Built for Integrity; Traffic Flow Changes; Suspension of the Enforcement of the New Preferential Interest Law.

Friday, June 6, 2025. Built for Integrity: Why Security is a Design, Not a Reaction Years ago, behavioral economist Dan Ariely made waves with a book titled The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty, which explored how even good, upstanding people cheat when the circumstances allow it. As someone who’s spent decades in the world of corporate security and investigations, I can tell you that he’s absolutely right. Dishonesty isn’t always the product of malice. Often, it’s a matter of opportunity, rationalization, and a lack of friction. When a person can take something without much effort and without feeling like they’ve done real harm, they’re far more likely to do it and still see themselves as an honest person. The reality is that theft and fraud don’t always start with a grand scheme. Sometimes, it’s just an unattended drawer, an unchecked invoice, or a silent register. This is especially true in the wholesale and retail world, where temptation is built into the environment. Employees are surrounded by merchandise, customer transactions, return policies, discount systems, and petty cash day in and day out. With no clear oversight or structure, even the most loyal employee might start to rationalize taking home an item, overreporting hours, or giving unapproved discounts.  And we’ve all seen this all too often. That’s why our goal in security isn’t just to catch wrongdoing. It’s to create a system that discourages it from the start. Good security isn’t built on suspicion, it’s built on structure. It’s about creating an environment where doing the right thing is the easiest thing. Cameras, audits, access controls, clear policies, and accountability systems aren’t there to make people feel like criminals. They’re there to protect everyone (including the employee) from crossing a line that gets blurrier every day it goes unchecked. Let me share a story that illustrates this with a touch of humor. A man goes to his rabbi, distraught that someone stole his bicycle from outside the synagogue. The rabbi suggests a clever plan: “At your next sermon, speak on the Ten Commandments. When you reach ‘Thou shalt not steal’, pause and look around. The guilty person will give themselves away.” A week later, the rabbi checks in. “So? Did it work?” The man replies, “Almost. When I got to ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery’, I remembered where I left the bike.” It’s a funny story, but is serves also as a reminder of how tangled our morals can get when we think no one’s looking. As business owners and leaders, we must design workplaces that don’t rely on personal virtue alone. We can’t just hope everyone makes the right choices, we have to make the right choices easy. That’s what good security companies do. Not just installing alarms or patrolling property, but working with management to build a culture of accountability. This includes: When employees know there’s structure, consistency, and visibility, they’re less likely to test the boundaries. And if they do, the system has to be designed to catch it early, before it becomes habit, or worse, a costly pattern. So no, we don’t install cameras because we believe our employees are criminals. We install them because we understand human nature. And we design security not to react to dishonesty after it happens, but to make sure it doesn’t happen in the first place. Your faithful security guy. Brett MikkelsonDirector, B.M. Investigations, Inc. TOP NEWS and TIDBITS: ATTT Will Implement Traffic Flow Changes in San Francisco Starting Saturday, June 7 The Land Transit and Transportation Authority (ATTT) announced that starting Saturday, June 7, changes will be implemented to the direction of traffic flow on two streets in the district of San Francisco, Panama City. Streets where ATTT will implement traffic flow changes: According to the agency: This measure aims to improve traffic flow and enhance road safety in the area. The ATTT advises drivers and residents to pay close attention to the new signage and comply with the regulations for safer circulation. READ ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE Ministry of Security Denies Presidential Order to Use Force in Bocas del Toro The Ministry of Public Security clarified that it has not received any order from President José Raúl Mulino to “use force” to reopen the province of Bocas del Toro, where the Banana Industry and Related Companies Workers’ Union (Sitraibana) declared a strike on April 28. According to a statement from the institution, the public security forces reaffirmed their commitment to “peace, legality, and human rights.” The Ministry also emphasized its respect for citizens’ right to protest, “as long as demonstrations are carried out peacefully and within the legal framework.” A key point highlighted by the Ministry is that protests must not endanger lives, property, or social harmony. “Any act that goes against these principles will be addressed in accordance with the laws and the Constitution of Panama,” it stated. The institution also reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety of citizens and to working toward preserving stability and well-being in Bocas del Toro. READ ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE Cabinet Council Suspends Enforcement of New Preferential Interest Law According to the Minister of Housing, postponing the enforcement of the law will benefit 9,000 families who were still in the process of receiving their homes. The Cabinet Council approved suspending the effects of the recently enacted Preferential Interest Law for housing until December 31. During the session, it was decided to temporarily suspend the effects of Law 468 until December 31, 2025, allowing its implementation to begin on January 1, 2026, explained the Minister of Housing and Land Management, Jaime Jované. He stated that the measure includes reinstating the validity of Law 3 of May 20, 1985, and its amendments until December 31, in order to “rescue and process the mortgage applications corresponding to this period” and give banks time to finalize pending procedures. The minister also mentioned plans to reform the new law, although he did not provide specifics. The decision will benefit approximately 9,000 families by facilitating access to housing, according to Minister Jované. He also clarified that