Monday, May 25, 2020
“Just the facts ma’am.” Part 3 (last one, I promise)
It’s curious how good guys migrate towards one another. Sometimes it’s destiny and sometimes it’s just good leadership. In this case, it was a combination of both. Eric worked with me at the very beginning but was recognized for his talent and eventually “taken” to do bigger and better things. Assigned to work with Luis, these two were a couple of the unsung heroes of the late 90s.
Eric introduced me to Luis. At the time, I was on the verge of a new career path and didn’t even know it. Once again, I was taking a fortuitous leap of faith which wasn´t difficult given my circumstances. The advantage of having nothing is that you have nothing to lose.
“Mijo, I think it’s great what you’re doing and you have an opportunity to really knock their socks off, or screw this up royally and start off with a bad reputation.”, said Luis. These were the first set of wise words I would receive in my “new profession”.
“You need to check on the legalities of the profession in Panama, create an image and market the hell out yourself once you get organized. You have an office, but you need to either accommodate it to receive clients or meet your clients elsewhere.” I didn’t know how Luis knew to do this, but at the time, I didn’t care. It all made sense to me and seeing as I didn’t even know what an Engagement Letter was, everything else he told me was at least worth a go.
The short version: we eventually impressed the client and were given the case in Toronto. Knowing that the profession requires licensing in some parts of the world, Canada included, we made the trip to Toronto, made contact with some local investigators and together with them solved the case, legally and ethically. Since then, I’ve met any number of professionals from large and small firms whether they be the Quinns, Nielsens or Kings, I never met a Canadian that I didn’t like… …eh?
THE LESSON LEARNED:
The lesson learned here is when hiring a PI, always ensure you’re hiring a professional. The cost is secondary. The PI should be able to show you their license when applicable and should be involved with the local or international PI associations as a start. Always ask for references who the PI has dealt with in similar case types.
After finishing the Chinese-Hong Kong-Peru-Toronto-New York-Panama case, we got paid in full and I started marketing my new services aggressively towards other law firms, insurance companies and local corporations. Within a short period of time, our new company was doing pretty good for a 24 year-old kid with a chip on his shoulder. I was known locally by many within a couple of years, but internationally I was a nobody. I had no international clients, nor did I know how to get them, until I met Buddy Bombet. Or, should I say, “until Buddy found me”?
Julius “Buddy” Bombet was a gentleman and a professional above and beyond anything else. Although, they lived in the USA, Buddy was fortunate to have married a beautiful and wonderful Panamanian girl by the name of Lizca. On one of his many trips to Panama to visit with Lizca’s family, Buddy decided to look for new resources in the region and somehow found little ol’ me. Buddy was full of great information and tips.
- “Never give up your source. Someone always gets burned and it will usually be you.”
- “Stick to the basics. Money upfront, reports on time and information direct from the source.”
- “Never call me ‘Julius’, I’ll assume you’re a telemarketer and cut you off, even if you’re standing in front of me.”
The number one most important thing that Buddy did for me, was connect me to the outside world by offering me GIN. No, not the adult beverage, but instead, Global Investigator’s Network. GIN was created by our once benevolent dictator, James Brewer. Jim’s idea was brilliant. He connected some of the greatest minds in the Private Investigations world and put them under one roof. And instead of creating “just another association”, Jim created a corporation where he was the owner, but it was run essentially for free with support from the members. Absolute brilliance where one man explores those fabled limits of endurance. He pooled many of his experts from the World Association of Detectives, Council of International Investigators, National Association of Legal Investigators, INTELNET (INTELLENET now) and other great organizations and for some reason even accepted some young kid living in Panama. GIN didn’t survive. A victim of its own construct or perhaps just too many sheriffs in one town. But thanks to GIN and thanks to Buddy showing me the ropes of the international realm of mystery, I grew within the ranks of the associations and eventually became President of the illustrious Council of International Investigators for one term.
Where Luis cautiously assisted to align me early one, Buddy was the one who threw me in the ocean and told me to keep swimming until I reached the shore. Using the same analogy, today I’m an Olympic swimmer thanks to Buddy. I knew Buddy for roughly 25 years, until he passed away peacefully this year on February 12, 2020 at the age of seventy-five in the comfort of his home in Baton Rouge, Lousiana and will forever be missed by thousands.
TOP NEWS and TIDBITS:
AUTHORITIES DO NOT AGREE ON SECOND BLOCK
The national director of health of the Ministry of Health, Nadja Porcell, clarified that there is still no official date for the reopening of the second block, despite the fact that during the weekend it was assured that this would take place tomorrow, Tuesday.
The opening of the second block within the framework of the new normality will depend on scientific data, for which we would have to wait, despite the fact that this week it is the 14-day interval between the release of one block and another. The national director of health of the Ministry of Health, Nadja Porcell, clarified that there is still no official date for the reopening of the second block, despite the fact that during the week it was assured that this would occur tomorrow Tuesday.
Economy and Finance. The national director of health of the Minsa said that the normalization process will be notified, once the COVID-19 Commission of Control Advisors evaluates the effective reproduction rate, also called Rt, which should be below 1 Recently, President Cortizo announced that the blocks could be opened every 14 days, so the general perception is that this week another step should be taken in that direction. The first of the six blocks were opened on May 14, so that next Thursday 28 the 14 days would be fulfilled.
The Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (Cciap) spoke before the reopening of the second block and stated that they expect it to be orderly and without bureaucracy. Yesterday, Sunday, the COVID-19 group of advisers met with the Minister of Health, Rosario Turner, the Director General of Health, Nadja Porcell and the National Chief of Epidemiology, Lourdes Moreno, with whom they analyzed various aspects such as: the need to increase the communication on the process of the new normality and the individual and collective responsibility in relation to the biosafety measures that must be taken before COVID-19 by all citizens.
ANTI-CORRUPTION PROSECUTOR OPENS INVESTIGATION ON THE MODULAR HOSPITAL AND SABONGE INSISTS THAT THERE WAS NO ‘SIGNATURE’ DONATION FROM THE CHINESE COMPANY
The Minister of Public Works, Rafael Sabonge, said Monday, May 25, that he did not receive a “firm” proposal from the company China Construction America (CCA) to temporarily convert the Amador convention center into a temporary hospital, with more than 1,500 beds for coronavirus patients. While the minister gave these explanations at a press conference, the Public Ministry reported on the opening of a leisure investigation for the possible commission of the crime against the public administration, “related to the process of contracting the modular hospital” in Albrook. On whether the modules used in the construction of the hospital are new or used, Sabonge said that SmartBrix Centroamérica, S.A. -contractor of the work- reported that
“in the specific case of the Panama Solidario hospital, we certify that all the components used to assemble the project passed through our manufacturing process and quality control, both locally and internationally, to be integrated into modular structures of first use ”.
An investigation by the newspaper La Prensa documented that on March 13 – the same day that the state of national emergency was declared due to the pandemic – the CCA verbally communicated its intention to adapt the Amador convention center, a project for which it is a contractor for the State. Instead, MOP opted to build a 100-bed modular hospital, at a cost of $ 6.9 million, not including equipment. The contract was awarded to SmartBrix Centroamérica, S.A., which delivered the work on April 16. The modular hospital is not yet operating.
Sabonge insists that the CCA proposal “was informal.”
“It was on March 24 at night that Minister [Iván] Eskildsen sent me via WhatsApp a proposal, which is a draft proposal from the CCA company, to enable the Amador convention center. They in their message say they could evaluate donating the internal divisions, but the government had to buy all the equipment,” said Sabonge, who earlier went to the office of the Administration’s attorney, Rigoberto González, who investigates why Panama rejected the donation of the Chinese company.
SANDRA SANDOVAL CLARIFIES THAT HAS MADE DONATIONS IN TONOSÍ AND THAT HAS A SALVOCONDUCTO
A group of community leaders who collaborate at the checkpoint denounced that the authorities let the singer pass during the Sunday of absolute quarantine. The singer Sandra Sandoval clarified tonight that she was making donations in Tonosí this Sunday and that she has a safe-conduct for it.
This, after a group of residents that Tonosí that is part of the control post of the corregimiento blamed the authorities for having let both the singer, her brother Samy Sandoval and supposedly a group of 14 people.
“I Sandra Sandoval decided to come to make donations to Tonosí today, as I have done in many other places. I have a pass for today and I’m already back home, which, if I went to my house in Cambutal, yes, because several days ago someone broke in, breaking glass and taking the few things I had there” Sandoval explained in her Instagram account, regretting attacks made on her.
In a video recorded by a dozen citizen leaders, they indicated that the renowned exponents of typical music presented a permit to deliver medicines in Cambutal, but, according to the citizens, the Sandovals did not travel alone, but were accompanied by another group of people.
“She’s coming to socialize, today, on the day of absolute quarantine, she is going to the beach with a group of more than 14 people and making a mockery of the security check points” said one of the spokesmen.
Brett’s Comments: I used to like Sandra Sandoval. I really did. We used to go to their concerts, but not anymore. My distaste for her actually started a few years ago when I was working for a TV Program called “The After”, in which I was a polygraph examiner. The studio asked her to come to the studio as a promo, we would do a polygraph and it would air a few days later. It wasn’t anything any different than the other 30-35 polygraphs that I had already done for the show. As a matter of fact, we had already done polygraphs on other local music performers, local politicians and the like. Out of everyone we did, Sandra was the only one that demanded we had to do the polygraph at her house, it could only be during a specific time, she got to choose the questions and any other number of questions. We even did a polygraph of a puppet that didn’t give us as much trouble as she did. The studio agreed and we were set to go when she pulled the plug on it altogether at the last minute. She said she was sick, but I saw her the same day at my kid’s school later on. And speaking of schools, she first praised MEDUCA of cancelling the virtual classrooms for all kids. There’s an audio of her floating around where she asks another parent to help her and send her copies of her kid’s homework because she didn’t have time to go in to the computer to look it up herself. The first week of school in Panama, she didn’t send her kids. Then, the scandal about her receiving a salary. No, she doesn’t receive a salary, but her family has according to new reports. And now this mockery? She did NOT take food out there. She did NOT take medicines out there. She’s not authorized to take delicate medicines to the interior. And even if she did, why does she have to take 14 people with her? There are reports from Tonosi that say when she arrived and saw that the people were upset, she tried to purchase food from a minimart in the area to make it look like she had taken food for a donation. Ok, lady, which is it? Medicine or food? If you took either, who got it? There aren’t ANY reports of anyone receiving anything from you. Luckily, today, Rosario Turner said that the regional director who issued her the Salvoconducto had no right to do so and they would be looking in to the case. There have been other incidences where people have been caught disobeying the quarantine rules and they get jailed, property taken away, thousands of dollars in fines and community service. What are the Sandoval brothers going to get?
SANTIAGO PRISON ACCUMULATES MORE THAN 140 CASES OF COVID-19
The Government Ministry announced that a total of 144 cases of COVID-19 are registered in the Santiago de Veraguas prison, and clarified that
“no prisoner of this center has been transferred to the Juan Demóstenes Arosemena Normal School” .
Of the total infected patients, all with mild cases as indicated by the entity, 127 are inmates, 8 are custodians and 9 officials.
Given this, the General Directorate of the Penitentiary System, indicated that the application of mitigation measures of COVID-19 is being strengthened in conjunction with the Ministry of Health:
- The application of massive swab tests continues.
- Medical attention 24 hours a day in the mobile clinic installed on the perimeter of the prison.
- Provision of supplies to the prison population.
- Taking temperature to all personnel entering the center (who has symptoms cannot enter).
- Disinfection of parcels that are delivered by relatives of prisoners.
FOREIGN MINISTRY ANNOUNCES THE DATE FOR HUMANITARIAN FLIGHTS FROM CUBA, MEXICO AND THE US
The Chancellery of the Republic confirmed the activation of humanitarian flights to bring Panamanians who are stranded in countries around the world due to the pandemic by COVID-19 to homeland. Confirmed flights will take place between June 29-19. Thus, on May 29 the first will take place, leaving the destinations of Mexico and Cuba, the second will take place on May 31 leaving Miami and the third will take place on June 10 leaving Washington. The Foreign Ministry informed that those interested should contact Copa Airlines directly for the corresponding reservations. Earlier, the President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo, announced the confirmation of these 3 humanitarian flights to repatriate Panamanians stranded abroad from the United States, Cuba and Mexico.
https://www.tvn-2.com/nacionales/Panamenos-Mexico-Miami-Washington-DC_0_5586941326.html
MITRADEL MODIFIES PROCESS TO VALIDATE PROTOCOLS AND GUIDES FOR OPENING TO WORK
The Ministry of Labor and Labor Development (Mitradel) published this Monday, May 25, in the Official Gazette, an amendment to resolution DM-154-2020 of May 20 on the basic requirements that companies must meet for a return to normality in between. of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a change in Article 6 that establishes the process to validate protocols and guidelines for returning to work in the face of the pandemic. Originally, the Mitradel established that those companies with 51 workers or more, the preparation and presentation of the protocols would be the responsibility of qualified professionals in occupational health and safety or engineering in the prevention of occupational hazards.
Now, the new modification indicates that for companies with less than 51 employees, the plan will be drawn up and endorsed by the manager or head of human resources.
And for companies with more than 51 workers, the preparation and presentation of the plan will be the responsibility of professionals specialized in occupational health or risk prevention; of engineers with a master’s degree in occupational hygiene and safety, industrial risk prevention and occupational safety. It may also be the responsibility of other professionals who have developed the specialty in occupational health and safety through training.
APP WITH FACIAL RECOGNITION WILL ALLOW HOME ISOLATION TO REPATRIATES
The Chancellor of the Republic Alejandro Ferrer revealed that the Government solved one of the problems that were presented to them with respect to the stay in shelters for those Panamanians who are about to be repatriated for the fulfillment of their home isolation through an app with recognition facial and case tracking. Humanitarian flights for the return of Panamanians from the US, Mexico and Cuba are authorized.
Delia Muñoz “Part of the limitations to bring people was that there was a restricted physical space of the shelters to quarantine and in a joint effort with the Ministry of Health (Minsa), the AIG and the security forces has been developed an app called “Protect yourself” that would allow those Panamanians who come to do their home quarantine, guaranteeing through this software that they have facial recognition and georeferencing that people remain at home, ” said Ferrer about this application.
The foreign minister also added that the next repatriation flights will be carried out between May 29 and June 10, broken down as follows: Mexico and Cuba will return on May 29; while from the US the trips will be Houston on June 3 and Fort Lauderdale on June 10. The Foreign Ministry of Panama reported that the Minsa, granted the corresponding permit for the staggered entry of around 300 passengers every 10 days, and in light of this they are in talks with some airlines to make humanitarian flights at an affordable price that allows the return of the Panamanians to your home.
TRANSPORT SERVICE WOULD BE SUSTAINABLE WITH CLEARANCE MEASURES, ACCORDING TO THE PRESIDENT OF CANATRA
The president of the Panamanian Chamber of Transport (Canatra), Martín Franco, said that it is impossible to guarantee the sustainability of his work with the sanitary measures that are being imposed. He assures that they have the disposition to collaborate with the authorities, but the restrictions that are imposed will not be profitable, since they will be allowed to travel with 40% of their capacity. According to Franco, in recent weeks they have been sanctioned and bus passengers have been lowered, so they see with concern how they have supported other sectors, but they have not been taken into account. They ask that a dialogue be called so that they can be given an urgent financial rescue because otherwise they will be destined to stop.
MORE THAN 90 PEOPLE RETAINED, FORFEITURE OF WEAPONS AND ILLICIT SUBSTANCES DURING THE WEEK
Authorities indicate that reinforced control and surveillance measures have reduced theft cases by 18% and thefts by 16% nationwide.
More than 90 people linked to robberies, micro-trafficking, attempted murder and other crimes were apprehended during 21 raids carried out during the week throughout the country.
11 firearms, 356 ammunition, 81 cocaine reeds were seized, and 3,404 gallons of alcohol gel and 114,400 balboas in cash without justification were seized, the report by the National Police detailed, commissioner Doryam Espitia, chief of the Metropolitan Police Zone. Among the points covered by the National Police and the Public Ministry are Juan Díaz and Bella Vista in Panama City, the district of San Miguelito, the provinces of Colón, Arraiján, La Chorrera in Panamá Oeste. In a police action with the Public Ministry in the Valle del Sol sector, Arraiján district, on Monday morning, two firearms, suppliers and ammunition were located inside a residence. There is a person apprehended. Authorities indicate that reinforced control and surveillance measures have reduced theft cases by 18% and thefts by 16% nationwide.
The National Police also reported a total of 38 vehicles that were returned from different Sanitary Fences, while 114 drivers were sanctioned and their vehicles were removed by crane for breaching Decree 266, of which 97 were private cars and 17 taxis.
Meanwhile, some 1,643 people were placed under the orders of the competent authorities for failing to comply with the “Curfew”, among them, 1,367 were men, 212 women and 64 minors.
ACQUISITION OF AUTOMATED EQUIPMENT WOULD FIX COVID-19 TEST DELAY IN CSS
The Social Security Fund (CSS) seeks to correct the delay in test reports to detect cases of COVID-19, a process that is currently done manually, according to the infectologist, Darío Flores. This is due to the fact that in the last communiqués of the Ministry of Health (Minsa) figures of cases appear from pending reports by the CSS. Flores said that the entity was supplied with the reagent for the tests, but the process is manual and despite the fact that there are shifts for 24 hours, the high demand delays the process, up to eight hours for a result. However, he stressed that the CSS authorities have stated that this problem will be corrected, since equipment will be purchased so that the tests are automated. In this way, there would be an average of 3,600 tests per day, which would correct the delay that creates confusion in statistics and in citizens. He stressed that information is not being hidden, but that it is due to the current process.
IFARHU ANNOUNCES PAYMENT OF SCHOLARSHIPS FOR NORTH PANAMA, CENTRO AND COLÓN
Starting tomorrow, Tuesday, May 26, 2020, the entity begins with disbursements.
The Institute for the Training and Use of Human Resources (Ifarhu), reported on the start of payment of scholarships for students from Panama Central, Panama North and Colon
Disbursements will be made under the Contest Scholarship, Distinguished Position, Child Labor Eradication and Disability programs.
Regarding the Universal Grant, the entity explains that the payment mechanism in these sectors will be announced shortly.
https://ensegundos.com.pa/2020/05/25/ifarhu-anuncia-pago-de-becas-para-panama-norte-centro-y-colon/
STATUS UPDATE
PANAMA ACCUMULATES A TOTAL OF 11,183 DETECTED CASES OF INFECTION AND 310 DEATHS BY COVID-19
- 11,183 positive cases
- 257 new cases
- 310 deaths
- 4,246 home isolation (582 hospital hotels)
- 281 are hospitalized in ward
- 67 are hospitalized in intensive care
- 6,279 clinically recovered
Since the first case of coronavirus was reported in the country, a total of 59,339 COVID-19 tests have been performed in Panama, of which 46,071 have been negative.
Coronavirus statistics from Day 1:
- Mon, March 9: 1 case – Panama’s first detected case.
- Tues 10: 8 cases (+7)
- Wed 11: 14 cases (+6)
- Thu 12: 27 cases (+13)
- Fri 13: 36 cases (+9)
- Sat 14:43 cases (+7)
- Sun 15: 55 cases (+12)
- Mon 16: 69 cases (+14)
- Tues 17: 86 cases (+17)
- Wed 18: 109 cases (+23)
- Thu 19: 137 cases (+28)
- Fri 20: 200 cases (+63)
- Sat 21: 245 cases (+45)
- Sun 22: 313 cases (+68)
- Mon 23: 345 cases (+32)
- Tues 24: 443 cases (+98)
- Wed 25: 558 cases (+115)
- Thu 26: 674 cases (+116)
- Fri 27: 786 cases (+112)
- Sat 28: 901 cases (+115)
- Sun 29: 989 cases (+88)
- Mon 30: 1075 cases (+86)
- Tues 31: 1181 cases (+106)
- Wed April 1: 1317 cases (+136)
- Thu 2: 1475 cases (+158)
- Fri 3: 1673 cases (+198)
- Sat 4: 1801 cases (+128)
- Sun 5: 1988 cases (+187)
- Mon 6: 2100 cases (+112)
- Tues 7: 2249 cases (+149)
- Wed 8: 2528 cases (+279)
- Thu 9: 2752 cases (+224)
- Fri 10: 2974 cases (+222)
- Sat 11: 3234 cases (+260)
- Sun 12: 3400 cases (+166)
- Mon 13: 3472 cases (+72)
- Tues 14: 3574 cases (+102)
- Wed 15: 3751 cases (+177)
- Thu 16: 4016 cases (+265)
- Fri 17: 4210 cases (+194)
- Sat 18: 4273 cases (+63)
- Sun 19: 4467 cases (+194)
- Mon 20: 4658 cases (+191)
- Tues 21: 4820 cases (+162)
- Wed 22: 4992 cases (+171)
- Thu 23: 5166 cases (+174)
- Fri 24: 5338 cases (+172)
- Sat 25: 5538 cases (+200)
- Sun 26: 5779 cases (+241)
- Mon 27: 6021 cases (+242)
- Tues 28: 6200 cases (+179)
- Wed 29: 6378 cases (+178)
- Thu, 30: 6532 cases (+154)
- Fri, May 1: 6720 cases (+188)
- Sat, May 2: 7090 cases (+370)
- Sun, May 3: 7197 cases (+107)
- Mon, May 4: 7387 cases (+190)
- Tue, May 5: 7523 cases (+136)
- Wed, May 6: 7731 cases (+208)
- Thu, May 7: 7868 cases (+137)
- Fri, May 8: 8070 cases (+202)
- Sat, May 9: 8282 cases (+212)
- Sun, May 10: 8448 cases (+166)
- Mon, May 11: 8616 cases (+168)
- Tue, May 12: 8783 cases (+167)
- Wed, May 13: 8944 cases (+161)
- Thu, May 14: 9118 cases (+174)
- Fri, May 15: 9268 cases (+150)
- Sat, May 16: 9449 cases (+181)
- Sun, May 17: 9606 cases (+157)
- Mon, May 18: 9726 cases (+120)
- Tue, May 19: 9867 cases (+141)
- Wed, May 20: 9977 cases (+110)
- Thu, May 21: 10,116 cases (+139)
- Fri, May 22: 10,267 cases (+151)
- Sat, May 23: 10,577 cases (+156)
- Sun, May 24: 10,926 cases (+259)
- Mon, May 25: 11,183 cases (+257)
END NOTES
Luis Manuel Prieto is a badass. Owner and founder of Eurotaller G & P Autos, S.A., Luis and his partner were fortunate enough to be a part of “Block 1” that was authorized to reopen on May 13. Instead, they took their time to do it right, reopening officially on May 18 after purchasing all of their cleaning agents, N95 masks, sanitizing the entire shop located on Via España near Carrasquilla. They ensured MINSA and MITRADEL were properly and legally informed of their operations and personnel that were going to come back to work. The service that Luis and his crew offer has always been that of quality and trust, but now they’ve decided to push it to the limits on service by offering a free vehicle pickup and drop off… …let me reiterate, FREEEEEEE. I love that word “FREE ”; makes me wish I had a bit of freedom right now. Maybe that’s what made me write about him and his business. Maybe it’s because he quoted the parts and labor within 4 hours of having the car. Maybe it’s because he finished the job within 24 hours. Maybe it’s because he offered to help me completely polish the car and fix the rear-end with another chapistero if I had the time. Maybe it’s because he’s such a car fanatic and knows everything about everything on cars that circulate in Panama. Maybe it’s because you, the reader, deserves to know that there actually is a mechanic out there, with a professional service, willing to go the extra mile for you. Hell, maybe it’s just because he’s a badass. Thank you, Luis, for years of trusted service, for always doing what you offer and thank you for coming all the way out to Las Cumbres for FREE to drop my car off.
Luis Manuel Prieto
Eurotaller G & P Autos, S.A.
Cell phone: 6379-1294
Stay safe… Stay healthy… And by all means STAY HOME!
Add me to the list.
Neat blog! Is your theme custom made or did you
download it from somewhere? A design like yours with a few simple adjustements would really make my blog shine.
Please let me know where you got your design.
Thank you