letters

Understand that the editor is a former lawyer, who practiced in another country

Questions about Panamanian laws

Hello. I live in California. I want to buy a vacation home in Panama, but I am concerned about the drug laws in Panama. I like to smoke pot, but what are the penalties for this in Panama?

I’m asking you because I want to hear it from people in Panama.

My other question is what are the gun laws there? Can you own one? Do you need a license?

Name withheld

Editor’s note: Marijuana is illegal here. To be sure, many people use it and possession of a small amount is treated as a relatively minor offense, but in Panama when a drug offense is alleged, the burden of proof shifts and it is the accused who must show his or her innocence. We have no exception for medical use here, either.

Foreign visitors caught with small amounts of marijuana have been known to get thrown out of the country, which is much preferable to being locked up in one of Panama’s hellish places of incarceration. If you buy real estate and are caught growing marijuana on that land, the property can be confiscated.

Firearms require a permit, and one of the things that must be done to get one of these is to come up with a negative sample in a urinalysis test for illegal drug use.

For a more detailed rundown of Panamanian drug and firearms laws, it's better to consult a lawyer who is registered to practice in Panama. I am not one of those, and moreover I let my State Bar of Michigan membership lapse years ago.

Lynching?

To begin with, muchas gracias for all your journalistic efforts. "The Panama News" has been a tremendous source of current Panama news.

However, I have a quibble.

How do you define lynching? You're technically correct, calling it an attempted lynching. I grew up in the south, Memphis to be more specific, and that word always seemed to carry the connotation of death (usually by hanging from a tree) of the unfortunate negro who assumed they were protected by a civil society. Emmet Till comes to mind immediately.

However, a group of friends and family of someone who just got killed by an illegal busdriver, that got out of hand and beat the s--- out of him can hardly be compared to a KKK organized murder.

It just doesn't sound right. Maybe vigilantes. No, that doesn't sound right either.

How about "Angry Crowd Assaults Incompetent Busdriver?”

Greg Severs

Editor’s note: Although one of our major political parties was founded by a group that went around in KKK robes during the 1920s and advocated the expulsion of those of Afro-Caribbean, Asian and Middle Eastern ancestry from the isthmus, it is true that Panama has never gone to the sorts of extremes of racism that are part of US history.

In the case in question an enraged crowd was trying to kill the bus driver, who was only saved by police intervention.

If one looks at lynch law down through history, the victims were usually accused of some sort of misconduct, and in many cases they actually did what the mobs said that they did. However legitimate the grievance, this sort of mob violence is corrosive of all notions of justice and common human decency, and should never be taken lightly.

New Year’s greetings and advice

All the best for 2006, may all your dreams and wishes come true and more. I am glad to hear you decided to not do a printed publication. I think it is a great idea, but financially….

About selling more ads, which way the paper should go, and gripes from readers with you like the adoption letter this month --- do what you think is the right thing. It is your paper and it is you that have made it into what it is becoming and you are the reason why I and many other people read it. It is you who bring to our attention the scam artists and the child molesters.

 We are all here for a short time, don't let success and money drive you (not that I think it does, otherwise you would be doing something else). You are doing a great service.

Juan (I think I am the only Juan born and raised in South Africa)

Editor’s note: If the money situation improves to make it possible, I would take The Panama News back into print publication. I may even make some business alliances to do this. However, any print edition would be secondary to the website. Quite frankly, between here and there there would be a need to hire somebody to run the business that’s The Panama News, because I’m a terrible businessman. But I tend to procrastinate and mull things over, and though I will listen to all sorts of suggestions and proposals, I  am far more picky about what I’ll accept.

Looking for family

My name is Irma and I was born in Panama,,, adopted and brought to the USA in 1965. I am still looking for familia in Panama and I am on the ancestry.com message board under Ortiz......Is there any other resources your paper can provide for me to continue my search in Panama? Thank you for your time and patience with this matter.

CHORTEGYRL@aol.com

Fan mail

Hats off to you for the many years you have provided excellent first hand reporting. May you have many more years of success. I have been living in Panama for over three years, and have seen first hand the guts it takes to publish articles that inform locals and potential retirees here in Panama. The Panama News is one of those papers, offering excellent information, first hand knowledge and up to the minute reporting. I have seen this editor go through many unwarranted problem to then become victorious in providing the truth. Many scammers have tried to damage this editor’s credibility and have never succeeded as of yet. We have only seen those scammers end up in jail. Eric was the first to report many of these individuals, at great risk because in Panama there are laws that the criminals use to hide behind and then use actual laws to stop the truth from coming out.

Thanks again for a job well done!

Dr. Jerry Hall