Panama’s Amber Alert; SINAPROC Swell Advisory; and Mining Arbitration Suspension Confirmation.

Friday, April 11, 2025. Panama’s Amber Alert: More Than a Law, It’s a Lifeline In the world of investigations and security, timing isn’t just important—it’s everything. When a child goes missing, the first few hours can mean the difference between a safe return and a tragedy. That’s why Panama’s proposed revamp of the Amber Alert system isn’t just another legislative effort—it’s potentially one of the most important tools we can put in place to save lives. The new law, heading to debate this week, aims to restructure how missing minors are reported, tracked, and hopefully—found. Right now, we’ve got fragmented communication, slow activation, and too many hands tied by bureaucracy. As someone who has chased leads, followed trails, and delivered tough news to families, I can tell you firsthand: we can do better. Under the proposed changes, the Ministry of Public Security would take the lead. A national council would oversee the process, and an Early Activation Office would coordinate fast responses across police, government, media, and even private security professionals like myself. And it’s not just about pushing out alerts. It’s about real coordination, real consequences, and real speed. Every bus terminal, every cellphone screen, every radio station should be on alert when a child disappears. Time isn’t our friend in these cases—but with the right system, it doesn’t have to be our enemy either. In March alone, 19 kids disappeared in Panama—18 of them girls. That’s not a stat. That’s a wake-up call. We need a system that works. One that doesn’t hesitate. One that brings together police, investigators, media, and regular people on the street in one unified mission: bring them home. This law won’t fix everything. But it can give us the structure we need to act fast, act together, and act with purpose. Because when a child is missing, we shouldn’t be caught flat-footed. We should be already moving. Brett Mikkelson TOP NEWS and TIDBITS: SINAPROC Maintains Watch Advisory for Swell Conditions in the Panamanian Pacific The National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC) reports that a watch advisory remains in effect for swell conditions in the Panamanian Pacific from April 8 to 12, 2025. Areas under advisory include the Gulf of Panama, Panama Bay, and the Gulf of Chiriquí. The Panamanian Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (IMHPA) reports that during the night of April 9, a swell is expected to reach the Pacific coast, with waves coming from the South Pacific. This event will coincide with another condition known as a spring tide, which is expected to produce moderate to strong intensity, with possible flooding in beach areas and coastal communities. The population and boat captains are advised to take appropriate safety measures and comply with the regulations established by the authorities. Water sports and visits to the beach are discouraged during this period. Boat owners are urged to maintain communication with safety establishments, report their navigation routes, and inform authorities of any situations they may face. READ ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE Bill Strengthening the Amber Alert System Approved in First Debate The Committee on Women, Children, Youth, and Family of the National Assembly approved in the first debate Bill No. 215, which repeals Law 230 of June 24, 2021, that created the National Amber Alert System. The bill, presented by the Ministry of Government, seeks to update and enhance the effectiveness of the Amber Alert system in disseminating information, locating, and recovering minors who are lost, abducted, missing, or whose whereabouts are unknown. Additionally, it elevates the management, coordination, and early activation of the Amber Alert to a matter of State priority. The bill also establishes a Governing Council, which will be the highest decision-making body of the National Amber Alert System. This council will operate on a voluntary (ad honorem) basis and will be composed of representatives from public institutions and non-governmental organizations. Furthermore, the bill calls for the necessary coordination to place physical posters or signs on public roads and/or other electronic media, primarily for dissemination in banks, children’s gaming and training centers, and facilities for adolescents. It also includes bus terminals, airports, ports, metro stations, taxis, companies with electronic ride-sharing platforms, and any other public spaces or means with high foot traffic, where physical and electronic posters will be placed at entrances and exits to help spread the alert. The bill also stipulates that the Early Activation Office must maintain an active website, official social media accounts, and a mobile Amber Alert application that individuals can download on their mobile devices or any other device, allowing them to receive notifications about the activation and deactivation of the Amber Alert. The Amber Alert dissemination period must be no less than five hours and no more than 24 hours. If an extension is needed beyond the 24 hours, a new alert must be issued with additional case information. The alert’s dissemination area may be local, national, or international. READ ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE Assembly Discusses in Second Debate the Reform to the Preferential Mortgage Interest Law On the afternoon of Wednesday, April 9, the permanent session of the National Assembly began to discuss in the second debate Bill No. 207, which repeals Law 3 of 1985, establishing a new regime of preferential interest rates on mortgage loans. According to the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), present at the session were the Deputy Minister of Finance, Fausto Fernández, and the Minister of Housing and Territorial Planning, Jaime Jované. The bill, which was already approved in the first debate by the Economic and Financial Commission, has received significant modifications. Among these, the reform to Article 7 stands out, which is related to the preferential tiers and conditions of the state subsidy. If the bill is approved, it will apply to mortgage loans under the preferential interest rate regime once the law comes into effect. According to the National Assembly, the measure establishes different preferential tiers based on the purchase price of the home and its geographical location. Two regions have been defined: Region 1 includes the provinces of Panama and