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Even birdbrains can become symbols of wisdom... And vice-versa. So should we start calling those in high places who have called a "national dialogue" to end the Seguro Social crisis that excludes those who are on strike against the reforms "Your Mediocrity" instead of "Your Excellency?" Should we call those who convene a "dialogue" on the precondition that there will be no changes something even worse? I know that out on the streets, a lot of people are doing just that. But wait, Minister of Government and Justice Héctor Alemán protests --- the administration can't talk to the strikers because the latter claim to be speaking for "the people." Well, yes, that is a common conceit in leftist circles. And it's found not only on that side of the political spectrum --- the "Partido Popular" that serves as the PRD's junior partner in government also does that by its very name, when in reality they command the support of something less than five percent of the Panamanian people. How bad is such conceit? Let me put it this way: I cringe every time I hear, either in English or its Spanish original, that stupid chant "The people united will never be defeated," a slogan coined by the Chilean left of Salvador Allende's time, which of course was disastrously defeated. The best response to this particular nonsense came from a little anarchist group I heard some years ago in the USA, who when some stodgy commies trotted out that trite chant chimed in with "A slogan exhausted should never be repeated." Anyway, the Partido Popular's scant following doesn't look all that bad when one considers that a recent Dichter & Neira poll gave Martín Torrijos a 21 percent approval rating. Compare that to the nearly 30 percent of the vote that Noriega's man got in the 1989 electoral fiasco. In just a few months Torrijos has blown the support of more than half of those who supported him in last year's elections and about one-third of all hardcore PRD supporters. And if Alemán objects to SUNTRACS et al invoking the name of the people, working men and women all across Panama must surely raise the same objections when multimillionaire Samuel Lewis Navarro opines about who speaks for this country's workers. In part the striking unions do, in part they don't, but surely the vice president does not speak for working people and lacks the life experience to ever do so. The continuing crisis over the president's Seguro Social reforms is recounted and debated in our news, opinion and letters sections this time and the dispute is unlikely to blow over soon. However, those of you in the states who are thinking about a rainy season visit ought to understand something about this social strife. Yes, the US State Department stuck its nose into the matter by taking a stand in favor of the unpopular reforms in La Prensa, and this has led some of the protesters to allege that President Torrijos is sacrificing Panamanians to please the US government. But no, Americans are not the target of anybody's wrath down here. A few people have sent me emails saying that they are postponing trips to Panama, and mostly I think these are unfortunate. One person with business to do down here said that he doesn't have the time to get stuck in traffic jams caused by protesters blocking the road and fears that the strike could close some of the offices he needs to visit. Those are reasonable concerns. Others have said that they fear that they will be the targets of mob violence, but I think those fears are far-fetched. This is an argument among Panamanians and even the Bush administration's maladroit diplomacy isn't going to change that. By the way, there is another local resident, that symbol of wisdom shown above --- a spectacled owl who happens to have a bird's brain --- who may have a different reason to be unhappy with President Torrijos. The owl's picture was taken by Karl Kofmann in the woods at the former Fort Clayton, which are scheduled to be razed for a controversial housing development. This unfortunate raptor stands to lose not only its perch, but more importantly the forest ecosystem that allows it to hunt for a living. Environmentalist and historic preservationist protesters recently held an overnight campout and nature seminar for local kids near the disputed construction site, and we lead our outdoors section with photos of that event. Another story with possible environmental and historical implications is slowly dribbling out, this time in the business section. Recall that in the last issue's outdoors section we took a look at a hydroelectric project in San Carlos district about which few of the locals knew. Now we have learned that power generation may not be the main reason for this project, which would explain the flagrantly low quality of the large pipe connecting the retaining tank and the place where the generating plant would go. A smaller pipe, apparently to provide water for a golf course community that under construction a few miles away, appears to be more soundly built. And when we went out to take a look at the site a few weeks ago and had to wade across the Rio Teta, shards of pre-Columbian indigenous pottery were noted along the river bank. ANAM has not met its own estimate of when a copy the 1998 environmental impact statement will be produced, but when The Panama News gets ahold of that document it's bound to be the subject of further reporting. (Look as well in future issues for more coverage of Panama's most spectacular historical preservation controversy of all --- it seems that for whatever reason the National Police, who had been guarding the remains of what may be Christopher Columbus's caravel the Vizcaina for several years, let down their guard and allowed the early 16th century sunken vessel near Nombre de Dios to be looted.) Also herein, student intern Joel Inwood went to Boquete and came back with several items, most notably the tales of the world's best coffee and of an insect invasion that could play havoc with Panamanian coffee growers. This issue also features the debut of another student volunteer, FSU-Panama's Tomás Guardia A., who reports on part of the continuing effort to improve security at Tocumen Airport. In a future issue we will take one of our periodic reader surveys, which those of you who know anything about the science of polling are bound to realize will because of its reader response methodology not be perfectly random. We do know, however, that most of our readers abroad have historic ties to Panama, but that a growing number of folks who have never been here but are considering a visit or a move to the isthmus are clicking onto this website. The tiniest vignettes can contain important information for such people. To wit, city driving conditions during one of our rainy season tropical cloudbursts, or the impending onset of the elephant grass pollen season that can make a flight from the latitudes of goldenrod and ragweed something less than a complete escape for those with hay fever. Ah, but for every flower that makes such a person sneeze, this little corner of paradise has many more to brighten even the rainiest of days. Enjoy.
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