The town of Boquete in Chiriqui is known for its coffee, its natural beauty, the various restaurants and hotels and the high-prized real estate. It's one of Panama's main tourism destinations and a known spot where people retire.
It's also on the edge of the Barú volcano, which is dormant but potentially dangerous, a 2007 report of the US Geological Survey warned:
"Given this history, Volcán Barú likely will erupt again in the near or distant future, following some premonitory period of seismic activity and subtle ground deformation that may last for days or months. Future eruptions will likely be similar to past eruptions—explosive and dangerous to those living on the volcano’s flanks. Outlying towns and cities could endure several years of disruption in the wake of renewed volcanic activity."
"Explosive and dangerous" eruptions, "several years of disruption" - you would expect that Panama is on top of the situation in terms of monitoring it, right?
Wrong!
La Prensa reports today that the Geological Institute of the University of Panama - in charge of monitoring volcanic and seismic activity - isn't updating its data, and experts say the monitoring stations are in the wrong places, where heavy traffic and people interfere with readings.
"If people want that data, let them write a letter", said Eduardo Camacho who heads the institute.
The University and thus the Geological Institute are funded with public money. Taxpayer money. But in our country, ruled and administered entirely by dimwits, dumbfucks and a corrupt rector with a fake doctorate, that doesn't mean that we get to know what they are doing with that money and if there is any threat coming from that volcano.
Compare that with Costa Rica, where a similar institute constantly updates its website, makes monthly reports available and just simply does its job without anyone having to write a letter.
So, Boquete, enjoy it while it lasts! When that volcano blows you'll be the last ones to know it, and only when it is too late anyway.
Panama perhaps should stop wasting its time on education.
Just admit that they don’t do “school”.
Its all about juega vivo and quick bucks here. Just have the private schools run courses for tourism and wait a few decades until the tourists arrive.
No one takes the National University seriously, it is expensive to run, badly attended by the professors, and has a campus that was last painted when the Dean was clip and pasting his Doctorate degree.
I think that the government stopped caring about the university the moment that Torrijos let the black and brown students in. The Rabiblanco’s no longer had the monopoly on higher education. So all the Rabis sent their kids off to the US and abandoned the public U after Torrijos died. Just a theory. I don’t think the U was always as pathetic as today.
Tell you something. I’ve been here ten years now, more or less, and nothing has changed in this country. Absolutely nothing. Forget all the hype and bullshit; it’s still the same corruption, same people, same “we don’t care” about poverty, education, health care, transportation; same lawyers, judges and prosecutors who can’t even write coherently; same unemployment, same poverty levels.
There hasn’t been any development at all. At least once every two days I see something in the news or in a paper and I think, “but we had this 8 years ago”. I go through my archives and find the same issue, same story. This must be the most stagnant country of the Americas. It will never go anywhere.
I have been here for over five years this time and was here in Panama twenty one years ago! The same Intersections flood and the same mudslides in the same Barrios! Nothing really new except all these high rises, Corridors(toll roads), stoplights and crime cameras that do not work or are falling apart with no support, maintenance, or infrastructure! The people I met back then seem to work hard and most I met spoke a little English! Today no one speaks English or even tries too! So from my view point the last five years are far behind what Panama was twenty one years ago! Too many self serving greedy, me first Panamanians, Expats and Gringo’s here now! Rudeness is a way of life now every where in Panama! Every one out to beat you to the next stoplight and cut you off just to get to the next light sooner! Too many drivers without a clue just like the Government of Panama! The more things seems to change the more they do not! Panama will never adapt to you, you must adapt to Panama! JaJaJa!!!