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Succinct letters this time

Crime statistics in Panama versus South Carolina

A couple weeks ago El Panama America (a major daily newspaper here in Panama) published crime statistics for the entire country for January, 2006. Being a curious sort, and loving analogies, I meandered the net until I found a state that was about the right size --- South Carolina --- with a population not too far off. 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 Bill Gates’ trusty Excel is a great tool, and I was able to normalize the data (gotta keep in practice!). For the finicky, note that if Panama’s population 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 (388%)

·  Aggravated Assault (with guns or knives): Panama 132 - South Carolina 1534 (+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.

Further, when violent crime happens (as opposed to white collar crime…) there is a high rate of capture. Whether this has to do with fact that the country really is small, and the population accessible, or with the occasional stupidity of the criminal element is unclear. We had a friend whose neighbor was robbed at gunpoint at 2 AM last month in his house --- pretty strange when you consider that most houses are locked up pretty tight. It turned out that the man and his friend doing the robbing had been working in the house for the owner for the week before, so the owner was able to give a very good description and he was quickly apprehended. Your choice --- good police work or incredible stupidity!

Jennifer Wolcott

Our hate mail (1)

Just now read Letters, and found that ugly letter from one Thomas Lane. You must admit he certainly does write a nice obnoxious letter.

While reading it, I thought he deserves an award. I think The Panama News should give out an award, like call it, The Dirk (dagger) Award. The receipent could then cut their own throat.

We in Panama need an award to hand out to people like this Lane nut. I know we should best just forget them, but then we leave them to run amok and bug other fine folks.

May the King of the Panama jungle, swallow Lane up and bring him back as the insect he is.

Just my thoughts on a real second class imbecile.

Glen Pense

Our hate mail (2)

I am a Panamanian living in New York and I always enjoy your editorials and opinions that are pretty objective and impartial.

Recently reading some of the hate letters addressed to The Panama News and to you, I must confess to be appalled and disgusted.

Is this the quality and the moral character of the American expatriates who are relocating in Panama? What kind of image are those American expatriates giving to people of Panama? Panama's people in their majority are laid back, friendly and warm. Why does the government of Panama have to let into the country those "non grata" American expatriates to live and do business in Panama when it is obvious they don't know HOW to live peacefully and in a civilized peaceful "free from racism" society like Panama?

Sometimes civilization doesn't mean WHERE had you been born, BUT HOW a person behaves… no matter where that person had been born or raised … Nigeria ... Panama ... Brazil ... Liberia....

Just because one is born in the United States, Canada or another rich country doen't mean a person is born "civilized."

Lots of congratulations to your well conducted, objective and very professional journalism.

Maria Biffel

Editor's note: First, not all the hate mail that gets into our letters section is from expats, and second, the most vicious screeds coming from American expats are almost always from those who seek to make their living by predatory business practices that victimize other members of the American community here. Successive Panamanian governments have welcomed many of the worst foreigners, and sometimes politicians even try to "appoint" them as community leaders. It's left to the community to protect itself, primarily by shunning the hustlers.

Trying to locate my mother

My name is Denise Nicole Mitchell, at least that is the name I believe I was known by when I lived in Panama. I was given away by my mother, Norma Duff, when I was about five years old. I am currently 34 and am desperately trying to locate her. The thing is I've researched many, many different people search programs, some I've paid for, to no avail because they don't service South America. I would appreciate if you could tell me the proper channels to go through to try and locate her. I currently reside in Lancaster, South Carolina, United States. If you could help me get set on the right path I would greatly appreciate it. Be it a number to the hall of records or anything of use. Thank you so much!

Denise N. Moore
Phone: (803) 285-2154

Editor's note: There are three Duffs listed in the phone directory for Panama City, Norma not being one of them. However, they could be related.

If your mother is or was a Panamanian there ought to be records of her at the Tribunal Electoral, which in addition to running elections is in charge of the national ID cards known as cedulas.The number for the Tribunal Electoral's Registro Civil is (507) 207-8000.

Likes our email updates

The email updates are great, no need to make excuses, keep up the good work :-D

Paul Newman
South Africa

Briefly…

There was a time when the letters you published were brief and to the point.

Sad to say, some of the more recent correspondence makes War and Peace look like a short story.

Please can you ask readers to limit their letters to say, only 18 pages in length?

Old Man Blanco