The Gap stays closed
The government has confirmed that it does not have on its agenda discussion of the opening of the "Darien Gap", the extensive jungle territory in the east of the Republic dividing Panama from Colombia. Earlier this year the Colombian government began making oventures apparently with a view to opening discussions for a highway. Panama´s Minister of Government and Justice, Hector Aleman, responding to questions, said that the "Darien Gap" would remain for security reasons. He cited the incursions of drug traffickers who use the border.

Overpass gets green light.
At last the overpass at Albrook with access to the North Corridor is to open. When it was completed about two years ago, Panamanian engineers claimed the foundations of certain sections were sinking and it remained closed. Now the Minister of Public Works, Carlos Vallarino, has declared the overpass officially open. It forms part of a component of work to cost US$28 million. In spite of the technical considerations of the Panama Society of Engineers and Architects (SPIA) on the need to submit the structure to more stress analysis, the government authorities guaranteed security in the use of the bridge.

Agricultural Exports
Panama will be able to enter the European market with some agricultural products if it belongs to the Central American bloc, said Augusto Simons, president of the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP). Simons indicated that the European bloc has already said that is not going to negotiate with Panama unilaterally, as it is doing with the United States.

A Very wet Season
In 2006 Panama expects an intense rainy season, says the director of the National System of Civil Protection (SINAPROC), Roberto Velasquez Abood. He indicated that the entity is prepared to attend to floods, although Panama is not exposed to direct impacts of cyclones and hurricanes.

Odd Statistic
Reports of the Department of Census and Statistic of the Comptroller´s Office, revealed that, in spite of the carnivals, Panamanians consumed less beer, seco, rum and other liquors during the past month of February, in comparison to the year-end festivals in December 2005, according to the registrations on the production of alcoholic beverages.

Canal competition
The Mexican Government will reopen the route called the Transisthmian Transportation Corridor of Tehuantepec that threatens to become the main competition for the Panama Canal. The project will provide a direct connection between the Pacific coast ant the port of Salina Cruz, and the Atlantic with the port of Coatzacoalcos in the Gulf of Mexico, connected by a 500 kilometers-long highway and a railway line, it was reported by the Spanish business newspaper "Expansión".

Parking in Casco Viejo
The parking problem in the congested streets of the Old Quarter (Casco Viejo) of San Felipe in Panama City has been aleviated with the restoration of the parking area adjacent to the National Theatre. About $178,000 has been spent on reinforcing the structure, installing lights and other work to provide space for 232 vehicles.

A new type of tourism?

Photos: Ruben Flores Ulloa (rubenphotos@hotmail.com)

Over the past few years tourism has been categorized into many types, from eco and adventure tourism, to religious, health and residential tourism.

Here´s a new one: Gold Fever Tourism.

While no tour operators have as yet added goldseeking to their list of offerings, it is an activity for which Panama is ideally suited. There are gold mines all over the republic. The fact that they are mostly abandoned signifies only that they are no longer commercially viable and does not mean that an amateur prospector cannot find gold in small quantities – and maybe a nugget or two.

Early explorers on the isthmus did very nicely for themselves and the Spanish crown as they relieved the Indians of their gold – not to compare with the treasures of the Incas in Peru but only because the Indian population there was so much greater.

Gold prospecting in Panama is a recognized activity for which you need a permit from the Office of Mineral Resources of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. All they need to know is which river you intend to prospect on. And you get to keep all the gold you find.

A beautiful river beckons the gold-seeker.

All you need to pan for gold is the pan. The kind of conical one used for Chinese cooking is ideal and can be purchased in a supermarket or in one of Panama´s two Chinatowns. The technique is very simple. You wade into a shallow part of the river, scoop up a panful of earth and water, swish it around with a circular motion so that the earth escapes over the edge, leaving the gold (you hope), which is heavier, at the bottom of the pan.

You may also like to equip yourself with stout boots, mosquito repellent, flashlight, Panamanian hat, water bottle, knife, backpack, shovel, a hammer, machete, and perhaps a set of scales to weigh your gold?, a magnet, an iron bar, and other stuff. Good maps can be had from Geoinfo S.A., 226-9491. The mining Chamber of Panama (224-2542) will answer questions. If you need a guide, call photographer Ruben Flores Ulloa ( 6637-0399/ rubenphotos@hotmail.com) who has much experience both in Panama and in California.

An expedition to the darien.

Here is the list of places you can wash gold:
Río Cabra, Río Campana, Río Mamoni, Río Pacora, Río Boqueron, Bique, and Alajuela lakes (not in the river basin), Río Indio, Río Maestra, Río Pito, Río Sambú, Río Caret, Cerro Petaquilla, Río Maje, Río Piña, Río Róbalo, Cañas Gordas, Río Pirre, Río Torio, Río Carti, Quebrada de Oro (Soná), Río Chucú, Río Cañazas, Río Taimatí, Río de Perecabe, Río Bayano and Río Chagres.

Gold panning is a bit like fishing....even if you don`t catch anything, you´ve had a day in the open air in beautiful surroundings. And it is a lot better than going to a casino. You have a chance at the jackpot without losing money to the house.

The increase in the price of gold after 24 years in the doldrums has caused many mining projects worldwide to be considered again, and Panama is no exception.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industries has given permission to 34 companies for exploration and mining operations here in Panama. Two of the more talked about projects are that of Petaquilla Minerals Ltd., located in the province of Coclé, and the other of Minera Cerro Quema, S.A. in Azuero since the people of these communities fear for the pollution of the environment of the region. In addition to this, in the indigenous region of Ngöbe Buglé, the inhabitants are against any kind of exploration and mining operation, because according to them this violates Law 10 established on March 7, 1997, which created the region.

The companies involved argue that their desire is to fulfill all the national and international environmental regulations to cause the least possible damage to these zones.

The Petaquilla mine in Coclé is said to have potential for extracting four billion ounces of copper, ten million ounces of silver and five million ounces of gold.

This map, produced by Focus Publications (Int) S.A. based on information supplied by the Mining Camera of Panama. shows the mineral deposits discovered in Panama.

Skilled hat-market Reynaldo Quiros at his workshop at La Pintada Photos: Ruben Flores Ulloa (rubenphotos@hotmail.com)

The world-renowned Panama Hat got its fame back in canal and railroad construction days when tropical hats were much in demand. The hats worn in Panama were naturally called "Panama Hats", but they really originated in Ecuador. Apparently, there were not enough Panamanian hat-makers to satisfy the demand so hats were imported from Ecuador until someone came up with the bright idea of bringing in Ecuadorian craftsmen to teach their skill to Panamanians.

La Pintada was the town chosen for the project, hence the name "sombrero pintada" (or pintao in local dialect). Classes were instigated. Hat-making became an obligatory course in schools and so over the years a tradition emerged of whole families dedicated to the art of producing hats of fine quality.

There are different hats for different occasions. There is a " Sombrero Pintao" for marriage; there is another for the man in love; there are the Capacho and the Junco, hats for heavy labor; there is the Riata for ladies who are in mourning , and so on. In the military era the white hat was very popular.

Hat sales are brisk at country fairs and in handicraft shops in town but the best place to buy your hat is in La Pintada itself where there is a commercial area dedicated to the trade. All around town it is possible to see men, women and children weaving hats and small souvenirs. They take great pride in showing their skills and recounting their family history in the business.

Hat-making - a family tradition.

Hats sell for various prices. A really good one can fetch up to $300.00.

In La Pintada Mr. Reynaldo Quiroz, the owner of Artesanias Quiroz, told us that the "Sombrero Pintao" is attracting a lot of international publicity because of recent promotion abroad. He has travelled to New York, Houston and Louisiana to give seminars and is currently writing a book on the subject.

Visitors can now discover the beauty of the Pacific Ocean with the "Bubba Gump" –a remodeled shrimp vessel which offers guests the opportunity to learn all about the shrimp fishing experience.

Sailing along the beaches of Farallón –home of the Decameron resort complex-- Sea Cliff, Juan Hombrón and Santa Clara, visitors on the Bubba Gump will be able to help with the catch just as they enjoy the sunset with a cool drink and refreshments.

The Bubba Gump also offers an hour-long trip along the bay (snacks included), a deep-sea fishing tour (five hours long) and a "Champagne Sunset Tour" for socializing and enjoying.

During the high tourist season in Panama (December-April) The Bubba Gump is based in Farallón, where its parent company (Bubba Trade Company) also operates Rancho Río, a restaurant and tourist services center, the menu of which offers international cuisine and seafood. The facilities also include a souvenir shop, internet facilities and a soon-to-be-finished eco circuit encompassing a canopy tour over the Farallón River.

After April, the Bubba Gump will be based at the Amador Causeway, in Panama City, alternately plying in the Bay of Panama and the Farallón area.

For more information, call: 6615-4740 bubbashrimp@cwpanama.net

By Doug Webster (doug11web@yahoo.com)

The "Panamá American" recently published crime statistics for January, 2006 for the entire country. Being a curious sort, and loving analogies, I meandered the net until I found a state that was about the right-size—SouthCarolina—with a similar population count. South Carolina has 4.1 million people versus Panama´s 3 million. Also, South Carolina is not known as being the crime capital of the US.

Unfortunately, South Carolina only gave statistics for the year of 2003 and before, and only annually, but I was able to normalize the data. For the finicky, note that if Panamá´s populations is over 3 million, the comparison just gets better.

So, the comparison comes up with the following for a one-month period, normalized to assume the equivalent population density.

Murders
Panama 18
South Carolina 18.29
Sex Abuse
Panama 23
South Carolina 112 or + 388%
Aggravated Assault (with both guns and knives or other weapons)
Panama 132
South Carolina 1534 or +1062%

While sex abuse and domestic charges are probably underreported in Panama for cultural reasons (aren´t they everywhere?), the murder and aggravated assault statistics are probably comparable.

The conclusion is pretty clear: overall you are safer in Panama than in the US.

Eric Lindbergh, grandson of Charles Lindbergh speaks at a ceremony at Marcos A. Gelabert Airport.

Seventy five years of aviation history were celebrated on March 29 when the plane Ecuador 111 landed in Panama, commemorating the first flight from San Diego to Ecuador in 1931, flown by Ted Gilbred in a Ryan Broughman single engine plane similar to the "Spirit of St. Luis" flown by pioneer aviator Charles Linbergh.

On board Ecuador III were Ted Gilbred, son of the first pilot and his two sons, Ted 111 and Steven who have promised to continue the tradition and fly the 100th anniversary.

Also on board was Eric Lindbergh, grandson of Charles Lindberg.

The event celebrates the courage and daring of the original 4,200 mile flight which promoted relations with the United States and Latin America.

Ecuador 111 is a Pilatus PC Turbo Pro plane built in Switzerland.

They were met in Panama by Ivan Arturo Arrocha, deputy mayor of Panama City, Tomas Paredes, Director of the Civil Aviation Authority and William A. Eaton, Ambassador of the United States.