The "A-word"
Why won’t anybody stand up to ARI? Neither this government nor
the last one has had the courage to admit defeat. They created
a bureaucratic monster that is growing of control. With all the
houses, offices, swimming pools, etc., that ARI has inherited,
they just can’t get it right. How can any entity receive such
largesse, totally free, and still not make a profit? It seems
to be an example of why privatization is favored around the world.
For example Amador, the jewel of the Pacific, went from being
a beautiful residential community with hundreds of trees and large
grassy areas to becoming a huge parking lot. Instead of generating
funds for the Panama treasury, ARI has spent $62 million on Amador
alone and now they want to borrow another $40 million for an aquarium.
What would $100 million do for our school system or dilapidated
social security hospitals? It seems that the government keeps
putting the cart before the horse.
R. Baker
Something we wanted to see
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Questions University of Panama standards
First let me say I enjoy your paper and enjoy the web version
from my home in California. I hope you continue to publish for
years to come.
After reading about the recent violence on the university campus
I felt compelled to comment. My wife attended the University of
Panama for one semester in 1998. She and a friend started off
taking classes to become lawyers. Here is what happened.
First, the students were given a list of study materials. This
was followed by a few days spent copying books on a copy machine
at a local store.
Once classes started it was 50/50 on whether or not the professor
would show up. Typically on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays the
professor would not show, so my wife spent most of her time there
at the cafeteria or a restaurant.
When the semester ended my wife and her friend were told they
would have to repeat the semester. Why? Because the professor
said Panama already has too many lawyers. A gentleman from Bolivia
who attended class twice in the semester was allowed to continue.
My wife and her friend went to a "student advisor" who told them
"If you sleep with me you won't have to repeat the semester."
Needless to say, that was the end of that.
My question is: How can that place actually call itself a university?
Name withheld by request
Father wants to locate daughter
The search for my 8-year-old Panamanian-American daughter has
been long and exhausting but I will not give up the search for
her. My daughter was born 14 September 1992 in the City of Colon,
Atlantic side, in the city hospital. Mariana Rosilinda Crossdale
Gooden is the mother's name. During the pregnancy she lived in
the City of Colon at the 15-story apartment building.
The grandmother lived in Panama City near the main bus station.
Her name is Natisha, and she is an older woman with a medical
condition. She may have moved since the last time I spoke to her.
The last known address is as follows:
Jeanette R. de Ceballos
Balboa Ancon
General Delivery
Panama Rep. of Panama
Marina's last known address is as follows:
Mariana Rosilinda Crossdale Gooden
Estafeta de Chorrera
Panama Rep. DE Panama
My concern is the well being of my child, I have no contact with
her anymore due to the military pull out. Mariana worked on Ft
Clayton, Panama building #519 (G-3). The child support checks
were sent to the Army Community Service which is no longer in
service. The US Embassy Consulate has received E-mail from me
I am waiting for a respond from them. My daughters name is Christina
Elania Lloyd.
One more point Mr. & Mrs. Guillermo Clovis was trying to adopt
my daughter, this couple resides in Panama also I refused to sign
the relinquishment of rights. ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN FIND WOULD
BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
Thank you,
Police little help vs. maleantes in the park
I would like you to warn people of the dangers of walking in the
Soberania Park at the moment.
On Saturday the third of February at lunchtime whilst my husband
and I were walking in the park, we were attacked by machete-wielding
robbers who stole everything from us. Fortunately, we were able
to conceal our car keys from them.
After our harrowing ordeal we went to the Police Academy just
down the road from where our attack took place only to be told
that in fact ours had been the fourth in the last few months in
this park.
But there are no signs posted of the dangers in walking in the
park at the moment, had we read such a notice we would never have
entered the park. We stupidly believed that since it is situated
in the canal zone, a national park and just five kilometers away
from the Police Academy we were safe.
With that they told us that they could not help us and sent us
on to the police station in Paraiso. We couldn't find that station
as it set of the road, and so asked at the Shell garage for directions
to the nearest Police Station. We were directed to the one at
Diablo. After two hours of recounting the story time and time
again and then having our details taken about five times by various
officers, we had to drive the police back to the park to show
them where the attack had taken place. Then we had to drive the
police to the PTJ at Ancon to make an official statement.
We waited for an hour whilst the officers watched wrestling on
the television and then were told, that there was nobody there
that could help us and we were to come back on Monday at 10 to
make the statement whilst a translator was present. When we arrived
on the Monday, there was no translator, so we waited for an hour
until my husband and I lost our tempers and demanded that something
was done. Then miraculously they set about taking our statement
in Spanish!
We received no sympathy, only derision for not fighting off our
attackers!
Please ensure that what happened to us, serves as a lesson to
all of the dangers in Panama, which is only in its first year
of recession. Already people are desperate enough to commit such
despicable crimes against the very people who bring money into
the country. There were 152 armed robberies committed in Panama
City in the month of January alone.
Contrary to popular belief, foreigners do not have money trees
in their back gardens and have to work twice as hard to obtain
any of the things that they might own. This thought seems to elude
the masses of Panama.
Mr. & Mrs. Savinder Söderstrand
An open letter from American historians
regarding the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal
As historians, we cannot remain silent regarding the imprisonment
and pending execution of Mumia Abu-Jamal. We believe that the
circumstances of his case, viewed in the light of history, make
a new trial imperative.
The central principles of our legal system, predating even the
American Revolution, are the right to a trial by a jury of one's
peers, judicial impartiality, and the presumption of innocence.
Yet these principles and rights have never applied to African
Americans.
Only a generation ago, black people faced mob violence and extra-judicial
murder in much of our nation with no legal or police protection.
In the present, they continue to face the presumption of guilt
by police and prosecutors, leading to rates of incarceration many
times higher than that of any other ethnic group.
The racial imbalance and lack of justice in our courts is most
severe regarding the death penalty. In the words of the American
Civil Liberties Union, "abundant evidence demonstrates that racial
bias continues to influence death sentencing." Judges and juries
are far more likely to impose the death sentence for the killing
of a white person. Forty percent of death-row prisoners killed
since the resumption of executions have been African American.
All of these discriminatory factors are exacerbated by systematic
police misconduct, which has a particular bearing on Mumia Abu-Jamal's
case. In Philadelphia, in the decade immediately preceding his
1982 conviction, there was a well-documented pattern of politically
and racially-motivated attacks on black activists like Abu-Jamal
during the tenure of Frank Rizzo as police chief and then mayor.
We are also troubled by the record of the presiding judge, Albert
Sabo, which suggests a profound partiality, and by the recantation
and lack of reliability of major prosecution witnesses. We make
no assertion regarding Mumia Abu-Jamal's guilt or innocence. That
is up to a jury. But as historians we do assert that there has
been nothing fair or just in his case to date, and that our nation
can ill afford yet another racially-motivated legal crisis, with
global ramifications, if the State of Pennsylvania moves to execute
this internationally-known activist and writer. Therefore, we
call upon Governor Tom Ridge, and upon the Justice Department,
to press for re-opening his case, without prejudice.
Joyce Appleby
Ira Berlin
John Hope Franklin
George Fredrickson
Darlene Clark Hine
Michael Kammen
Lawrence Levine
Leon Litwack
David Montgomery
Gary Nash
Balboa Academy art show and sale
Another art show and sale will be held at the Balboa Academy on
Wednesday, March 7. Twenty percent of art sales proceeds will
be donated to the school's student association fund. Any artists
interested in participating, should contact me. All are welcome.
Consignment art or donations are also acceptable.
This is a more casual atmosphere art show and sale. It will be
held from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Food and wine will be served. Tickets
will be sold in advance, and also at the door. Tickets are $10.
For more information, call me at 317-9027 or 317-9052.
Marsha Kat
Thanks
In January, an article was written in The Panama News by Emily
Zhukov about our Women's Center in Colon. In spite of the lots
donated by the Panamanian government to build a bigger center,
we, the Sisters of Mercy with many volunteers, are struggling.
We aim to change horror to hope in the lives of many poor mothers
and their abandoned children.
Thanks to those who have responded with donations for our BRICK
campaign and others who got in touch to help in other ways. Please
continue to keep us in mind and know that we pray for you each
day. Your names are being placed on our "wall of gratitude." God
bless you all.
Sister Barbara Ozelski, RSM
Sister Dina Altamiranda, RSM
Sisters of Mercy
Apdo 0301-00247 Colon, Panama
Tel. 441-0828 (Women's Center)
Fax. 441-1820
