I
can understand your staff's dislike of the US military or even a US
presence being in Panama again. In fact, I believe we should cut out
all foreign aid to everyone, including Panama. Also, this includes
not even signing or approving any free trade agreement with Panama
too. We have our own problems here in the US. I think we should take
the US dollar out of Panama too. I think it's time for Panama to
stand on its own. Panama can make its own currency. You have your own
coins. Oh I forgot, the US Treasury produces your coins too. I'll
tell you what, let's trade presidents. Martinelli can't be any worse
than the idiot we have in the White House here!
G.J. SSG,
US Army, Retired
Editor's
note: Actually, Panama's coins are made at the Royal Canadian Mint.
Jadran
I
was astonished how well this article was written in perfect English.
Written by a genuine associacion of indigenas? Certainly, there are
Ngabes who have a higher education, who have studied, and probably
some who speak very good English. And of course one can hire an
interpreter or a native English editor. But the thing smells somehow
strange, too perfect for my nose.
After
reading the article I googled "Jadran Panama" and came up
with their website.
There
it says:
Jädrán
constantemente acepta nuevos miembros de la región. Los miembros
deben firmar un libro de miembros que se puede encontrar en las
reuniones.
Las
reuniones son
en Oma los Jueves, Chami los viernes y en Rincón los sábados. Todos
los que participan reciben almuerzo al finalizar la reunión.
In
short, they are looking for new members via meetings where
participants receive a lunch at the end of the meeting ... possibly
after having signed for membership.
The
question is, who pays for all this, a professionally made website,
perfectly written articles in english, meals for participants of
their meetings? Follow the money, that's always the best advice if
you want to learn about someones interest.
Of
course they don't talk about this, so one has to look for hints in
their arguments.
1)
Jädrán
trabajará con sus comunidades para vender la concesión a una
compañía minera responsable que esté preparada para darle a
nuestra gente un precio justo por nuestra parte de la concesión y
darle a su gente trabajo, educación y entrenamiento. Jädrán
utilizará el dinero para beneficio de sus comunidades y toda la
Comarca.
Short:
They want to get half of the concession rights from the government
and sell it to a "responsible mining company" for a "just
price." Some people will get their cut, of course, before this
money arrives at the base. And what would be a "responsible"
mining company?
But
hey, isn't this exactly what the governement has been also promising:
responsible mining, development of the indigenous communities through
the exploitation of Cerro Colorado? Perhaps we should look in this
direction?
2)
La
reciente
reforma al código minero trajo muchas protestas, sin embargo esta
ley no tiene nada que ver con el desarrollo de Cerro Colorado.
Esta
Ley fue
creada con la intención de permitir que Gobiernos de otros países
pudieran invertir en proyectos mineros como el caso de Minera Panamá.
En el caso de Cerro Colorado, todavía no hay ningún proyecto minero
por lo tanto esta ley no tiene ningún efecto para los Ngobes.
Al
contrario
de lo
que muchas personas piensan, la ley tiene varias mejoras, como lo son
la consulta a las comunidades y el cuidado con el medio ambiente.
Short:
People who are against the newly reformed mining law are wrong. Just
as the government said, the new law has nothing to do with Cerro
Colorado. It has brought improvements like consultations with the
communities and the care for the environment.
Just
as the government said.
These
people have indeed understood that the government has only the very
best intentions for the environment, as is shown by the many
hydroelectric projects and the pollution and impunity in Petaquilla,
as well as by the previous law that allows the government to do
without studies of environmental impact if a project is considered
socially important by them. Which looks like a contradiction if one
considers that socially important projects are generally big projects
which automatically have a big environmental impact.
So
once
again, who
is financing Jadran? I think the answer is not so difficult.
name
withheld
Editor's
note: We know that Jadran leader Rogelio Moreno is on the
government's payroll, $600 per month through the Ministry of
Government and Justice. Claudia Figueroa --- "Prensa en
Resistencia" --- broke that news and found herself under arrest
a few days later. We also know that Jadran has a Canadian advisor who
has dealt with major Canadian mining firms, although it's not clear
whether it's a matter of corporate sponsorship or someone from one of
Canada's first nations who just believes in the possibilities of this
sort of development strategy. In any case, the late mining law's five
percent royalty provision wouldn't even come close to mitigating the
environmental damages, let alone finance meaningful improvements to
the lives of people in the comarca or anywhere else in Panama.
For
the record, this editor does not think that the question of
exploiting mineral resources ought to be closed. However, the
paradigm of huge strip mines operating under conditions that generate
as much money as possible as quickly as possible at profit margins
competitive with the world's most rapacious companies, and exporting
unprocessed minerals, is the heresy of fanatics who worship imaginary
markets and would sacrifice the people, wildlife, land, sky and
waters of Panama to their neo-pagan gods. Taking a bit of copper out
of the ground under carefully controlled circumstances, and smelting
and forming this into wire, sheeting and other copper products, would
be a better development strategy. But before any of that happens,
Panama's constitution and practices must be brought into compliance
with international law: indigenous people must own and control the
minerals found upon and under their lands.
Bad
reputation for Panama
It
was with deep sorrow we all watched soccer player L.M. kick a wounded
owl at a football stadium. How can anyone be so cruel to a helpless
animal? This is a shame for Panama the player L.M. has given your
country all over the world!
O.H.
Jonsson
Well,
at least a bad reputation, plus a fine and a suspension, for
Panamanian soccer player Luis Moreno. Around the world bird lovers,
and people who respect wildlife in general, were deeply offended. But
this happened in Barranquilla, Colombia, where these owls are thought
to bring good luck and are revered as symbols of the city and team,
so Moreno is not the most popular guy there.
Ash
Wednesday
Ash
Wednesday (March 9) marks the beginning if the season of Lent. It is
a time when we fast with joy, submitting ourselves to spiritual
struggles in preparation for the sorrowful Passion and joyful
Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
What
is demanded of all Christians at this time is fasting, abstinence,
restriction of personal desires and pleasures, intense prayer,
confession, and similar ascetic elements.
Lent
is a sacred time of divine grace, which seeks to detach us from
things material, lowly and corrupt in order to attract us toward
things superior, wholesome and spiritual. It is a unique opportunity
to remove from the soul every inordinate passion so as to make room
for the immense rejoicing and gladness of Easter.
Limiting
ourselves to what is absolutely essential and necessary in an
attitude of dignified, deliberate simplicity is a formula for
patience and tolerance; it is an opportunity to acknowledge and
emphasize our need for God's assistance and mercy, placing our
complete trust in His affectionate providence; it is a prescription
for salvation.
Let
us be up and on our way.
Paul
Kokoski Hamilton,
Ontario Canada
Metropolitan
Nature Park
How
we wish we had a park like this close to us! It is an absolute haven
in such close proximity to a major urban center. What a unique
treasure of Panama this oasis is from the city hustle and
bustle. We
spent hours watching birds around every turn. The combination of flora and fauna
were fascinating for these two North
Carolinians from the
USA. Once we were just a short distance up the path to the summit,
all sounds of traffic and city life were absorbed by the lush
forest. Our jaws dropped when we reached the summit and took in
the incredible 360 degree vistas. On the way down we encountered many
fellow nature lovers and Panamanian and foreign students on field
trips.
This
park is a living gem for native Panamanians and visitors alike.
B.
Chase USA
Guitar
talent
I
want to introduce you to a guitar talent that I predict will be very
successful and in demand in this current generation. Edgar Vargas
Fernandez performed last Sunday with his band out of David, Panama,
"Sinemsamble Jazz Quartet" at the Boquete Jazz Festival…
and they blew the crowd away. All of them were highly talented and
playing well together, but for me the standout was Edgar on guitar.
Later that day he came to where our band was playing and sat in. It
has been a long time since I met a talent, especially this young,
that had such huge ears along with technical efficiency. Not only was
he talented, but he was just obviously a SUPER nice young man inside
and out, courteous, straight. I just sense great things for this kid.
It helped make our long weekend worthwhile going to the Boquete Jazz
Festival to know that these kinds of young talents are still on the
up and coming. It gives me renewed hope for our world during these
trying times.
I
thought you might enjoy some of his home spun videos from his YouTube
page… performed in his humble home. Now, if I can only get him to
play on my CD recording....
