Larry's Central American Travels

The Mother Of All Panamanian Carnavals

Ain't Seen Carnaval In Las Tablas?  You Ain't Seen Carnaval!

During Panama's Carnaval Season, in addition to the Panama City celebration, there are five full-blown carnavals in other cities.  But, the real mother of them all is the shindig in Los Santos Province's city of Las Tablas.  Each year over a 100,000 people come from all over Panama (in fact, all over this part of the world) attend the four-day blow-out in Las Tablas.  Several travel writers contend that Las Tablas celebration is bigger and more elaborate than it's more famous competition in Rio. And , Madi Gras in New Orleans is more like a large family reunion by comparison.  Yea, no kidding.

 

A little history to put this in perspective. Fifty-one years ago, the Carnaval planning committee in Las Tablas got in a peeing contest about something (no one can remember what), and the results was, reluctantly, one celebration, but with two separate groups organizing their own portion of it.  And, although the first year was contentious, from that point forward the now-friendly competition has spurred amazing results.  Each year the teams fron Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo (which literally translate to up- street and down-street, but in our parlance is more like up-town and down-town) literally work year-round on the next production.  The floats and costumes cost tens of thousands of dollars, and it is estimated that EACH team spends about a quarter of a million dollars.  All the money is raised (year round) by contributions and fund-raising drives.

So what else makes the Las Tablas Carnaval so famous?  Well, for starters they assume that people are going to celebrate all four days, not just one or two days as in Panama city (which in Panama becomes a self-full-filing prophecy). So you have to change the show everyday.  One day is always reserved for Panama (tipico) day, and Sunday is always queen's day (The Panamanian haven´t named this day, so I tagged it as "Crowns, Gowns and Clowns" day).  The theme for this  year's two extra days was Greek mythology and Japanese warriors.( I an not kidding)  This results in each team designing four completely different sets of floats, costumes, decorations, etc.

Due to the two-team concept, the celebration day length is loooong!  The day's first celebration,  kicks off at sunrise, and the last of the day at the stroke of midnight.  And, during the afternoon hours, all the parades include fire department water trucks which cool the crowds down in the central park.  Hint:  If you don't want to get wet, watch the parade from someplace other than the park.  As you might suspect, as the afternoon wears on, the crowds in the park grow.  (Suspect the 'beer factor')

And you can't overlook each queen's 'tunas'.  The tunas are a group of people who spend all year composing songs and practicing them in secrecy. They then perform their music from a float just behind the queens float.  Their songs (or limericks) exhalt the virtues of their queen, and highlight the faults of the other´s queen.  The whole idea is to determine can create the best good natured insults without being mean spirited.

Don't overlook the fact that this 'queen thing' is a BIG deal.   The queens are crowned on Fridays in a   Las Vegas show-style ceremonies with spectacular music and dance productions. Calle Arriba's first queen, 51 years ago, is the reigning queen's grandmother (her mother is a past-queen as well).  The queen is groomed to be queen for about five years.  [Not sure what you do to groom someone to smile and wave from a float]. Not to be out-done, the Calle Abajo queen comes from a long line of former queens - both grandmothers, her mother, three aunts and three older sisters.  And, twice during the four days, there is a former queen's float.

Wednesday mornings the queens face-off for the first time.  This is done by each side throwing boxes upon boxes of firecrackers on separate bonfires.  And, yes, that is a competition as well.

After the Monday conclusion of the carnaval, in recent years, the drive time back to Panama city is doubled on both  Tuesday and Wednesdays.  So many savvy travelers are now waiting until Thursday.

Phew!  This carnaval thing could kill you.

Till Next Time.  Pura Vida

The Beat Goes On In Panama

A Coffee Shop In Boquete.

Do you think that U.S. coffee-house chain that is headquartered in Seattle would appreciate this coffee house in Boquete?  (Click on thumbnail) To top it off, the interior of this place is a clone of a Starbuck's store as well.  The only difference is the price.  A grande of the house blend is $1.10.

Boquete is also famous for coffee production.  This cool mountain region of Panama's specialty is the production of 'designer coffee.'  One of the coffees recently won a big contest in Paris (where that brand sells for over $100 a pound).  And a Japanese conglomerate recently sent an entire team of experts to Boquete to research and sample the coffees first-hand, and to arrange for Panama's participation in a Specialty Coffee Event in Tokyo in October  The delegation also purchased 340 kilos (750 lbs.) of coffee while they were here, at an average wholesale price of $60 a pound.

My Latest Video

I had told you earlier that  I was going to cut off my 'Women of Panama' video series before I got cross-ways with some jealous husband/boy friend/whatever.  Well, it turns out it isn't that easy - I created a monster.  I kept getting unsolicited pictures, some hand delivered, some by email, and some from people I don't even know. I even got two batches of photos (one from a lady in Panama City, another from a guy in Peru) that I could not use and still keep my PG rating. 

And, now I'm taking heat because I haven't used the pictures I've been given!  People feeling like they have been slighted.  Oh well, all monsters are not all bad.  So here is the latest.  Just click on the 'go' arrow.

Is Anything Stranger Than Real Life?

1.)  Dr Samuel Eckers, the curator at a New Zealand zoological park recently made a couple of surprising announcements.  Last month Eckers announced that recent advancements in DNA procedures allowed the park scientists to determine that Henry, a 2-foot-long horned lizard that has resided at the park for over 50 years, is actually 110 years old.  (He did not say what that equated to in 'lizard years')

Dr. Eckers also revealed that recently Henry had begun showing interest in one of the resident female horned lizards - behavior he had never evidenced before. This interest ultimately resulted in Henry mating with her (Yes, they got it on tape.).  And, AND, this week Henry became a father. (Please, no horny-old-toad jokes!).   Eckers added that Henry was now also begining to show some interest in other females in the compound!  (Wonder if he is going to make a run at the long-legged hussy over there sun bathing on that rock, or the big-eyed cutie over at the fence munching on the tree bark?)

It also made we wonder whether Henry's 'new life' was an unexpected side effect of the DNA test that pushed some buried libido button.  Or is it just the initial stages of a mid-life crises for Henry?

2.)  Speaking of mid-life crises, CIA operatives in the boondocks of Afghanistan have found the perfect solution to a long-standing problem.  The CIA relies heavily on local tribal leaders for important intelligence information, but they have to be extremely careful how they compensate their informers.  Any kind of obvious re-numeration would put the informants in grave danger from other tribal leaders.  (One of those 'everybody does it, but nobody admits it' things).

The perfect solution?  Well, think about it.  A bunch of tribal chieftains, most of whom are in their 60s (or older), and all with the maximum number of wives (4) allowed by their version of Islam?  Bingo, you got it.  The 'blue bomber' pill!  Viagra.  So, now they don't have to hide anything from their rival tribal leaders, they just have to remember to wipe that goofy grin off their face.

3.)  And, not to be out-done by an old lizard, a zoo outside of Battle Creek, Michigan has started a new program that has become very popular.  For $50 patrons can make reservations to watch zoo animals mate.  There is presently a two-month waiting list.  The zoo named the program "Zoorotica."  (You can't make this stuff up!)

On Second Thought, Is Anything Stranger Than Politics?

The government of Panama, as part of a larger anti-corruption program, has been on a 'transparency' campaign for the last couple of years.  This in no small part because of U.S. pressure tied into the on-going Free Trade Agreement negotiations.  Over two years ago, the first major transparency initiative was passed  by the legislation - a requirement for all government agencies to have a website that listed, among other items, key administrators' names and salaries, the agency's major suppliers and the details of all contracts.  Frustrated that, to date, six of the major federal government agencies have failed to comply (including the Department of Justice, Department of Trade and the Budget Agency), the legislature directed the formation of a Transparency Fact Finding Commission to investigate.  The commission's director, Manuel Sanchez (a retired federal judge), delivered his first report this week stating that  reported "computer programming problems were nothing more than flimsy excuses for lack of action." However, when questioned further the director of The Transparency In Government Panel refused to identify the other members of the commission, or where and when the commission would meet, citing "concerns about unwanted political pressure."  See if you can repeat that last sentence with a straight face.  Transparency Panamanian Style!

Till Next Time.  Pura Vida.

The Beat Goes On In Panama

Say What?

In Panama the end of the Christmas holiday season marks the beginning of summer.  Well, to be precise, they don't call it summer, rather it is called the temporada seca (the dry season).  But, January thru March is the period when schools are closed, people schedules their vacations from work, tourism booms, and many of the fairs and festivals we normally associate with summer are scheduled.  Businesses shuttered during the lluvioso seca (rainy season) in small beach communities are re-opened and business booms

The summer season also starts the live entertainment schedule in David's town center park.  This year the opening act - performing daily at 1:00, 4:00 and 7:00PM for the next two weeks - is the group, Yawar Mayu, from one of the mountains tribes of Ecuador.  Well, yes, those costumes do resemble American Indian garb.  And, that is because they are. What?  Well, when I asked why the U.S. Indian costumes, they told me it was because they were más bonito (prettier) than their tribe's native clothes.  Oh!  If that logic escapes you, try this.  When I took this picture the group was playing the old Ecuadorian tribal classic, "Hey Jude", by the Beatles.  Say what?

Those crazy, lazy hazy days of summer.

My Latest Video

I have posted a video about the Boquete Flower Festival held last month.  When you view the video I think you will see why I have subtitled it "Boquete, one of the most beautiful places in the world." And, am I the only person in the world that was unaware that Boys II Men had recorded music in Spanish?

Just lick on the video to play

And, Speaking of Cultural Identity Crises?

I took this picture going through the small town of Concepcion, about half way between David and the Costa Rican border off the Pan Am highway.  I thought it was just too classic to pass up.  What do you suppose Juan Ching puts on the form in the block where it ask for 'race'?  Probably owns his own company out of necessity.

The  English-speaking tourist-oriented newspaper,  "The Panama Post" has a special feature weekly where they highlight a Panamanian personality of note. The 2-page spread has covered artists, civic leaders, business movers-and-shakers and entertainers among others.  The article includes a box where they ask the person about personal preferences - personal strengths, pet peeves, sports favorites, etc.  I find it interesting that for the last five months (20 interviews), when asked to identify their favorite cuisines, all but one person has selected Italian food as their favorite.  The one odd-man-out selected Chinese.

Of course our friend, the friendly street vendor we call Tito - who is also the local area expert on all subjects from immigration problems to camera repair - may top them all.  He is Colombian, his wife Venezuelan.  One of his kids was born in Costa Rica, one in Panama and one in the U.S. (where he worked for six years).  And, his entire immediate family left Columbia during the height of the drug wars and relocated in Bolivia.

Til Next Time.  Pura Vida

    

From David, Panama

Reflecting On 'President's Past'

Out-going President Bush headed back to Texas without outlining any definitive future plans.  And, the Bush-bashers, of which there are many, are trying to write his eulogy, based largely on polls citing Bush's low approval ratings.  Well, let's think about this.  I think most of American's hold an image of past President's 'life after the Presidency' that has been shaped by recent past-presidents Carter and Clinton (Regan not having had much of a chance to pursue additional interests after leaving office).

However, people forget that President Carter left office accompanied by a 'national sigh of relief' after multi-years of soaring federal deficits and roaring double-digit inflation.  And, Carter's approval rating since leaving office has climbed from 34% to 64%, according to experts,  primarily due to his later year's humanitarian efforts rather than historical reflections on his presidency.

Clinton's departure from office, under a cloud of scandal, caused people to throw out dire predictions about his future that included everything from his Democratic Party affiliation to his marriage.  His modern day status as mega-fundraiser and self-appointed Ambassador-Without-Portfolio (and Secretary of State wife) makes it appear the future predictors were wrong again.

President Truman left office with low approval numbers, often the butt of jokes from opponents.  Truman now ranks among our top Presidents in current-day polling. Interestingly, Truman, who had only modest savings and a $112 a month Army pension to fall back on, had to take out a bank loan in his last weeks in office.  Truman could hardly afford the postage to answer all the letters he received. (It wasn't until 1958 that Congress approved a presidential pension and allowance to cover overhead.)

George Washington returned to Mount Vernon to find it in terrible shape.  He had to sell off land to make repairs, noting that eight years of absence had "despoiled my buildings but also deranged my private affairs."  He spent his remaining years concentrating on his personal endeavors. (We tend to forget that, in his days, Mount Vernon was not a 20-minute shot down I-95 from D.C.  And with no communications from Mount Vernon ...?)

Thomas Jefferson declared as he left office, "Never did a prisoner, released from his chains, feel such relief as I shall on shaking off the shackles of power."  He retreated to Monticello to read Plato in Greek instead of newspapers, and plant his University of Virginia.  He later wrote John Adams, "..and I find myself much happier."

The Bush-bashers often compare Bush to Herbert Hoover.  They both departed office with similar approval ratings, however, unlike Hoover, Bush did not have crowds calling for him to be hanged (at least not literally).  Hoover lived for 31 years after leaving office, and became one of the greatest champions of children this country has ever known.  He drove the growth of Boys Club of America, the creation of UNICEF, and led a campaign to get food to millions facing catastrophic famine after WW II.  By the time of his death, he regularly showed up on Gallup's list of most admired men. When asked how he did it, he reportedly replied, "I outlived the bastards."

So, to all the Bush-bashers, before you write off  'W', you might want to consider the absence of terrorist attacks in the U.S. post-9/11, or the amazing humanitarian efforts in Africa during his term.  Then, a few years from now when history sorts things out a little, your railings may not seem to have been so off target. That assumes, of course, that anyone except your fellow bashers are listening.

Flip-Flop Crises

I almost lost my favorite pair of flip-flops.  This would have been catastrophic! I haven't worn a pair of shoes since last June when I was in the States. These babies are broken in after several years of wear, comfortable, and irreplaceable like your old flannel shirt or old bath robe. The only reason I even have a second pair is that the soles of the 'old faithfuls' are worn so slick that they are dangerous on the rain-slickened tiled sidewalks down here in David.

But, I did discover that, with daily wear, they get 'skunky'.  Phew!  So, periodically I take them in the shower with me and scrub them down complete with a scrub brush.  Then I put them on the window ledge, and the tropical sun dries them in just a couple of hours. Back in business!

Week, last week, a wind storm went through here while they were drying.  I didn't even think about it until, as I was shutting things up to go to bed, I went to get them off the ledge and they were gone.  Oh man, the wind!  So, I ran downstairs and searched the sidewalk, gutter, under parked cars, and - no flip-flops. Dang!

Next morning from my balcony perch, armed with my cup of coffee, I was doing my survey of downtown and the park waking up, when - WOW - they they were right on top of the vendors shack about 30 feet off to the side of the window ledge. 

So, I went down to retrieve them, and luckily I am tall enough to reach them without a problem. When I put my best Spanglish explanation on him, the little old guy that operates the stand really got a kick out of the story.  I left telling him I was taking them back upstairs.  He suggested something I didn't understand.  I had to come upstairs and run the word through my computer's translator.  The guy was suggesting ¨el museo.¨  It means ´The museum´. Smart-ass!

Till Next Time.  Pura Vida.

Click on thumbnail to view

Bad day at the office?

Panama Buses Again (Or Still)

The Bus Drama Heats Up!

If you ever think that things can not possibly get more screwed up, think again.  You obviously do not understand bureaucracy in Panama.  The bus fiasco got even more bizarre (see the posting Jan 30 for the sordid history).

The good news?  The problems with the bid specifications were resolved (I assume?), and the competing bus manufacturers submitted their bids to the Minister of Transportation (ATTT) on Feb 2.  ATTT officials expressed excitement over the low figure submitted by the apparent winning proposal submitted by the Higer Bus Company Limited, a Chinese conglomerate.  Officials were, however, dismayed that only four of the 17 bus companies submitted bids - companies that had been participating for months in the procurement process.  And, one of them removed its bid after it was submitted, citing concerns about the delivery schedule.

Later the same day, the General Controller's office reported that none of the companies' insurance providers possessed the financial capacity to undersign 10% of the bid amount, as stipulated by the contract.  All three of the remaining bidders suggested that the insurers' records were outdated and the issue should be left to the Insurance Superintendency (yet another bureaucracy) to decide.

In addition, when ATTY officials reviewed the Higer submission they found that the bid failed on seven major points, chief among them the absence of the manufacturer's security certificate. [For clarification, in Panama the term 'security certificate' is an all encompassing concept that applies to even simple (routine) legal documents that originate outside of Panama.  For example, a document required by an individual for immigration procedures or a real estate transaction (birth certificate, police and credit reports, personal references, etc.) has to be notarized in the country of origin.  Then the documents are 'certified' in a multi-step process by professionals licensed to certify, this includes translation into Spanish and re-notarizing.]  Yes, the security certification process is time-consuming and incurs legal costs, but is so routine here that it is absolutely baffling that they would submit a bid absent the security certificate.  But then, Higer also failed to provide three references of similar transportation projects "that they have successfully realized in other countries."

And how about this for 'oops'?  The legal counsel for Ameristar International, a Panamanian company that was not involved in the bus procurement process, provided the following statement to ATTT officials. "Higer lied when it stated, under oath, that it has facilities in Panama to provide maintenance to the 420 buses.  They sell buses in Panama through us and we know their operational structure.  They should be investigated by the Public Ministry."  (How would you like to have Ameristar as a partner? Ouch!)

Higer's legal representative would not deny the accusations and would only confirm that that they have experience in Latin America.

More to come?  Well, in Panama "It ain't over 'till the fat lady sings" may not apply.  The fat lady may not know the song.  Or, be 'on the take.'  Or, a guy dressed in drag.  Or, ...  Or, ...

Till Next Time.  Pura Vida

It's Carnival Time In Panama

February Starts the Season of Carnival

And, yes it is a season, and it is kicked off by the biggie in Panama City starting on Feb 9th.  The federal government's's budget includes funds to help underwrite the costs of the celebrations, and promoters of the Panama City celebration insist that Carnival 2009 will be the biggest ever.  This year marks another first for the Panama City celebration.  In addition to the annual Carnival Queen contest, this year there was also a Gay Carnival Queen competition.  Always room for one more, I guess.

The remaining nine Carnival celebrations are in cities all over the country, intentionally spaced out until May 15th to allow for attendees from all over the country.  In fact, people come from all over Central America, Europe and the U.S. as well. 

A Primer On The Pollera

The beautiful pollera (poe yair ah) is the traditional dress for Panamanian women worn at all types of celebrations and other functions requiring formal dress. Virtually all Panamanian women have at least one pollera costume, and if at no other time during the year, they all break them out for Carnival. Even little girls 3-4 years old have polleras.  The men's costume, comparatively plain and far less ornate than the pollera, is call a montuno. Interestingly, the men's montuno, when worn as a full formal costume, rather than as a dance outfit for instance, includes either a horsewhip (tajona), or a machete (colin), and a large fiber shoulder bag.

The Spanish conquistadors brought this flowing pollera costume to Panama and the basic design has not changed much in 500 years. However, as with any fashion item, there are many variations among polleras due to differences in budgets, personal taste, and tailors' capability (or specialty).  The decorative work varies widely as well.  There use embroidery, lace, patterns sewn on the fabric, ribbon bands sewn into the fabric, and many more variations.  The really ornate polleras (read expensive) include features such as thread in the buttonholes that match the color of the handmade cloth slippers which are also adorned with jeweled buckles.

The pollera also evolved with slight differences based on the region of the country.  The pollera caught on first in the capital city and then spread to other parts of the country, but styles developed in isolation because travel and communication across regions was limited in colonial times.  In those days, as you would expect, there were also different materials available in the different parts of the country.

The crown-type headgear (called a sombrero pintao - literally 'painted hat') has flower and lace decorations that come down the side of the face.  The traditional look also calls for the hair to be parted in the middle and the hair braided into long pigtails that are adorned with combs and colorful decorations.  In modern times some women chose to stick with short hair.  Others purchase sombrero pintaos that incorporate a long-braid wig in the design.  (As an item of interest, the lady shown here is Janel Lopez, a member of the police swat team stationed here in David.  Janel's  'day job costume' includes a flax jacket accessorized with an M-16.)

The costume is rounded-out (pun intended) by two petticoats, of different lengths - one luxurious with an embroidered overlay and the other simpler and worn longer.  Traditional accessories include, but are not limited to long earrings, necklaces, seven chains (at least one in gold), and ornamental buttons and buckles.  However, a black band holding a crucifix around the neck is considered an essential.

The complete pollera outfit costs a woman from $400 to $600, plus about $600 for the petticoats. And, as you might expect accessories are seldom cheap, and women collect accessories over the years.  It is estimated that most women in their 40s, having collected accessories since they were teenagers, have $3,000-5,000 in accessories.  And, up-scale jewelery stores in Panama have pollera accessory packages for sale that range from $1,000 to $15,000.  And, I understand, that accessory collections are readily available in the pawn shops that seem to be on every corner throughout the country.

The men's montuno outfit costs $100 or less.

 

 

 

 

 

Till Next Time.  Pura Vida

A Fiasco In Panama

There Is A Problem With 'The Plan'!

In Panama the problem with 'The Plan' is that there usually is not one - ningún plan! Some of the gyrations the Panamanian government goes through are totally incomprehensible to the American mind. A seemingly simple matter of devising a plan is a concept that seems to totally escapes them here.  As a result, some of the government's action (or lack of same) borders, from our observation, on the bizarre.  The history of the bus situation in Panama City reads like a comedy routine, and it would be hilarious if it weren't tragically true.

I have reported on the bus problem in previous postings, but in a nutshell the problem boils down to: 1) Unlike the rest of the country, there is no municipal bus system in Panama City,  2) Bus service in the city is provided by independent drivers operating  refurbished school buses made distinctive in appearance by psychedelic red paint-jobs, thus the name diablos rojos [red devils],  3) the enforcement of bus safety inspections and driver licensing requirements is, like most everything else of a bureaucratic nature in Panama, best described as 'spotty',  4)  Buses do not have prescribed routes or schedules - the independent drivers tend to concentrate on heavily traveled routes, leaving many parts of the city with little, or no, coverage,  5) Competition among drivers on the heavily traveled routes is intense, often resulting in 'drag races' to the next bus stop,  6) The combination of lax equipment safety standards, unlicensed drivers and operators' driving habits have tragic results - 145 passengers have died in CITY bus accidents in the last three years, and last year alone, 70 pedestrians where killed by buses in the city.

One of the major planks in President Torrijos' presidential campaign in 2005 was to implement a municipal bus system in the city.  So in Nov 2008, literally on his way out the door (the elections to select a new president are in April),  Torrijos directed a new bus system by presidential decree (sort of 'do this, you figure it out' guidance).  Below is a short synopsis of what has transpired to date.

- In mid-December when the Minister of Transportation released the new bus specs for companies to bid on, bus manufacturers from Argentina, Europe and the U.S. all cried 'foul'.  They all contended that 1) the metal in the bodies of the buses and the paint to be used would not stand up to the salt air environment in Panama,  2) the air conditioning requirements were not adequate for tropical weather, 3) the gas mileage requirements were too low,  4) the passenger capacity was significantly too low for city buses, and, 5) the delivery schedule for the 420 buses was twice as long as it should be.   In short, the specs where obviously written to favor Chinese manufacturers' cheaper priced buses.  Transportation officials responded that the process was "too far along to modify the specs."

- The following week, the municipal bus agency in the town of Dolega revealed that in Jan of 2008 they had purchased a Chinese bus to test.  After only three months the bus had been parked (permanently) for all the reasons listed above, and a few more.  At that point the Panamanian Justice Department put a hold on the procurement process pending "resolution of the spec controversy."

- In January, the Minister of Finance publish guidelines to compensate the diablos rojos owners.  Owners who delivered their buses to the department for salvage would be paid $25,000.  The only condition was that the buses had to pass inspection.  Three buses were turned in the next day and the drivers compensated. 

-  The government's Controller's office put the buy-back program on hold until a 'turn-in' plan was developed "to avoid chaos."  In the following 10 days all the following actions made the newspapers.  Citizen groups filed suit demanding the rationale on how the $25,000 figure was derived. The bus owner's union objected to buses having to pass an inspection just to be salvaged.  An independent consumer's watch group released a study that showed that since the president's decree over 50% of the licensed buses were no longer operational, having lapsed into dis-repair.  The Tourism Bureau requested that the buy-back program be coordinated with the delivery schedule of new buses. The Inspector General's office noted that there is no government agency with the responsibility or the expertise to manage a bus system, develop a master transportation plan, or even devise a comprehensive bus schedule.

-  A big stink is raised when news reporters revealed that the three buses turned in previously did not pass the required safely inspection. The Minister of Finance clarified the term 'inspection', explaining that the requirement was only that the buses had to be running, thereby saving the government the cost of towing the buses to the salvage yard. Huh?

- On Jan 15th, the Transportation Department, in spite of their earlier contention that it was "too late to change the specs," released new specs for the buses which accommodate the previously identified shortfalls.  The next day, the Chinese consulate filed a complaint with the government contending that the new specs, and the actions that led up to them, violate  the free-trade agreement between Panama and China that was just recently finalized.

- On Jan 23rd, a citizens group representing handicapped people filed a petition for an annulment of the bidding process based on a 2002 law requiring that all public buses be disabled-access equipped by 2008 (Yes, 2008!).  The bid specs require only 10% of the buses be so equipped. On Jan 25th, the court ruled that the 10% did not meet the requirements of the 2002 law. Later in the day,  transportation officials petitioned the court saying that 'their plan' was to modify the rest of the fleet in the field after delivery.

-  The following day the court asked to review the plan, wanting assurances about cost, schedules and sources of expertise for the modifications. The court also asked transportation officials what they intended to do in the interim about being in non-compliance with the 2008 deadline of the legislation.

As of Jan 30th, the only response from transportation officials has been what was described by one of the political pundit writers in the newspaper La Prenza as ¨El Sonido de Silencio¨ (The Sound of Silence). 

They want a what? What?  A Plan?  Man, you can't make this stuff up!  Don't hold your breath!

Till Next Time.  Pura Vida.

 

Shoe Repair!