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Questions, comments and a cautionary tale

To live in Panama is "cheap," they say

We hear about how little it costs to live in Panama, Nobody says or writes how much ONE KWH of electricity costs. This is the most basic expense. In the US homes pay around 11 cents per KWH. So, what is cost of 1 KWH of electricity in Panama?

The lower the cost the better for Panama and people who want to move there.

Editor's note: This will vary, as you will get a subsidy if you don't use much electricity for your residence. The Panama News pays its electric bill at a predetermined amount as part of its office rent. My mother, who uses too much electricity to get the subsidy, pays a little more than 18.1¢ per kilowatt hour. 

Now you know the main reason why Panama is not going to take many manufacturing jobs from the United States, even with a free trade agreement.

When the government privatized the old IRHE electric company during the Pérez Balladares administration, it retained a large minority stake in the electric business (it did so in the telephone privatization, too) and thus our very high electric rates are in part a hidden tax.

And how do they justify it? Not very convincingly. It is said that, although almost all of our power can be and is generated by hydroelectric dams, during the waning days of some dry seasons and at peak usage times now and then the dams don't generate enough power, so plants that burn fossil fuels must make up the difference. Because of that, the government regulators price all electricity as if it were generated by the most expensive means, and peg the price of power to the world price of oil. The rates get adjusted twice a year and are expected to go down a bit in July.

A reader who has drunk of the Chagres River

I've been a long time reader of The Panama News, first when I was in Panama as a soldier working for the US Army and then when I left active duty and became a civilian. I have always been interested in the news of and about Panama as my wife is Panamanian and as the saying goes, if you stay in Panama too long, it changes you. I have always been fascinated by Panama's political system, mainly because the US political system appears to be so boring and uninteresting. It's also probably because I'm on the outside looking in and I can never seem to quite understand how Panamanians can get things done in their system. Your recent articles in The Panama News, as have many articles in the past, have helped me understand Panama's politics better, for that I must say thank you.

I've always enjoyed your writing style and your honest reporting. I am also pained to hear Jose has a chipped lens. As a photographer I feel the pain and hope his pain is resolved soon. He has some amazing images that he should be proud to show and have in his portfolio.

Please keep up the great work, stay honest, and keep your chin up. Good things lay ahead for Panama and it's people and I hope to read about it in The Panama News.

Readers everywhere

My scare in El Cangrejo

Today was a normal quiet Sunday (my favorite day in Panama) in El Cangrejo for me until about 1:00 p.m.

I went to buy a pizza at the place where the Einstein head is. I parked my car in front of the Canadian school there as Sunday it is empty. I got out and looked at the pizza place, and saw that it was closed. There was a man waiting beside his car, next to mine. I asked him if he knew of a pizza place nearby. He thought about it for a minute, then said no.

Just as I was back in my car and about to drive away, he tapped on the passenger side window. I lowered the window halfway to let him tell me about the pizza place he just remembered. He kept pointing the other direction to show me the street I should drive toward, in doing so his hand kept coming into the car. It may not have been weird if the window was all the way down, but it was too awkward what he had to do. It seemed like he wanted me to turn my head so he could grab my purse that was sitting on the seat. I quickly and politely said thank you, and pulled away.

Looking back, I saw the man quickly get into his car and pull out, so fast that we almost backed into each other. It just felt strange. I kept an eye on him as he followed me down to Via Argentina, then on to Via España, then zig zagging through Obarrio, where it became clear that I was DEFINITELY being followed. He continued to follow me onto Calle 50, all the way to ATLAPA, then back around to Niko’s Café in front of Multi Plaza. I was on the phone with my parents making plans as to where I should drive, as I realized that I have NO idea where the police stations are in this town.

He pulled up next to me as we slowed for a light. I motioned to him asking why he was following me. His windows were tinted mirror tint, so I could not see in. He ended up ahead of me in the lane next to me. The light turned green and he didn’t go. Cars were honking to him to move, and finally he had to. I, of course took the opportunity to take a right hand turn where he could not and got away and met my parents at Price Mart.

When we came out, I really felt another car was following me from there, though am not as sure as the other. I was able to get away and lose this car after doing a lap past my apartment. I know many of the guys who are waiting to kidnap women and take them to the cash machines work in teams.

This is the first time anything like this has happened to me. Panama feels like such a safe place to me, and I realize now how much I leave my guard down here. I am so glad that something about my instincts told me to beware and be AWARE during this situation, and nothing bad came of it.

This week and moving forward, my goals are to:

1. Know the police stations in the city

2. Make sure I know the emergency numbers

3. Always remember to have ½ tank or more of gas

4. Be more aware of my surroundings

I feel very fortunate to be able to tell this story without a bad ending. Please be sure to spread the word that we need to be careful, conscientious, and not to forget that things can happen to any of us, no matter where in the world we are. Make sure you also know where the police stations are, and what the emergency numbers are. Share this story so that we can all be more conscious in our day to day lives and avoid what could have come next.

This happened five minutes from my house in a corner that I walk by EVERY DAY. I am taking this as a warning and an opportunity to make sure it never happens again, and if it does…. I will at least be prepared. I hope you will too.

The Pope’s visit to Africa and comments against condoms

I commend Pope Benedict XVI for his hard stand against artificial contraception which thwarts the natural generation of life. His position is meant to provide Catholics as well as non-Catholics with a moral compass for authentic freedom.

Freedom does not rest in one’s ability to do as one pleases. "Ye shall be as gods." This promise is quite clearly behind modernity's radical demand for freedom. Such anarchical freedom does not redeem, but makes man a miscarried creature, a pointless being.

Pope Paul VI rightly predicted back in 1968 that failure to follow the dictates of Natural Law regarding contraception would lead to a lowering of moral standards, a rise in infidelity and promiscuity, a lessening of respect for women and government-enforced limitations on population.

Those who advocate condoms to stem the spread of the deadly virus HIV/AIDS are thus misguided as they only aggravate the problem. The only foolproof and morally legitimate solution to preventing AIDS is abstinence and marital fidelity.