Panama's Newest National Hero
Last Friday evening (Oct. 10), Panama, along with the rest of Latin America, went on 'pause' for two hours. The streets were deserted as people were indoors, glued to TV sets to view the finals of Latin America Idol being broadcast live from Argentina. Shortly after 10PM, the nation erupted. As reported by Panama's big daily newspaper, La Prensa:
"Panamanians danced and partied in the streets until dawn yesterday, savoring the victory of homegrown Latin American Idol winner Margarita Henriquez. ... Carnival-style revelry spontaneously erupted in downtown Panama City when the results were announced. .... Traffic quickly came to a standstill, and remained that way for hours in many areas of the city.
In the interior of the country, the celebrations were even grander and more ebullient. ..... In Margarita's hometown of La Villa, a brightly-colored float circulated in the main streets until dawn, followed by a hugh caravan headed by decorated fire trucks, with sirens wailing, from the regional Cuerpo de Bomberos.
On Monday when Margarita returns to Panama she will be received in a fashion similar to Olympic gold medallist Irving Saladino's homecoming from Beijing. President Martin Torrijos has made the presidential plane available for the Henriquez family's return to Panama. The national celebrations will begin with the motorcade from the airport, turned parade through downtown Panama City. Similar celebrations are being planned in cities all over the country as part of Margarita's nationwide Victory Tour."
Taxi Rate Increase in David
The Taxi Authority in David approved a rate increase this week but only for a specific destination. The new Chirique Mall, which is co-located with the PriceSmart (a Costco super store) is now opened. Since that shopping complex is located about a mile up the Inter-American highway from what is considered the northern edge of town, the authority approved a rate of $1.50 for that location. That $1.50 applies from any place in town. I don't go to the PriceSmart that often, but last week when I made the voyage I clocked it. It was 11 1/2 miles from the town center. $1.50! That is of course if you chose not to take the complimentary mall shuttle bus that circles all over town every 30 minutes. All other taxi trips in town remain at $1.
Tuesday there was an article in the Miami Herald outlining the recent taxi rates increases in Boston. The first mile now cost $5, and each additional mile is $2.80. Taxi drivers complain that the increase was not enough. At those rates, my taxi ride to PriceSmart would cost $35 one way. Ouch. I didn't show that article to any of the cab drivers here.
The Buses in Panama City Again (No, Still!)
Figures were just released that show 113 people have been killed in bus related accidents in less than three years. Note that these are only city bus fatalities. There are, therefore, new outcries to replace the city's 'diablos rojos' (red devils) fleet, the privately operated recycled school buses known equally for their colorful appearance, shoddy maintenance, and 'cowboy' drivers. Two years ago in October, 18 people
died in a bus fire because all the emergency exits were bolted shut due to the driver's concerns about security. This last week 12 people were hospitalized when an engine fire filled a bus with smoke. The driver/owner had welded the rear exit shut after two people exited through that door the previous week without paying the fare.
The national transportation authority says it does keep detailed records about bus accidents, but acknowledges that many accidents 'probably go unreported'. (Huh?) The authority says it is also not within their authority to track criminal cases involving bus accidents. Down the hall from the transportation authority, the Transit Authority's records show that 50 drivers have had their licenses revoked in recent months because of accidents, but officials expressed doubts that their is any enforcement. They also acknowledged that there is no documentation to prove any enforcement efforts. Does anyone but me hear the theme music to 'Twilight Zone' playing in the background?
Tracking Education
A United Nations Education Council report shows that nearly 100% of Panamanians complete a primary education and that the number of people who can not read and write is lower than had been previously estimated. An overall illiteracy rate less than 4% places Panama on equal footing with Costa Rica, Chile and Uruguay (You are supposed to say, "Oh, that is good!). Panamanian officials say that most of the illiteracy is in the indigenous population (Uh, does that make it good?). U.N. officials cautioned however, that in standardized testing of third and sixth graders throughout Latin America, Panamanian students scored poorly in both math and language skills. (I guess Spanish as a 1st language is a bitch, huh?).
Politics Is A Wonderful Thing
On his way out the door as leader of the Asamblea National, Pedro Gonzales ordered his successors 'company car.' The day that the new leader Raul Rodriguez was sworn in, his new car was delivered - a $94,000 Toyota Land Cruiser L2000, the most expensive SUV available on the Panamanian market.
Gonzalez explained that "all leaders of the Asamblea generally drive" that specific make and model of automobile. However, a review of Asamblea records by the daily newspaper, Le Prensa, revealed that the closest vehicle to that model was a former leader's Toyota Prado that fully equipped would have cost less than $46,000.
Yes, this is the same Senor Pedro Gonzalez for which there is an outstanding murder arrest warrant open in the U.S. for the murder of an American serviceman in Panama a few years ago.
Everything Is Not Coming Up Roses In Panama
1. An outbreak of western flower thrips, a common agricultural pest in much of Latin America led to the Panamanian government banning ornamental flowers from Columbia and Ecuador. Panama produces only about 20% of the flowers necessary to meet the local demand. The entire florist industry is in a serious quandary if for no other reason, according to industry spokesmen, because "larger floral requirements are designed and ordered well in advance and paid for when ordered."
2. An Inter-American Development Bank study warned that more than 26 million people in Central America and the Caribbean could fall into extreme poverty if sustained high prices for food continue. Of particular concern are the prices of wheat, maize and rice, staples of the diet in the region. In Panama alone, rising prices will increase the number of people living below the poverty line from 38% to more than 41%. This will also put pressure on a major Panamanian government initiative to reduce the number of people living in extreme poverty to 12% by 2010.
I Am Not Making This Up!
The dean of a university in Chiriqui has asked the Comptrollers Office to conduct an investigative audit after a half million-dollar fund shortage was discovered. The facts that have been reported to date include, 1.) bank statements show that funds intended for staff salaries are missing, 2.) someone has deleted the hard drives of computers in the university's admin offices, 3.) office clerks in the admin offices say they were unaware of the deleted files, and 4.) the school's vice chancellor and several of the university's administrative staff recently abruptly left their positions.
Yes, I know most of those facts do not 'ring' right. In addition, the newspaper La Prensa's science and technology columnist notes that it is "astounding that the dean of the country's best high-tech oriented university is seemingly unaware that files erased from a hard disc can be recovered, a task so simple from the technology standpoint that half of the university's first year students could probably complete the task in 30 minutes or less." Ouch!
Until Next Time. Pura Vida!
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