Embracing Change; Bioethanol Project; IAEA Technical Support; Panama Economic Activity Grows 4.37%.

Friday, January 23, 2026. Embracing ChangeI was sitting in a coffee shop the other morning with a large cinnamon cappuccino warming my hands and a chocolate croissant I probably didn’t need but absolutely enjoyed. I was there to write the intro for this week’s newsletter, expecting, out of habit, that my thoughts would land somewhere familiar: security, investigations, risk, human behavior. Instead, the speakers overhead were playing “Sign of the Times” by Harry Styles, and for a few minutes everything else faded out.  The song isn’t loud or dramatic. It’s calm, honest and almost reassuring. And as I listened, my thoughts drifted away from work and toward something far more personal. My oldest son, Brett Jr., has just graduated high school and will be heading off to college in just a few months. He’s standing at that edge between adolescence and adulthood, excited, capable, and deeply uncertain. He’s thinking about who he’s supposed to become, whether he’s ready, and whether he’s making the right choices. In short, he’s doing exactly what a thoughtful young man should be doing at this moment in his life. As a father, I feel that tension right alongside him. Pride mixed with concern, confidence in who he is, paired with the natural worry that comes from knowing how unpredictable the world can be. You want to protect them from uncertainty, but you also know that uncertainty is where growth happens. Listening to that song also reminded me that these feelings aren’t limited to youth. Even as adults, major transitions can stir the same doubts and anxieties. Leaving the comfort and familiarity of Western civilization to start a life in a place like Panama, for example, can bring on those exact same questions: “Am I ready? Am I making the right move? What if this changes everything?  What if I fail?” The truth is, meaningful change almost always feels uncomfortable at first. Whether it’s a young man stepping into adulthood or an adult stepping into an unfamiliar culture, progress rarely comes without uncertainty. The challenge and the opportunity is learning to embrace those moments, trusting that growth lies on the other side of them. That morning, the song felt like a quiet reminder that change is inevitable, fear is normal, and moving forward doesn’t require having everything figured out.  We only need the willingness to step forward and believe that what the future holds can be good, even if it’s different from what we’ve known. This week’s intro isn’t about investigations or security. It’s about transitions.  For me it’s about watching my boy prepare to take on the world.  For you it could be remembering your own leaps into the unknown, and recognizing that embracing change is often the first step toward something better. Brett Mikkelson Director, B.M. Investigations, Inc. – Private Investigations in Panama TOP NEWS and TIDBITS: Government Promotes Bioethanol Project Expected to Generate More Than 10,000 Jobs The National Government urged the National Assembly to discuss as soon as possible the bioethanol bill, an initiative that, according to official estimates, would stimulate the economy, strengthen the agro-industrial sector, and generate more than 10,000 direct jobs and approximately 20,000 indirect jobs, primarily in rural areas. The call was made by the Minister of the Presidency, Juan Carlos Orillac, who emphasized that implementing the project would represent a significant investment for the country, in addition to delivering a positive environmental impact and serving as a strategic opportunity within the national energy policy. “We have once again submitted the bioethanol project, and its approval is what would allow it to move forward. It is a comprehensive project with a positive environmental impact that generates substantial employment in rural areas. It is estimated that it could create around 10,000 direct jobs and about 20,000 indirect jobs,” Orillac stated. Government Calls on the Assembly to Debate the Bioethanol Project The minister’s remarks were made during the opening of the forum Bioethanol: Job Creation, an Opportunity for Agriculture, and an Economic Catalyst, organized by the Panama Association of Sugars and Alcohols (AZUCALPA) and the Panamanian Industrialists Association (SIP). Orillac explained that while the bill is being reviewed by lawmakers, the Government continues to engage with the private sector, the agro-industrial industry, and producers—including independent farmers—with the aim of addressing concerns and ensuring that bioethanol development becomes a joint effort with a high social and economic impact. “Part of what has been requested is to facilitate financing for small producers through state-owned banks so they can be integrated into this production scheme. Today, there are more than 320 independent sugarcane producers, and this number could double,” he noted. Panama and Its Dependence on Fossil Fuels The minister underscored that Panama lacks significant fossil fuel resources and depends almost entirely on imported fuels, exposing the national economy to international price volatility and affecting the trade balance. In this context, bioethanol emerges as a viable alternative within a sustainable energy policy. “If the project is approved, 10% of fuel costs would no longer leave the country and would remain here, energizing the economy. It is a direct benefit for rural areas and job creation,” he emphasized. Meanwhile, Rosmer Jurado, president of the SIP, stressed that the bioethanol debate must be conducted with information, data, and a national vision, noting that it is not merely about fuel, but about a value chain that can translate into employment, investment, agro-industrial development, improved air quality, and greater energy resilience. “We are talking about tangible opportunities. A program of this nature can generate jobs, drive investment in equipment, irrigation, expanded cultivated areas, and new productive capacities,” he stated. During the forum, panelists agreed on the need for the project to be approved and properly regulated in order to establish clear rules and legal certainty that guarantee return on investment and enable increased sugarcane production to meet the program’s objectives. READ ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE The First Specialized Medical Cannabis Pharmacy Opens The Ministry of Health has already given the green light, and seven licenses have been granted for the commercialization of medical cannabis. One of them has already