The Panama Canal expansion is a GO October 23, 2006
Panama City, Panama Dear Panama First Alert Reader, Sunday in Panama is usually a relaxing, enjoyable affair…afternoon drives, barbecues and visits to the beach abound. And on the surface, this past Sunday seemed like any other…maybe even quieter than usual. But it was perhaps the most exciting day in this young nation's history. As you know, yesterday Panamanians voted in a landmark referendum…one that posed the question: "Do you approve of the proposal to expand the Canal?" Just two hours after the polls had closed, local media were already confirming that the proposal had passed. In the end, over 900,000 Panamanians set out to vote, an overwhelming 78% of these saying "yes" to the proposed Panama Canal expansion. | As this Alert goes out, IL is wrapping up its first-ever Ultimate Event, right here in Panama, while history is being made. Sorry if you missed it, as the landmark event went exceedingly well (and comprised some of the absolute best surprises and discounts IL has ever offered). If you find yourself readier than ever to make a move to Panama, you really should have the Panama Owner's Manual…it's your only comprehensive reference to life in Panama…the real story. Read more here. |
This morning La Prensa, Panama's most widely circulated daily, carried the simple headline El Canal se ampliará, which means "Canal to be expanded." In the article, Panamanian President Martin Torrijos was quoted as saying that the referendum had been the most fair and transparent (and important) in Panamanian history. Some commented that voter turnout was low, with some 56% of voting-age Panamanians abstaining. However, public officials pointed out that in a 1992 referendum in Panama, abstention was close to 60%. Furthermore, an ex-magistrate stated that referendums in many other countries failed to attain more than 25% participation. Based on these figures, "yes" supporters consider yesterday's participation to have been above average. Some people went out of their way to vote, telling interviewers that they had traveled far to get to their polling station. In fact, one of our editorial staff members had to drive an hour and a half to the Caribbean town of Colon to vote. She said she was surprised at how calm everything seemed. It took her all of 10 minutes to cast her vote-she was given a simple ballot on which she found a large red box and a large green box, with the words "no" and "yes" printed above them, respectively. On her drive home, she passed some outdoor barbecues and congregations, but all seemed rather subdued. There were people at the mall, the movies, the grocery store…it was almost like any other Sunday (except for the sectioned off liquor aisle at the supermarket-Panama's "dry law" prohibits the sale of alcohol for at least 12 hours before and after a voting day.) Now that the proposal has been approved, the current administration has vowed to put together a coherent National Development Plan. The administration must also complete the project's financing. According to President Torrijos, the government will vie for the best terms to minimize any impact from debt. The government and the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) have already assured Panamanians that a small increase in tolls (post-completion) will pay-off all incurred debt. Seems it is full-steam ahead for now. If you thought Panama was noteworthy before, just wait-things are about to get interesting. We'll be keeping an eye out for news and report to you as the $5.2 billion project progresses. Best Regards, Brandon Clogston
International Living, Panama P.S. Now that you know what's in store for Panama, come down and check out this singular country for yourself. We have a superb Live & Prosper in Panama coming up this January…and as always, the early-birds get the best deals. For more information, write to Events@InternationalLiving.com. * Source: La Prensa newspaper, October 23, 2006. Learn More: Living in Panama Tourism in Panama | 
