Carlos Aleman is your “Mr Everything” in Panama and is the personal choice of yours truly “The Panama Gringo”.

A little history will help set the stage:

I have been coming to Panama for almost four years now (before the rapid real estate development, before the Veneto and before it became the hot place to be). My Spanish is limited so I searched out a driver/confidant/helper/translater with whom I could partner to make my experience more pleasant. I was going to be setting up a business, buying a condo and figuring out the lay of the land and I needed someone to help me work the system. You know how we “gringos” are so inpatient.

My first attempts were Read more

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Some people in Panama believe a new free trade agreement with the United States will help the country’s poor, according to a poll by Dichter & Neira published in La Prensa. 38.6 per cent of respondents think poverty will decrease once the deal is implemented, while 31.6 per cent believe it will stay the same.

Martín Torrijos – the son of Omar Torrijos, an army general who ruled Panama from 1968 to 1981 – won the May 2004 presidential election as a candidate for the Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD) with 47.44 per cent of the vote.

On Jun. 28, the U.S. and Panama signed a free trade deal that will, among other things, eliminate tariffs Read more

Location Ricardo Arias at Calle 52, near the Marriott Hotel
City Panama City
Phone 214-3815
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Price Main courses $6.50-$15

The Panama Gringos Review
This is our must stop for lunch every time we are in PC. Great Kabobs, a few English speaking waiters, a owner/chef who takes a lot of pride in his delivery of food and service and great ambience and hookahs.

Get the greek salad – very tasty. The hummus is also very good as are the chicken and steak kabobs. This place serves Pepsi instead of Coke (one of the few in Panama) which makes them A-OK in my book..

Give it a try – you can’t go wrong.

Frommer’s Review
This is an Read more

Carlos Aleman is your “Mr Everything” in Panama and is the personal choice of yours truly “The Panama Gringo”.

A little history will help set the stage:

I have been coming to Panama for almost four years now (before the rapid real estate development, before the Veneto and before it became the hot place to be). My Spanish is limited so I searched out a driver/confidant/helper/translater with whom I could partner to make my experience more pleasant. I was going to be setting up a business, buying a condo and figuring out the lay of the land and I needed someone to help me work the system. You know how we “gringos” are so inpatient.

My first attempts were Read more

Starwood started an aggressive expansion with twelve new hotel projects in in Latin America; Mexico, Central America -and South America.

This growth aligns with Starwood’s strategy to expand its global footprint in international markets and capture business in some of Latin America’s most desirable emerging markets. Starwood is the largest and fastest growing hotel company in its segment in Latin America.

Notable projects in Latin America include the first W in South America and the first Westin in Mexico City. Westin is also opening its first hotel in Honduras, while St. Regis is adding three new hotels in the region, including one in Costa Rica. Le Meridien, Sheraton and Four Points by Sheraton are also adding new properties in Latin Read more

Land in Panama is not taxable if the value of the property is $30,000 or less. Property valued above that is taxable. Improvements like a house may have an exoneration for up to 20 years so this comment is only about the land not the improvements. In the past it has been a benefit to both the buyer and seller to minimize the on paper value of a land sale. Lower captial gains for the seller, lower or no property taxes to the buyer.

Enter change. Property owners have until December 2007 to have their property reappraised to market value. This provides the owner a tax free increase in basis which will reduce the capital gains on sale, but if Read more

Barranquilla – The Panamanian Minister of Agricultural Development, Guillermo Salazar, met representatives of the Cooperativa de Servicios Múltiples de Puerto Armuelles (Coosemupar), to discuss the alternatives to convert the unproductive areas of banana into palm oil plantations. Members of the cooperative of palm oil producers of Chiriqui (Coopemapachi) also assisted to the meeting. The exchange of ideas will allow Coosemupar evaluating the possibility to convert in the medium term the current 2,000 hectares of unproductive areas. Coopemapachi has 1,600 hectares of palm oil and have the scale to triple the current production, argued Mr. Salazar.

via FreshPlaza

In his first visit to the Republic of Panama and the Panama Canal on Sunday, U.N. Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon accompanied by Panamanian President Martín Torrijos, emphasized his support for the historic Canal expansion and highlighted the importance of the transoceanic waterway in global trade.

“This Canal has made a great contribution to the world trade and movement of the international community,” the South Korean dignitary wrote in his message as he signed the guestbook at the Miraflores Locks Control House.

more