Welcome to the Panama Weekly News Roundup! Here’s the latest.
Panama Government Focused On Expanding Amador Causeway
The Amador Causeway is the next target for Panama City’s rapid development projects that will bring growth, and more homes to the area. Panama has hired a Spanish company called C4T to “re-brand” and re-develop the Causeway to become a prime tourist and business visitor center.
Amador is widely regarded as an undeveloped gem. The causeway connects a series of four islands, minutes away from downtown, each with picturesque waterfront property and dramatic views of the Pacific Ocean, the city and the entrance to the Panama Canal.
This unique setting is already home to the Frank Gehry-designed Biodiversity Museum and the new Amador Convention Center, which progressing again after a series of delays. Thanks to its proximity to downtown, the Causeway is also a favorite recreational spot for Panama City residents, especially bikers and joggers, which can connect via the Cinta Costera.
Source: PTY Life
US Sanctions Threaten 167-Year-Old Panama Newspaper
Caught in the middle of a major money laundering scandal, two of Panama’s oldest publications (same publisher), may face strict sanctions from the US Gov. The papers, La Estrella de Panama, and El Siglo, could actually be driven out of business as well. This would come as a punishment for corporate involvement between the papers’ owner and Abdul Waked.
Waked, 66, and a relative, Nidal Ahmed Waked Hatum, 36, were on May 5 designated by the US as major money-launderers for big drug cartels. Waked Hatum was arrested in Colombia. Their interests, which also span duty free shops, a bank, real estate, and malls, were put on a US sanctions black list that freezes their American assets and locks them out of doing business with Americans.
Though the US Treasury Department gave a special license “intended to allow both Panamanian newspapers to continue printing and operating by authorizing specific activities that would otherwise be prohibited,” the writing for them appears to be on the wall. Gese has seen its advertisers run away and local banks throw up financial obstacles. The group, which has 300 employees, has sacked six percent of its staff.
Source: NDTV
In Panama, a Man, a Plan, a Mini-Canal
As the Panama Canal Expansion nears its opening date, many boat pilots are preparing in a truly unusual, but unique way. Skilled pilots who want to get an edge ahead of the game are going small; making and piloting mini replica boats.
The Panama Canal evokes romantic images of seafaring precision and derring-do. Here, at a new $8 million training facility for freighter pilots, the only outsize thing is the potential for embarrassment. Experienced Canal pilots climb aboard miniature battery-powered ships with little engines, little rudders and little anchors all meticulously constructed to match the dimensions of real cargo vessels in 1-to-25 scale. They traverse a scale replica of the canal where the water ranges from about 2 feet to six-and-half feet deep.
Source: The Wall St. Journal
Panama’s Secret Caribbean
One of the jewels of Panama is its Caribbean coastline. It’s mostly untouched by large development, has pristine beaches, and offers some of the best surf in Central America. Here’s a great perspective on Panama’s “Secret Caribbean”, Bocas del Toro, as told by two young writers.
The next morning we had an early flight to Bocas del Toro. We flew from a small airport in Panama and of course, once we got there all we saw where surfers from everywhere in the world. It was an hour long flight, so by 10 am we were at Bocas.
We went straight from the airport to our hostel, Selina. It’s a really affordable place with lots of young people. The hostel’s outdoor area is actually one of the island’s party places so don’t stay there if you are not ready to party and meet people.
Source: Carib Journal
