Panama As An International Retirement Haven
The 22nd Annual Global Retirement Index was just published and Panama ranked at
the #2 spot. In this study the editors assess a variety of factors such as the cost of groceries and average temperature as well as friendliness and utility costs.
Ecuador took the #1 spot for the fifth year in a row. Ecuador stood out for its low cost of living, how far the real estate dollar goes and for offering attractive incentives to seniors.
Panama’s #2 position was described thus: "Panama is just plain easy. Panama City is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city with great restaurants, and excellent hospitals. It’s a banking and commercial hub so you find a real international community there. Panama is committed to attracting foreign retirees and offers the world’s best incentive program to do so, making it convenient and easy to get residence there. Like Ecuador, the cost of living in Panama is significantly lower than what you’d expect back home."
Some 100 countries were considered and here is the final list:
Retirement Index 2013
1.Ecuador
2.Panama
3.Malaysia
4.Mexico
5.Costa Rica
6.Uruguay
7.Colombia
8.Spain
9.Thailand
10.Malta
Even Beauty Pageants Can Get Interesting In Panama
The Panama City Carnival queen was crowned last week in a beauty pageant style
competition. The 22-year old model and ballet dancer, Virginia Hernández, took the crown (on the right in
the photo). Not only will she preside over the capital city’s four-day carnival celebration from February 8 to 12, she will also represent the country at a variety of venues around the world in the coming year.
One of the princesses in her court, however, brought intrigue to the process. A former Carnival queen, Andrea Alejandra Quintero, who was the queen of Calle Arriba de Las Tablas in 2011, took second place. But her parents were not happy with her playing princess to the Panama City queen. The Panama Tourism Authority (ATP) administrator stated that Quintero’s parents obligated their daughter to abandon her role as "primera princessa" because, according to them, the Las Tablas Carnival is superior to the Panama City Carnival. However, Andrea Alejandra’s official reason for resignation was to "save her career," as her work suffered under the time commitment required by her duties as princess.
It ain’t easy being queen. Carnival Queen Hernández has her work cut out for her this year. She will travel with the ATP (National Tourist Bureau to tourism fairs around the world as the Ambassador of Tourism. In addition to being the face of Panamanian tourism, Virginia will also represent the country at the Miss World competition, a beauty pageant to be held later this year in Indonesia.
The Continuing Drug War
The authorities seized nearly a ton of cocaine hidden in a cave on the banks of a river in the Atlantic Panama, the first big drug bust this year.
The National Naval Air Service (SENAN) reported Tuesday the drugs were packed in 38 large bundles and hidden in a cave on the banks of the Rio Belén, along the "Costa Abajo" (lower coast) of the province of Colon, where they found a boat nearby and fuel tanks apparently used by drug traffickers.
The seizure of 950 kilos of cocaine was made and on Tuesday the authorities showed the cargo to the news media and provided details about the operation. No arrests have been made. Simultaneously, the SENAN performed another drug operation on Tuesday in the Caribbean province of Bocas del Toro.
Panama, which has traditionally has been used as a bridge for drug trafficking from South America to North America and Europe, seized 34.9 tons of drugs, mostly cocaine, in 2012. A year earlier they had seized 43.7 tons.
The Public Security Minister, Jose Raul Mulino, said recently seizures decreased last year due to intensified patrols by air, sea and land. The authorities are concerned, however, over the vulnerability of coastal communities in remote areas due to the actions of the traffickers.
Sometimes Panamanians Are Not 'Big on Minor Details'
About 75 thousand people in Panama have expired driver's licenses, most of them are still driving around illegally, according to a study by the Transit Authority.
To counter the situation during the normal operations they routinely perform, officials say anyone found to be driving with an expired license will have their car towed away and impounded.
The Director of the ATTT called these drivers "criminals at the wheel" and said in his opinion "anyone who is driving with an expired license is doing so probably because they have not paid for their license plates, and if they have not received their license plates or had their car inspected, then they are even less safe."
He said during the upcoming Carnival celebrations they will install checkpoints in La Chorrera, Colón, in the Eastern part of the province of Panama, and in other areas.
He announced on the Telemetro morning news that soon the public will be able to do most of the paperwork for renewals and replacements of lost drivers licenses quickly and easily through the ATTT website. (Panama America)
Want A Good Domain Name With Lots Of Potential?
TobyClements.com just sent out his daily domain newsletter and topping the list is the domain name Panama.com. Toby says the domain name Panama.com has "never been available on the aftermarket and is still owned by the original registrant’. The asking price is $1,600,000.
Panama has a booming economy and is one of the financial centers of Latin America which definitely enhances the domain name's attractiveness.
As for the domain name, Panama.com is parked (not active), but still has a Google PR of 4, and the domain gets around a thousand visitors a month.
Till Next Time. Pura Vida
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