Tender: $62 million for Driver’s Licenses


News from Panama

Susie and I recently renewed our drivers licenses here in Panama and the system is great.  Took all of 20 minutes and we are good to go for another 5 years. A tender is being launched in Panama for a service to issue driver’s licenses and vehicle ownership cards, as well as issuance of cards for weights […]

August 16, 2017

Panama: Incentives to Forestry Sector Extended


News from Panama

Another bit of good news for the environment in Panama. The Assembly approved extending to the forestry sector a program of fiscal incentives, such as exemption of income tax, real estate and introduction, among others. From a statement issued by from the National Assembly: A few months after finalizing a series of prerogatives for forestryactivities, the […]

August 16, 2017

Generali signs $172m agreement to sell Panama business


News from Panama

Generali has entered into an agreement to sell its business in Panama, the latest in a series of exits from Latin American markets for the Italian insurer.   The company will sell its Panama City branch, including its insurance portfolio, to ASSA Compañía de Seguros for around $172m (£131m, €145m). Based in Panama City, ASSA […]

August 16, 2017

Panama Ready to Send FATCA Reports


News from Panama

Since August 8, the online tax tool for sending reports to the US tax administration has been available online. From a statement issued by the Ministry of Economy and Finance:   The General Directorate of Revenue (DGI) announced that, as of today, the IT solution for FATCA & AEOI reports is available. This website can […]

August 16, 2017

Foreign Investment Figures in Central America


News from Panama

In 2016 44% of foreign direct investment in the region was concentrated in Panama, and a fourth consecutive year of increases was recorded, with 16%, while Costa Rica received 27% and increased by only 1.1%. From chapter I of the report “Flows of FDI in Latin America and the Caribbean”, by the ECLAC: FDI into […]

August 16, 2017

Panama: Legal intervention of Reinsurer


News from Panama

For failing to comply with minimum capital requirements, the Superintendency of Insurance has ordered the intervention into Alliance Re Reassurance Suisse S.A. for a period of six months. For failing to comply with article 47 of the insurance market law, the Board of Directors of the Superintendency decided to take over operation of the reinsurer for 180 days. In addition to breaching […]

August 16, 2017

Americans sentenced in Panama for 5 murders


News from Panama

It was good news to hear of Wild Bill’s prison sentence.  This guy was an animal and believed to have committed more murders.  He will rot in prison as he should.   U.S. citizen William Dathan Holbert was sentenced to 47 years in prison by a court in Panama for robbing and killing five other […]

August 16, 2017

Meet the Youngest Coffee Farmer in Boquete, Panama


News from Panama

Michael Butterworth cofounder of the Coffee Compass did an interview of Keith Pech who is a coffee grower here in Boquete.   Earlier this year we traveled to Boquete, Panama for the Best of Panama competition. While we were there we met a remarkable young coffee farmer named Keith Pech, who manages his family’s farm […]

August 16, 2017

Plastic Bags Banned in Panama


News from Panama

This is  bold move on Panama’s part and a welcome one for our environment. The Assembly has approved a law prohibiting the delivery of disposable and non-biodegradable plastic bags to end consumers in supermarkets and commercial establishments. From a statement issued by the National Assembly of Panama: The proposal is that establishments will proceed with the […]

August 16, 2017

Panamax 2017 Focuses On Panama Canal Security


News from Panama

  This week Fort Sam Houston is playing host to Panamax, an annual U.S. Southern Command-sponsored multinational exercise focused on maintaining the stability of the Panama Canal region. 26 countries are taking part.   The Panama Canal is one of the most strategically important pieces of infrastructure in the world. Six percent of the world’s […]

August 16, 2017