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Volume 14, Number 9
May 4 - 17, 2008


business & economy

Also in this section:
Companies asking for another electric rate hike, likely to get it
Mayday 2008: the state of Panama's labor movement
Business & Economy Briefs
Can Six Diamond adapt to local conditions and succeed in Bocas?
Flouting an ancient construction code in the mangroves of San Carlos
Previous Business & Economy Briefs




Shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand
photos and story by Eric Jackson

Above we see some new construction in the mangroves behind the municipal cemetery in San Carlos. It seems that the land was sold by the city. How legal is this? That's a good question. Public property on the beaches is supposed to go inland from the high water mark --- but mangroves by their very nature are within the high water mark, at least part of the time.

Just the other side of the mangroves from this construction we see a beach that people use (below). And then at the bottom, on the other side of the river --- actually at this point a little tidal estuary --- we see a business offering lodging to tourists.

Laws, customary uses, who has political influence or family ties with whom --- all of these things may be interesting questions, but they're all beside the point.

It's not exactly a new discovery that building on the sand isn't a good idea. It was already ancient wisdom when, nearly two millennia ago, St. Matthew in his Gospel described the man who builds on the sand as a fool, without feeling the need to explain why.







Also in this section:
Companies asking for another electric rate hike, likely to get it
Mayday 2008: the state of Panama's labor movement
Business & Economy Briefs
Can Six Diamond adapt to local conditions and succeed in Bocas?
Flouting an ancient construction code in the mangroves of San Carlos
Previous Business & Economy Briefs

News | Economy | Culture | Opinion | Lifestyle | Science | Outdoors
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Make the Executive Hotel your headquarters in Panama City --- http://ww.executivehotel-panama.com
Find the boat of your dreams through Evermarine --- http://www.evermarine.com

 

© 2008 by Eric Jackson
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Eric Jackson
att'n The Panama News
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