect in my police records.

I do agree with Uncle Dog. Something smells fishy.... There is no way that people at immigration in the airport have that kind of information or police record. Unless.... yes there is always a chance that the US authorities had release the immigrations officers that information. Remember that a week ago an US Citizen was arrested and deported to the US because he was being wanted by US authorities with case of pedophilia. You should understand that Panama will never be out of the US influence. Panama always do what is being required by the US Government.

It is a very funny but real description of bureaucracy. ...and I thought that Panama was the only country with this problem of excessive bureaucracy.

Hi Folks! When I have to do any kind of business at any government office/agency I go knowing that I will spend the whole day, if I am lucky, at this office/agency. Some years ago when I was still young and impatient I usually loose my temper and argued, complained and I was the whole day with a bad mood. I criticized from head to toe all the incredible bureaucracy and tramitology of those offices/agencies of the government. Did it helped me to solve the problem? To do everything faster? NO! So my temper was very affected. Now that I am getting "gray and older" I decided that no one will kill me of a stroke or heart attack. I go with a mental state knowing that I have to patient. Almost like a Saint. That if I get mad at some officer/employee I could be punished by leaving my business in the last position. I go knowing that I will loose a lot of precious working and productive hours of my time there. So I go prepared with a book or something to distract myself while waiting, a good attitude, a big smile and listening other people complaining and criticizing. If get all my business done in a "decent time" I will feel happy and lucky. If it took more time of the expected... well resignation and when I have everything done.... I will complain, yell and criticize to death the system, people, bureaucracy and everybody including the people who sells chichas and empanadas. Some managers and administrators put attention to the procedures and not on the final goal. So in order to have control measures they create a lot of paperwork that sometimes are redudant, ridicule and not worthy the paper it is filled with. President Martinelli had a goal to make a paperless government or digital procedure and started to do something in that direction but president Varela with its slogan of doing a transparent government and to eliminate corruption stopped the project and in some places the paper work has increase. In the construction industry we have about 28 agencies/paperwork to do before starting the real construction of such project. It is something that our people at the construction chamber is crying aloud to the government agencies involved to solve. But... it is the way it is.... we dont like it very much.... but we will keep on the fight to make things more quick and swift to do in Panama instead of that huge bureacracy and paperworks we are immersed today.

It is a shame but that is the feeling of the people when they get tired of being abused by maleantes. I may sound bad but I dont fell sorry for those maleantes. Sometimes it is the same feeling I have when I heard they do bad things to innocent people. Let me tell you that if I were close to those punks that did the savage attack to Marion Clamp.... I would be in jail in this moment.

If the panamanian authorities dont take care of this situation people will do. Here is one recent video where construction workers caught a man who was robbering close to their jobsite and took the law in their hands. People is getting tired of being in the hands of criminals and the response will be violent. WhatsApp Video 2017-05-09 at 12.47.37 PM.mp4

JudyS Those are good questions. That is the problem with our intelligent Diputados (senators). They got inspired a night by the "new ideas" fairy and in order to justify they are working go next day to office with a law that has not beginning and end. I work for a company that produce special products to make bags. It is biodegradable and compostable. But this technology is still expensive and have some limitations. Those changes proposed will create some initial problems for its implementation in Panama and of course increase in general prices. It will be good for groceries stores where you can bring your reusable bags. There is not any problem but there are other uses that must be thought deeply.

Stupid parents. How they are going to do this illegal action with their kids as a screen.

It is interesting to know that May 1st is the International Labor Day. It is celebrated in most countries around the world but not in the US. Also it is interesting to know that this date has its origin in the US. It was an strike that labor unions did in Chicago in 1886, in order to improve working conditions and reduce the working hours from 12 to 8. Police and strike breakers started to shoot the workers on strike killing a couple of persons and some leaders were arrested and condemned to be executed by hanging.

Twinwolf The tip is a gratuity you give to any person who you consider deserves it because of the good service you received from that person. Period. I know that in some places the OWNER states the tipping practices and instating the tipping pool. Some business owners include in the tipping pool all the persons working including the kitchen personnel. In your personal case if that happened then it means that anyone of your employee was acting a leader and decided with a good majority to do that. I am so sure that there were a lot of them who were not satisfied with this measure but.... they didnt want to have trouble with their peers so they accepted it reluctantly. People here thinks that their extra effort is theirs but they cant do anything if there is "peer pressure" to accept this.