Presented at the City Club, Panama, Friday, November 27, 2009

We have lived in Panama 14 years and it seems like it is longer and longer between visits to the states.  Panama has most everything we need so we find it less compelling to even go for shopping trips.  However, this year we did feel the urge to visit family, after all they are not getting any younger.  It was a bit of culture shock returning to our home territory. 

Copa Airlines is a delightful way to start a journey.  They still serve food – light dinner and breakfast – on the overnight flight from Panama to Los Angeles.  They also serve wine, provide headsets and show two movies – all at no additional cost.  They also handed out blankets and pillows, the former to everyone and the latter to women and children first.  We had the wide row located by the emergency door so it was entirely possible to stretch out and sleep for much of the trip.

From our arrival at US Immigration, through Customs and on to the car rental agency we discovered everyone spoke Spanish!  The bus driver who picked us up to take us to Thrifty was from Guatemala, a country we have much enjoyed visiting.  The agent at the car rental was from El Salvador.  She was working to put two kids through college, in California.  The clerk at La Quinta checked us in and was also a Spanish speaker.  In fact, we didn’t find much use for English until we reached our final destination, David’s hometown of Visalia.  Even there we had plenty of opportunity to use Spanish but we reverted to English for the most part.

We found our visit to the States after a 2 and a half-year absence pleasant, surprising and expensive.  We found service people provided real service.  Waiters were efficient.  Hotel staff was polite and efficient.  Everyone smiled and was helpful form store clerks to bank tellers.  However, we had to pump our own gas, which was not an improvement over the convenience of sitting in the car while the nice attendant took care of all the car-related tasks at our favorite service station on Via Espana in Panama 

Having become totally enamored with Panama coffee, we took our favorite blend with us and made coffee in our room each morning.  On the few occasions when we drank the local stuff, we found it weak and tasteless and loaded with caffeine. Panama coffee is from the highlands and boasts being naturally low in caffeine.  However, the prime rib cannot be duplicated outside the US.  We know every potential source for prime rib in Panama and sometimes it is good but we had a memorable cut in a local favorite restaurant in Visalia.  Makes my mouth water just remembering it with a little horseradish on the side to make the dining pleasure complete.

California is the home of fantastic citrus and it was no disappointment.  We had beautiful oranges, grapefruit, as well as berries – strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries.  Panama grapefruit and oranges compare favorably and at a fraction of the price.  But, blueberries when available are as much as $6 a half-quart.  In California we got two boxes for $4 and nibbled them for breakfast, between meals, while driving in the car and on the way the airport headed back to Panama.  In general, we found some food prices about the same as Panama, some cheaper and some more expensive.  Canned tomatoes were priced at the low end of Panama pricing – less than a dollar a can; coffee was twice as much as Panama; meat prices were significantly more; potato chips double the price.  It also depended on where you were shopping.  We found great variation in pricing on some items, especially toiletry items depending on whether shopping at Target, Wallgreen or Longs or the local supermarket.  The incredible display, however, whether in the fish market or the produce section is unsurpassed.  Only once in Panama have I seen a grocery (El Rey in David) where the vegetables were displayed like a work of art.  In the US, this seemed to be the standard in grocery stores.  The selection of items in general in the US stores is mind-boggling.  For example, carrots come in baby, small/thin, regular, fat, and those are just the fresh ones.  You can find them frozen as well.

Panama also has all kinds of wonderful vegetables. From broccoli to lettuce, green beans or squash, I always buy local, except for spinach.  I love spinach – in quiche, steamed with butter but especially as a salad.  The local Panama product is slimy and bitter and nothing like spinach in the rest of the hemisphere.  A spinach salad was on my want list for this trip, right behind prime rib.  We found it for lunch in the charming little downtown of Visalia.  Made with fresh leaf spinach, blue cheese, fresh-cooked and crumbled bacon, walnuts, hard-cooked egg and alight vinaigrette dressing, it was wonderful. 

The other interesting little difference that I was reminded of involved eggs.  First of all eggs in Panama have brown shells. Recently a group of us were looking for white eggs to do a craft project.  True to what I already knew, there were no white eggs in Panama and the group ended up painting the shells white as a first step in the craft project.  Next, the yolks are more orange than yellow.  They are a rich color and maybe even taste richer but that may be something my grandmother told me.  I love fried eggs, preferably fried in the grease after cooking the bacon.  This is something that can only be found at home, my home, in Panama.  Oh, you can get fried eggs but they are never over as ordered.  They more likely finished cooking under a pan lid and come out very white.  However, in California I got eggs that had been flipped at the final moment, with slightly brown edges and the yolks still a little liquid.  Our favorite spot for breakfast was in the tiny farming community of Woodlake at the airport restaurant.  Their bacon and eggs and sourdough toast was the best.  And, for those who have experienced ordering bacon in Panama where it might be limp and pink, or burnt to a crisp, or a combination of both on the same piece (how do they do that), the bacon was perfect every time we ordered during our trip.

There was also the climate difference for us to deal with.  We are used to Panama’s wonderful warm, humid climate.  When we left on Monday evening it was a delightful 82 degrees and about 62% humidity.  We arrived in LA to 40-degree temperatures and 15% humidity.  It was cold and dry. Our lips and hands were soon dry and chapped.  Chapstick and lotion were our constant companions instead of sunscreen.  Fortunately, we had planned for the 30-degree evenings and sometimes 60-degree afternoons as well as everything in between.  Upon returning to Panama and walking up the ramp from the plane I was just thinking how wonderfully warm and pleasant when the man in front of me said “ugh, hot and humid!”.  I wanted to point out to him it is summer in Panama  – beautiful dry, breezy summer.  But then it’s all relative – we thought it cold in LA, he thought it hot in Panama. 

Our last errand before heading home involved a visit to the Panamanian Consulate in San Diego.  We were under the impression from the web site that it was in LA but when we called to check the address and make an appointment, discovered we would need to drive two hours south.  The Consul General himself returned our call and answered our questions as well as scheduled an appointment that would be convenient for us.  Upon arriving the next day we were in for another culture shock!  The office was located in a large office building with a major hotel on the ground floor.  The elevator took us to the 6^th floor where other government offices of various countries were located. There was no bell to ring, security to pass, or guard to greet us.  We merely opened the door and were welcomed, in English, by a very helpful woman at the front desk.  She recognized us immediately – we arrived at exactly 11:00, the appointment time – and made us comfortable.  The Consul General, Eduardo Arango, arrived a few minutes later and immediately confirmed what we needed and set to work.  He also suggested we stop back down stairs and relax over a cup of coffee for half an hour while he prepared the documents we needed. 

In the hotel coffee shop we enjoyed some fantastic hot chocolate and most friendly service.  Returning to the Consulate we found our documents waiting for us.  Sr. Arango was most gracious, efficient (translating and typing the papers for us personally) and he sent greetings to several mutual friends in Panama.  Other than paying fees for the services, parking fees, and the driving time, we could not have been more pleased.  What a difference from visiting the US Embassy or Consulate in Panama or elsewhere in the world.  No parking on the street and walking into a secured area where no one from the guard at the gate to the guard at the entrance speaks English.  No taking a seat and waiting for hours or paying for services and then waiting for hours.  No talking through glass and moving from window to window to complete the process.  And, on the positive side, the little side trip from LA to San Diego and back provided us an opportunity to check out more of the changes in California.

The Copa return flight was basically a repeat of the flight out – except the food was not as good.  The US is totally into fake food and it permeates the market.  We were offered fake milk (white powder with sugar), fake sugar, fake omelets, limp partially cooked bacon and stale bread with fake butter.  In fact, the array of fake products available in the US is amazing.  Coffee con leche in Panama means hot milk.  In the US there are at least three kinds of fake sugar and often as many kinds of fake white stuff for coffee.  Fortunately, most restaurants had half and half for the coffee or milk upon request.  You also had to request water.

Upon reaching the terminal in Panama we were delighted with all the recent changes in that section of the Tocumen International airport.  The arrival area is clearly marked for arriving passengers to find their way to immigration, customs and baggage.  The residents line zipped along and the officer welcomed us with words (in English) and a smile.  Within minutes of departing the plane we were awaiting our baggage at a clearly marked turntable.  An announcement was made shortly telling us the baggage would arrive in two minutes.  The airport now provides carts for your luggage – at a price of $2- but with today’s luggage on wheels not many passengers were willing to rent carts.  The customs line moved quickly and once again the officer greeted us with a smile and even made a joke (in English). 

In the main terminal we found our regular taxi driver awaiting us and we were quickly on our way into town.  Just as quickly we were stopped by an accident on the Corredor but it only held us up for about five minutes.  With the increasing number of accidents, as a result of Panama having sold a record number of cars last year, this was really a minimal delay.  Our driver when asked, “what’s new” responded, “more traffic, more accidents and more crime”.  Not what we wanted to hear but no different than what was happening two weeks before when we left on our vacation.

Its great to be back and I’ll be back on the radio with the Weekly News Review on Sunday, February 1 (93.5FM Radio Metropolis (www.pbcpanama.com).  Meanwhile, check this site for a regular Letter from Panama to focus on current events of the day.

Sincerely,

Sandra Snyder

The first concerning Crime

The 2008 Report:  State of the Region, recently developed by the State of the Nation Program, with support from public and private institutions in Central America, indicates that although the indicators of social and criminal violence in this country are low compared to northern Central America, there is an “upward trend” of concern.  The document is based on the current strategic situation in the region and recent criticicism from the public about the inaction of the authorities to confront the problems of insecurity (that is violence and crime).  Last month the judicial authorities admitted the existence of 74 gangs in Panama and San Miguelito. Los enfrentamientos entre éstas, cobraron la vida de tres menores de edad. Clashes between them resulted in the deaths of three children. Debido al incremento de los delitos, el Ministerio Público creó la nueva Fiscalía Superior contra el Crimen Organizado. Due to the increase in crime, the Public Prosecutor’s Office created the new office of Senior Prosecutor Against Organized Crime.  On the issue of insecurity, the head of the National Police Information, Humberto Brid, has agreed to “urge” the government to do a restructuring of the national security system.

The report is available on the website www.estadonacion.or.cr/ estadoregion2008). 

Panama and the Recession

While Panama seems recession proof according to the experts as far as financial concers, the global recession has ended the export of metals for recycling. This decline in the purchase price of scrap metals at the local level has triggered the closure of several companies. Recycling Central SA, one of the few remaining in the market has cut its staff by 70% because of the low activity and demand at international level.  On a positive note, this will certainly cut down on the removal of manhole covers, copper cable and other metals subject to vandalism and theft.

Fuel and Energy

Drops in fuels price since the announcement of the price cap last September have been extraordinary. The manager of the Consumer Protection and Competition Authority, Pedro Meilán said the hikes and cuts in fuel have to do with consumption.  Thursday’s La Prensa reported prices for 91 and 95 octane were expected to drop further on the 16^th of January, by 8 and 11 cents respectively. 

The projections for hydroelectric generation for 2009 are very positive as a result of the abundant rains in the last months of 2008.  Additionally the Government announced the reduction of energy rates by 20 to 25% as a direct result of the drop in the price of combustibles. 

 Panama Weekly Review with Sandra Snyder is broadcast  Sunday evening from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. at 93.5 FM (Radio Metropolis) or you can listen to the full news program anytime at www.pbcpanama.com.  Brought to you by the Panama Broadcasting Corporation, S.A.

 In most cases, the killings are related to drug trafficking, theft and rivalries between gangs, according to a judicial source.  According to investigations conducted by the Department of Homicides of the Directorate of Judicial Investigation (DIJ), 13 of the 128 victims of the crimes were Colombian citizens, executed in the context of a war being waged in this country and drug traffickers in Mexico.

For example, in less than four hours, armed criminals raided three companies one day during the week ending October 12, 2008, and seized more than $26,000 in cash, according to a judicial source.

The first robbery occurred at the Parque del Recuerdo, located at Mile 8, and robbers took $2,000.  The next robbery occurred at the gas station Terpel in Corozal, where they stole $9,000; and the last robbery was at the Do It Center in Rio Abajo, where $15,000 was stolen.

On Sunday morning at 9:00 under cover of the noise from a severe rain storm, three maliantes climbed over a wall into the adjacent yard and entered a house in La Cresta.  They put the wife and child in the closet and attacked the husband.  His streams for help alerted a neighbor who called police.  He was taken to Paitilla Hospital where he received over 200 stitches around his eye.  Robery was again thought to be the motive.  This is only the latest in a series of armed break-ins in La Cresta in recent months.  The neighborhood residents association is calling for action on the part of the officials.

La Cresta is not alone in these attacks.  In the same time period there have been similar reports although less violent, of delinquents attempting to break-in to houses and apartments in Coco del Mar and Punta Paitilla as well as in outlying areas of the interior. 

The President of the Who’s New Club in Panama cautioned members to guard their personal information, travel plans, and vary their schedules in an effort to avoid becoming a target.  Never get into a taxi with other people and pay attention to your surroundings when walking anywhere in the city.  One woman had her purse snatched on Calle 50 on a Sunday afternoon.  Panama has always been a relatively safe place to live but like any growing and expanding city change is inevitable.  Be careful.  …excerpt from the Panama Weekly Review with Sandra Snyder, Sunday, October 12, 2008.  Panama Broadcasting Corporation, Radio Metropolis 93.5 FM and available on the web at www.pbcpanama.com

Panama Broadcasting Corporation brings you Panama Weekly Review with your host Sandra Snyder.  Panama’s first radio news program in English, bringing you a summary of the week’s happenings in and around Panama.  Broadcast every Sunday evening on Radio Metropolis 93.5 FM from 6:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the City or listen to our broadcast anytime on www.pbcpanama.com. as our listeners do from around the world.  We love to hear from you so remember you can write to us at sandra@pbcpanama.com.

There are two options for overseas voters using the FVAP website:

·       Visit www.fvap.gov and click “Get Started” to be directed to an online Federal Postcard Application and instructions for your state; or

·       Visit www.fvap.gov and click “Use our New Automated Tool to Register/Request a Ballot” under Quick Links in the lower right-hand corner of the home page.  You will be redirected to www.fvap.com, a fully automated site that requires you to create a user account and password.

Voter Registration & Requesting an Absentee Ballot

Voters who have not yet registered to vote and requested an absentee ballot should do so now using the FVAP website.  You may also pick up a hard copy of the Federal Postcard Application (FPCA) from any U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

You should also complete a new Federal Postcard Application if you have moved or changed your name since the last time you voted.

Voting

Your local voting officials should mail your absentee ballot 30 to 45 days before the November 4 general election.  Return your voted ballot as early as possible.  Be aware of your state’s ballot receipt deadline, as well as any postmarking requirements.

Emergency Ballots

The Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) serves as an emergency ballot for voters who registered in time but fail to receive an official ballot from local election officials.  You can access the FWAB using www.fvap.gov as well.

Questions?

The Voting Assistance Officer  Sandra Snyder  is also always available to answer questions about absentee voting.  To contact the Voting Assistance Officer, call  264-0567  or send an e-mail to ( sandra@livinginpanama.net)  . 

Mailing Options for Voting Materials

Voters in Panama have a number of options for mailing Federal Postcard

Applications, voted state ballots, and Federal Write-in Absentee Ballots

to their local election officials in the United States. Mailing

addresses for local election officials and state mailing deadlines can

be found in the Voting Assistance Guide, available on-line at

www.fvap.gov.

1. First Class Mail: You may mail your Federal Postcard

Application or voted ballot to the United States through the Panamanian

mail system, with appropriate international postage. Mail to the U.S.

takes approximately ten days.

2. DPO (or APO) Mail: DPO mail to the United States takes

approximately 8 days. Voters should submit their ballots to the U.S.

Embassy no later than October 27, 2008 for DPO mail. Ballots must be

postage-paid or have first-class U.S. postage (42 cents). The DPO’s

service hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to

4:30 p.m. The DPO is located in the US Embassy compound at Clayton.

3. Diplomatic Pouch: Diplomatic pouch to the East Coast takes

approximately two weeks. Processing of mail at the diplomatic pouch

facility in the Washington, D.C. area and onward delivery by the U.S.

Postal Service to local election officials across the U.S. can take

another one to four days. The Consular Section will place a date stamp

and seal on your ballot as evidence of the date and location from which

the ballot was mailed. However, this is not a postmark. Voters should

make every effort to submit their ballots to the U.S. Embassy no later

than October 14 for diplomatic pouch mail.

 Voting Assistance Officer:  Sandra Snyder; email: sandra@livinginpanama.net

or

UNITED STATES EMBASSY PANAMACONSULAR SECTION

VOTING INFORMATION

E-Mail: Panama-ACS@state.gov

Location: Building 783, CLAYTON, PANAMA.

We are open Monday to Friday, from 08:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.

Telephone number: 207-7000.

The centers are: the international vaccination office of Metropolitan Health Region, located at Los Ríos (reverted area), main street, on the side of the Institutional Protection System, building 237; office of International Maritime Health in the port of Cristóbal, Colón province; and the office for Regional Epidemiology Coordination in the district of David, Chiriquí province.

Attention hours for those who need the vaccine are Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and the cost is five dollars.  Passengers in transit and coming from countries that are not included in the list of 45 countries with risk of yellow fever transmission, according the World Health Organization’s (WHO) classification, are not required to have the international vaccination card against this disease.

For this vaccine to be effective it must be applied 10 days before the stipulated travel date and the dose duration (efficient protective titers) is 10 years.

The health measure announced by the Ministry of Health, of requesting as of next November 1, that all national or foreign travelers that enter Panama from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission be vaccinated, seeks to prevent the resurgence of the disease in the country.

It is necessary to remember that the last cases of sylvan yellow fever in Panama were registered in 1974 and the Ministry of Health tries to comply with what is established in the 2005 International Health Regulation (RSI), in preventing the spreading of epidemics and improving cooperation among countries with that same objective.

Its adaptation is oriented towards current world challenges in view of the reappearance of infectious diseases, of the growing risk of international spreading and of the appearance of new health alerts with worldwide repercussions.

According to the WHO, 111 countries (including Panama) require that persons who enter their territory from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission be vaccinated.

Panama has an established epidemiological monitoring of yellow fever, proper attention of suspect cases, continuous education to the health team on disease prevention and control, information, education and communication with the community of prevention and control measures of yellow fever,  a viral, transmissible, preventable and acute infectious disease, of rapid evolution and variable seriousness that is transmitted through a mosquito bite.

Next is a list of countries with risk of yellow fever transmission, according to the World Health Organization (WHO):

From the Panamanian Ministry of Health)

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The following links also provide helpful information on the yellow fever:  

CDC yellow fever web page:  http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/YellowFever/index.html and

WHO yellow fever web page:  http://www.who.int/csr/disease/yellowfev/en/