ENERGY
IN THE HEADLINES
Energy has been in the news recently and it seems that Panama
is in the vanguard of the countries seeking sources of renewable energy.
From October
9 to 11 this year Panama will be headquarters of the Encounter Forum
of the European Union with Latin America on Renewable Energies. Thus
was made known by Makku Nurmi, Vice-minister of Environment of Finland.
This event is organized for the National Environmental Authority (ANAM),
the System of Central American Integration (SICA), the Alliance in
Energy and Environment with Central America (AEA), and the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of Finland, the country that will this year occupy
the presidency of the European Union.
Thirteen
projects have been aproved in Panama between 2003 and 2006 to promote
the clean production of electric power, among them solar panels and
wind power. These projects are financed by the Alliance in Energy
and Environment with Central America and the Ministry of the Environment
of Finland.
Meanwhile
the electricity company, Union Fenosa revealed that it expects to
conclude the technical analyses for the construction in Panama of
an energy generation project by means of wind power in the next few
months. Ricardo Barranco, executive vice president of Union Fenosa,
explained that the company has spent years analyzing the feasibility
of building the project.
The company
Union Fenosa Edemet-Edechi signed an agreement with the companies
Energía y Servicios de Panamá, S.A. and Instalaciones
y Servicios CODEPA S.A., for the construction of the new hydroelectric
power station of Algarrobos, in Chiriqui province. The new project
scheduled to be completed in 2008, will have the capacity to generate
9.73 megawatts and will use the water of the Los Algarrobos and La
Casita de Piedra creeks, together with that of the Chiriqui River.
The project is located on the road from David to Dolega.
In what
is described as a favorable agreement for Panama, neighboring Costa
Rica will supply two megawatts to more than 70,000 residents of Bocas
del Toro and to a water treatment plant in the province.
On the
dark side, an analysis of the Ministry of Commerce and Industries
revealed that the wholesale fuel companies have increased their profits
under the present pricing system in prejudice of the consumers.
The Cabinet
approved the creation of the National Authority of Public Utilities
to replace the much-questioned Regulating Entity of Public Utilities
which has received strong criticism of its handling of the recent
fuel price crisis. The new Authority will have instead of the present
three directors- a general administrator, an Executive Department,
and a substantiating agent who will investigate the violations of
regulations. The decree-law includes the creation of three departments
to attend exclusively to matters relating to the installation of electricity,
water and telecommunications services.
CANAL
ENLARGEMENT
Debate continues sporadically over the issue of the enlargement
of the Panama Canal, due for a referendum this year.
Opposition
to the mega project is growing. One who is not opposed to the work,
but is against Panama getting into debt for the project, is the retired
general Ruben Darío Paredes, who said the expansion should
be financed by the users of the interoceanic waterway. Paredes alleged
that there is a lot of pressure and haste to carry out the work, and
he warned that behind it "there is an easily identifiable group
that wants to benefit from the multi-million dollar work".
Other
critics have said that ship owners will not pay the increased tolls
needed, and that cargo will seek alternative routes.
The Israelis
are the latest to show interest in the project. A mission headed by
the special advisor on Latin-American and Caribbean matters of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, met with the president of the
National Assembly, Elias Castillo, to discuss subjects of cooperation
between both countries. According to the leader of the Israeli delegation,
Michael Eligal, the enlargement of the Canal is a project of great
importance. The Israelis are now added to delegations that have visited
Panama from France, Spain, Holland, Germany and Korea.
President
Martin Torrijos yesterday sealed his commitment with the small farmers
that live close to the hydrographic basin of the Panama Canal, by
offering them property titles. With this, the president promised,
"it is guaranteed that they will not lose their lands before
a possible enlargement of the waterway". Torrijos delivered a
total of 3,000 property titles to the residents of the areas Chiguirí
Arriba and Tambo in the province of Coclé.
PANAMA
AND THE U.S.
In 2007 there will be a drastic reduction in the aid that
Panama receives from the US according to the Budget that the White
House recently sent to the Congress. The Budget trims the US$14,804,000
that Panama will receive in 2006 down to US$8,605.000 for 2007. It
is a still more dramatic fall if it is compared to that given to Panama
in the two previous years. In 2005 the United States gave US $16.5-million
and in 2004 US$21 million.
"Panama
generally respects the human rights of its citizens", the US
State Department recognized in its annual report on human rights in
196 countries but not without indicating that the country continues
to have serious problems with the administration of justice, the jails,
governmental corruption and the explotation of minors. Also there
is violence against women, discrimination against Indians and political
pressure on the media, according to the report.
The US
Federal Bureau of Prisons announced on its web site that it will free
the former dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega on September 9, 2007. Noriega,
with registration number 38699-79, has been imprisoned since 1990
in the Metropolitan Correctional Center of Miami where he is serving
30 years for money laundering originating from drug trafficking. Oppositioin
politicians have demanded that Noriega be extradited. He has been
condemned by Panama Courts to 20 years in prison for the murders of
Hugo Spadafora and Moises Giroldi and others. Other countries, including
France, want to bring him to trial.
INDIANS
CELEBRATE
Indian deputies described as "historic" and "just"
the foundation of the Ngobe Bugle Region, which was established under
Law No.12 of April 22, 2005. Bernardo Abrego, the deputy who proposed
the law, declared at an event celebrating the first anniversary of
the law that for the first time, "the region is going to celebrate
with a lot of pride and recognition of our important native people".
TO
REGULATE WHALE WATCHING
Panama could be the first Central American country to regulate
whale-watching and that of other marine mammals, if the decree is
regulating this tourist activity in Panamanian waters Is approved.
The final rough draft was drawn up by the National Assembly Marine
Corridor Committee and was approved unanimously after concluding the
period of civic consulation requested by the Panama Maritime Authority
(AMP) and the Panamanian Institute of Tourism (IPAT).
CANAL
CONGESTION
The demand for Canal transits has grown to the point of
congestion, with 70 ships in the queue at times. The Canal has a maximum
daily transit capacity of 40 ships. The present back up is caused
by Panamax ships out of New Orleans and Houston with cargo delayed
by hurricanes "Rita" and "Katrina" late last year.
CRIME
The second District Attorney’s Office of Drugs, in
charge of prosecutor José Abel Almengor, froze 24 bank accounts
that are being investigated, according the file on the operation "Niño
Divino". Investigation is being carried out on a criminal organization
that supposedly "laundered" some US$32 million in Panama.
The accounts are in various banks and cooperatives of the country.
The Prosecutor’s
Office requested Interpol to capture 11 foreigners who were used as
"mules" or "human mail", and were linked to the
"Niño Divino" network. José Abel Almengor,
the prosecutor requested the location and capture of seven Colombian
and four Mexican citizens who made 25 trips between October 2004 and
February 2005, bringing US$12.2 million illegally into Panama in briefcases
with double bottoms.
