April 23, 2020
Being the international man of mystery that I am, you would think that hardly anything could surprise me. However, I have 1 daughter, 2 sons and a grandson and they constantly surprise the hell out of me. Today, my oldest son turned 12 years old. At breakfast today, just before 9:00a.m., I was looking at him and could have sworn he grew 3 inches at that very moment as I stared at him in awe.
Brett Jr is calm and has been a calm boy since the day he was born. A man of few words, he sat there eating and smiling to himself. I asked him what he was thinking and he looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Dad, this is the best birthday I’ve ever had. No gifts, no big party, no balloons, just the four of us here having a nice breakfast.”. Yep, big tough bad-ass dad was turned to mush; I was blindsided. Here I was, worried that he would be disappointed seeing as he couldn’t have anyone over and it was probably going to be just the same as every other day on lockdown. He surprised me once again.
I did get him a gift later that day. He still collects “plushies”, (stuffed animals) so I got him the “Edgar” that he wanted. He plays a game “Bendy and the Ink Machine” and Edgar is a monkey/spider hybrid from the game; nothing like the games we used to play. Later I took the time to make him his favorite chocolate with chocolate cake in a square glass Pyrex just like I used to get from my mom as a kid. I was amazed that we had every single ingredient already at the house to make the cake. Usually when we try to make something special, we find ourselves frantically running to the stores looking for “Aji Panca Chili Powder” “Dried Blazei Brazilian Cap Mushrooms” or “Madagascar Bourbon Organic Vanilla Beans”… (face resting in my hands thinking to myself) “can’t I just use regular vanilla?!” But not this time! We had all the ingredients and it turned out great. Check out the recipe below! My wife also got creative and decorated a corner of the house for him. We video chatted with our local family and as a virtual familywe sang him a couple of versions of Happy Birthday. It was great; another good day on quarantine.
The Best Chocolate Cake EVER!: The Butter frosting is to DIE for.
https://addapinch.com/the-best-chocolate-cake-recipe-ever/
ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER SERIES OF PROTESTS.
Protests everywhere today, just like yesterday, but maybe with a bit more desperation and determination. Buena Vista in Colon, Chilibre (photo below), Santa Marta, Nueva Libia, Nuevo Tocumen, Corredor Norte near Villa Lucre, Union Santeña near Chorrera and several other áreas including theinterior.
My buddy Chuck was pretty upset today. He’s over 60 so he gets the pleasure of going out between the hours of 11:00a.m. and 1:00p.m. Here’s his rendition of his journey on the road on this fine Thursday:
“This is now insanity! Left house at 10:55 headed to Brisas. 25 min parked on Poorman’s corredor just east of Xtra (Mar Del Lago) not one car or truck passed in either direction. Could only guess road block somewhere. Finally made U turn to go down to Corredor Norte, headed for Brisas 99. Notice northbound Transismica police checkpoint at Villa Zaita. Corredor Norte East bound traffic barricaded, back down to Transismica. Villa Zaita no parking anywhere for shoppers. Now I lost 1 hr 45 min of my 2 hr parole and still looking at another police check point to return home before curfew. I have accomplished nothing except burn gas. All this translates to 8 days since my last shopping day and 5 more to my next 2 hour parole Tuesday. I am not sure if this is forced starvation, mandatory imprisonment, or an effort to destroy the mental health of the jubilado initiative. All needs to be shared with the elderly who considered Panama a retirement haven.”
Yep. Not happy and I don’t blame him. This has been the day for just about everybody. My other friend and once relative Milciades, who I still call “primo” told us this today:
“Northern Corredor is closed around the bridge at Ojo de Agua and San Isidro in route to Brisas Del Golf. I just sawit!” (“Corredor Norte está cerrado a la altura del puente de Ojo de Agua y San Isidro hacia Brisas Del Golf. Lo acabode ver!”)
Someone else I met though the Elks Lodge in Panama, saw the Transit Police towing taxis away who were circulating on their off days. As you know, men get to go out on Tuesdays and Thursday. Women get to go out on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. But taxis have another schedule altogether. Since April 3, Taxis with plates that end in odd numbers get to go out on between 5:00a.m. and 9:00p.m. on Tuesday and Thursdays. Taxis with plates that end in even numbers can go out during those same hours on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. This isn’t something “new” per se and all of the taxi drivers know this. But, they insist on doing whatever the heck they want to… …aaaaaand this is the result.
TOP NEWS and TIDBITS
SO FAR, 81,394 WORKERS HAVE HAD THEIR EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS SUSPENDED
The Deputy Minister of Labor and Labor Development, Roger Tejada, indicated that to date some 81,394 workers have had their labor contract suspended in Panama, as a result of the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
MINERA PANAMA SUSPENDS CONTRACT TO 7 THOUSAND WORKERS
The company Minera Panamá accepted from this April 23 the Executive Decree No. 81 of March 20, which allows companies to suspend labor contracts due to the coronavirus respiratory pandemic.
With this decision, 7,000 workers will not receive the corresponding payment for the next pay period. In a statement Minera Panama, a subsidiary of the Canadian First Quantum, reported that since April 6 it has not been producing copper concentrate, which halted exports of the mineral to more than 10 countries, especially China where 60% of the material that is extracted from the mountains of Donoso, province of Colón is sent.
The company indicated an agreement was reached with Untramipa, which is one of the three unions that operate in the 13,000-hectare project. This agreement agreed to the payment of the salaries of March 30, payment of accumulated vacations, and a bonus corresponding to 10% of the biweekly salary received by each employee. The payment of the first portion of the thirteenth month or “decimo” was also made.
To date some 800 workers are still in the project waiting for the quarantine period to end. This week another death was confirmed within the project list. The worker was part of the group of 500 employees who are isolated in beach hotels.
In the statement, the company indicates that by availing itself of Decree 81, workers maintain their labor rights and benefits, benefits that will be activated once operations are restarted. According to the Ministry of Labor and Labor Development, more than 60 thousand contracts have been suspended as a result of Covid-19.
Last year the mine generated sales of $ 524 million, after producing 147,840 tons of copper and 60,000 ounces of gold.
For the sale of copper concentrate, which is the material shipped in Puerto Rincón, Minera Panamá obtained $ 431 million, while for gold and silver it generated $ 79 million and $ 14 million, respectively.
The company indicates that despite the sanitary fence imposed by the Panamanian authorities, the company has paid 167 million dollars to 1,400 suppliers in the country.
When the Ministry of Health authorities determined the cessation of the project, First Quantum reported that “the intensified quarantine conditions require the extraction and processing operations to be stopped.
The port and the power plant are expected to continue operating to supply essential electricity for Panama’s national grid, and to maintain care and maintenance activities”, the company detailed.
The mining company indicated that the period of care and maintenance will have a weekly cost of between 4 million and 6 million dollars. They hope to reduce their costs by suspending employment contracts, and cutting other variable and fixed costs.
https://www.prensa.com/desarrollo/minera-panama-suspende-contrato-a-7-mil-trabajadores/
MORE THAN 400 PEOPLE APPREHENDED FOR BREACHING QUARANTINE IN THE LAST 24 HOURS
Units of the Public Force carried out the arrest of a total of 480 people who in the last 24 hours were caught in breach of Executive Decree 507, which established a quarantine measure to contain the spread of coronavirus.
The National Police details that of that number of citizens, a total of 450 are adults, while the other 30 are minors.
On the other hand, it reports that a total of 39 private cars were removed by tow truck, and eight taxi-type vehicles were also sanctioned for not complying with Executive Decree No. 266.
Another 22 vehicles were forced to turn back at the different sanitary fences (provincial police road blocks), for not keeping the documents requested for circulation.
NEW SALVOCONDUCTOS FOR AGRO-PRODUCERS WILL BE ISSUED FROM THIS FRIDAY
From April 24 to 30, the new salvoconductos for producers will be issued in all the Agencies and Regional Offices at the national level, after the authorization of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Security and in coordination with the Ministry of Commerce and Industries. to know the Ministry of Agricultural Development (Mida).
The interested party must go to the office where he obtained the previous salvoconductos and must present the following documents:
- The original of the previous salvoconductos.
- The previous identity card.
- Driver’s license.
- If it is the first time, a document proving the location of the farm.
The current salvoconductos will be in effect until April 30, 2020.
The agricultural, logistics and industrial sectors have indicated that the new measures delay the supply of the agrifood chain and ask that the salvoconductos for these industries be for a longer period of time.
OFFICIALS WHO ACCEPTED BONUSES AND FOOD BAGS ARE GIVEN UNTIL FRIDAY TO DONATE 20% OF THEIR WAGES
President Laurentino Cortizo addressed the nation on Wednesday to discuss the progress that Panama has had in the fight against COVID-19 and in this message, he warned the government officials who accepted the solidarity bonds and the bags of food aid that they have two days to donate 20% of their wages.
“There are a considerable number of public officials who have been accepting vouchers and food bags, including those from the Ministry of the Presidency, we have 280 officials there, in the Ministry of Education more than 300 officials,” Cortizo denounced.
Later the president recommended to these officials that they will have Thursday and Friday to approach the Human Resources offices and fill out the donation form and voluntarily agree to give 20% of their salary for the next three months. If they don´t the president will take action.
“What you have done, to accept food bags and bonuses, is not to be in solidarity (with the people),” said the president.
Officials have been caught in this practice through their identification cards, which are taken by the personnel who distribute aid when approaching people.
Brett’s comments: You know……… (pause for reflection, deep breath and a personal pep talk on why I should always maintain restraint) you really have to be a special kind of scumbag to do what these people are doing. Allow me to explain a little more in depth.
First of all, Panama set up a system whereas those who are hurting economically because of the shutdown, to receive certain benefits. There is now a “solidarity bond” of $80.00 which is basically a food stamps system. It’s not a lot, but it’s something. They’ve also set up the logistics to deliver bags of food to certain locations around the country where people need it. This is supposed to go to people who are destitute. However, in their innate scumbag capacity, some politicians are taking advantage of this system and instead of getting the bonds and food to those who truly need it, they’re keeping it for themselves, their own families or close friends. Prior to this, I heard that some politicians were getting food to some of their registered PRD voters and bypassing others in need from the same area. I mean, they would literally take food to one house, skip the next 3 houses and then deliver to the following house, basically delivering to their buddies.
What the hell is wrong with these people? How could anyone even think to do this? There are people who are poor… and I mean, flat out DIRT POOR, who are on the verge of total desperation right now and they need this food to survive. Other sources have told me that there is presently a surplus of vegetables to include meat! I can’t prove that, but then the government hasn’t shown any sign or hint of concern that we’re running out of food either.
Today Carlos Rognoni, vice minister of Agricultural Development and spokesman for the Panama Solidarity Plan, said that so far 508 thousand 975 bags of food have been made. That’s over a half a million bags of food!
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not naïve. I know corruption is rampant in Panama. And I’m no fan of corruption, but I understand how some politicians are of the mindset that once you get in to power, “If you don’t steal it, someone else will.”. But, this is wrong and it’s also extremely stupid. To you idiot politicians that are doing this, the main reason that people are on the streets protesting is because you’re not taking the food that’s available to them. They know what’s going on, because they see the truckloads of food drive past their houses. They’re not stupid, they’re desperate and you don’t want over 100,000 desperate people simultaneously on the streets wreaking havoc.
What the government needs to do is to draw out a delivery plan and inform the people when they’re going to make the deliveries. There’s nothing more annoying than not knowing what the heck is going on; all it does is create more anxiety. The police need to be a part of this delivery plan and it should all be televised. These locations in San Miguelito, Corredor Norte, Chilibre, Colon, Chorrera that are protesting are doing it because they’re hungry. Instead of filming the protests, we should be filming the deliveries of food. The politicians in charge of these locations need to get on the streets and promise the protesters tthat they’ll have the food on the following day… and then they need to DELIVER OR RESIGN!
PANAMA’S PRESIDENT CONFIRMS THAT WE REMAIN STATUS QUO FOR NOW
Cortizo indicated that at the moment the distancing measures will not be relaxed.
The president asserted that he has closely followed the countries that have successfully fought against the coronavirus and revealed that in all these cases the monitoring of the quarantine and the non-relaxation of it has been the key, so in Panama this will not be allowed.
Cortizo indicated this after his “Health and Economic team” gave him a first draft for the country to gradually return to normal.
The president added that after the good news given by the Health team, which indicated that Panama had reduced the number of new cases, that is, the reproductive rate of the virus to 0.95%, it would take at least two weeks before we could even think about reducing the quarantine measures.
QUARANTINE CONTINUES OVER THE WEEKEND
The Security Minister, Juan Manuel Pino, said that this Saturday and Sunday the total quarantine continues. Men will not be able to go out this Saturday either as their departure time initially established to make purchases of food and medicine.
Brett’s comments: This has actually been a blessing in disguise for me… my plants need me…
He announced that there have been four raids in the last hours and 38 people were arrested, the participation of taxi drivers in robberies and drug trafficking is being investigated and that in the 36 days of quarantine, 20,647 people have been detained in the country for violating the curfew and measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
In the last 24 hours, 480 people were detained,
Pino said; 77 of them were from Panama West (La Chorrera and surrounding areas).
USE OF MASK IS MANDATORY, BUT ABUSE WITH PRICES HAS BEEN SEEN
In fact, the National Public Health Commission of the Municipal Council approved the project, in an ordinary virtual session, No. 17, which establishes the mandatory use of the mask in the capital and empowers the justices of the peace to sanction with 1,000 dollars, community work or any other legal measure established for those who fail to comply with the quarantine measures decreed.
However, acquiring this item has become an odyssey for some Panamanians, because after the start of the pandemic the cost of masks has risen, not only in supermarkets, but also in some pharmacies.
In the midst of this, there is also the problem of shortages, which is why some street vendors, taking advantage of the situation, are selling the boxes for up to $ 50.
Given this concern, the Consumer Protection Authority (Acodeco), carried out a verification in a total of 897 shops between, supermarkets and pharmacies, detecting that of these 521 were not complying with Executive Decree No. 114 of March 13, 2020.
The current regulations establish that the maximum gross sales margin in the entire marketing chain in the Republic of Panama of personal hygiene, cleaning and consumption items, which are essential items, will be 23% below their sale price.
Since the verification operations of these products began on March 16, 2020, it was corroborated that 87% of the businesses in the capital are not complying with the rules, while in the interior of the country 51%, neither complies, according to Acodeco.
Given the cases of COVID-19 registered in the country and the way in which this disease is transmitted, Dr. Javier Nieto, from the Gorgas Commemorative Institute, said that the use of the mask is important.
However, he stated that Acodeco has to supervise any irregularity in the sale of this article.
Nieto pointed out that it must be taken into account that there may be a global shortage of masks, because their use is necessary worldwide.
“It must be taken into account”, said Nieto, “that people who have pictures of COVID-19, in addition to those who are in the care of others who suffer from respiratory symptoms, health workers and security groups and the general population, should wear a mask.”
“If you do not have access to medical surgical masks at a certain time because they are expensive or not available, then what you have to do is use cloth masks, which may not be as effective in containing the coronavirus viral particles, but in the long run they have the effect of preventing spread”, said Dr. Nieto.
STATUS UPDATE
PANAMA REGISTERS 146 DEATHS AND 5,166 ACCUMULATED CASES OF COVID-19
- 5,166 positive cases
- 174 new cases
- 146 deaths
- 4,393 home isolation (1,042 hospital hotels)
- 356 are hospitalized (263 in ward / 93 intensive care)
- 261 recovered by laboratory
- 2,260 clinically recovered
23,534 tests were carried out to diagnose COVID-19, of which 17,978 were negative.
Nadja Porcell, general director of Public Health, reported that Health Minister Rosario Turner issued instructions for the rapid response team to streamline processes to manage second and third samples to positive patients who have completed observation periods in hotels.
Porcell said that Thursday, 61 PCR samples were taken from asymptomatic patients to assess their discharge and 33 people were discharged for completing the quarantine period.
End Note
Today is the day to act. My son surprised me once again today. This calm boy reminded me that it’s not about the gifts or the balloons, it’s about togetherness. That’s hard to do with everyone being locked down, but with today’s technology, you can conduct video conferences, write a letter or make a call. It doesn’t take much to make a difference to someone else.
“If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” — Dalai Lama
Stay safe… Stay healthy… And by all means STAY HOME!!…
