Autonomous vehicles, aka self-driving cars, are coming. And the world is going to change because of them. A lot has been written about the “first order” effects of autonomous vehicles (AVs): How they will reduce traffic fatalities, make rides more comfortable, or put truck drivers out of work. But the bigger story here is the […]
While still about 40% the cost of construction in many countries, we are seeing a rise in labor and material costs for building in Panama. I built a luxury home for about $1,100 a M2 in 2014 and current prices on a luxury home that I am building now is up to around $1,250 per […]
Environmental impact studies have been submitted for the construction of a park for the generation of wind energy and another one for solar energy, both of 20MW of power. Data from the interactive information system “Construction in Central America“, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData. Detail of the projects: Energía Verde, S.A. submitted […]
This reminds me of the movie Dumb and Dumber! With 19% endemic poverty, 10% open unemployment and 40% informal employment, and some of the highest electricity rates in the region, Costa Rica is opposed to $1 billion in clean energy investments. EDITORIAL By Jorge Cobas González Meanwhile, the bureaucracy of state-owned companies continues to prescribe […]
A key issue to look into before you move somewhere is the financial health of the country. Panama is ranked the highest in Latin America. In line with the revision from stable to negative for the outlook for sovereign debt, Fitch Ratings has also downgraded the outlook for the debt of state banks and two […]
The bill presented by the Varela administration in the National Assembly stipulates sanctions of 2 to 5 years and fines up to 10 times the amount defrauded. From a statement issued by the Ministry of Economy and Finance: January 18, 2018 The Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) today presented to the National Assembly a […]
Reuters reports from Brussels. European Union finance ministers agreed on Tuesday to remove eight jurisdictions, including much-criticized Panama, from the bloc’s blacklist of tax havens, one month after the list was set up. The decision prompted an outcry from lawmakers and activists. Barbados, Grenada, South Korea, Macao, Mongolia, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates joined […]
Speeding up the execution of public projects and creating a public-private entity that enhances exports, are some of the proposals put forward by the business association to reactivate different economic sectors. From a statement issued by the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama: Although we expect growth of the Panamanian economy of approximately […]
In just four operations in the first 15 days of 2018, the Panamanian Public Forces intercepted 1,102 kilograms of cocaine. Units from the Panamanian Air and Naval Service (SENAN, in Spanish) conducted operations on the Pacific coast of Panama. As church bells still rang in the new year, SENAN interceptor boats patrolled Panama’s Pacific region. […]
In the wake of a high-profile tax evasion scandal, Panama’s economy and finance minister said Thursday that the country was working with the international community to combat financial crime and tax evasion. Dulcidio De La Guardia, Panama’s minister of economy and finance, said the problem of tax evasion was not limited to his country. Speaking […]