August / Agosto 2006 Vol. 3 Issue 5

In 2005, National Geographic photographer Christian Ziegler spent six months in Panama trying to get photos of ocelots. It was three months before he got his first image and in the whole six months he was here he only had six ocelot sightings.

He should have gone to Dave and Linda Cerutti's cacao farm Green Acres on the mainland at Dolphin Bay. He would have sighted an ocelot right away, or felt it rather, as it clung to his boots, legs, pants, feet, and anything higher when given the chance.

The Ceruttis have been chosen as adoptive parents of a wild ocelot and have friendly scratches and scars to prove it. Beautiful as it is wild, their feline pal has a frolicking body and mind which together are bent on scaring the daylights out of all visitors to the farm. It has a 100% success rate.

While touring the cacao farm recently and learning about the start-to-finish process of making chocolate, Dave and Linda's guests were stalked, sprung at from below, leaped on from above, hugged, tugged and some even got their boots polished by the velvety furred creature's tongue. Carla Rankin, of Hotel Bocas del Toro, took the amazing photo above and barely got her camera and body out of harm's way a split second later.

Ocelots are not endangered in Panama, although their human friends may be if loved too much. The cats' diet consists of ground-dwelling birds, small mammals and rodents, and in the Ceruttis' case, shoes, clothes, rubber gloves, etc.

Those wishing to learn more about chocolate and/or ocelots in the area can contact Dave and Linda Cerutti at greenacresfarm@hotmail.com. It's suggested guests wear long pants and rubber boots while visiting the farm. Helmets and suits of armor are not out of the question.

Note from the editor

As soon as I knew the Bocas Breeze was for sale I wanted it. That was a few months ago.

I didn’t have the resources to consider a purchase at the time but the idea stayed in my head and I couldn’t pull it out with pliers. Coming up with some money was the least of my problems. I wouldn’t have time to do the advertising part of the business and that’s pretty much 90% of the work. Publishing news, photos and articles - or writing them myself - was what I wanted to do but I needed someone to cover the “money in” side.

I’ve known Nathalie Panayoty for years but wasn’t aware that she’d spent more than a decade in advertising. I should have suspected it though or suggested she get into the field if she hadn’t before. She has the sweetest disposition, knows practically everyone in the islands, speaks three languages fluently and understands many more, and could convince an Eskimo to buy an ice machine. It took about a ten-second conversation to agree to a partnership - and here we are with our first issue.

We’re supposed to have a goal but I’ve been so busy just trying to acquire the Bocas Breeze that I haven’t come up with one, other than to continue improving on the newspaper as Phyl McMillan and Melody Burt have done. We want the Bocas Breeze to be informative as well as entertaining and hope to present the archipelago as it is, and how we all wish it could be. It’s a beautiful place with some of the most interesting flora and fauna in the world, on the land and in the sea. The cultural mix is incredible and works well. Most of us don’t want to be anywhere else.

There isn’t enough room to thank all who helped us get this first issue together but without a few wonderful friends we probably wouldn’t be here at all. So sincere thanks for many reasons to: Clay Blaker, Chris Jones, Melody, Juan Pablo and Kelly De Caro, Clara Gordillo, Jim & Sumayyah McCarren, Jerry & Marilyn Johnson, Max Gea, John Adsett, Dave & Sue Flentge, and Tony & Georgina Sanders. And huge thanks to all the advertisers, present and future. Since this paper is free, it can only get bigger and better if we have more advertising.

Nathalie and I had less than two weeks to get this paper together. Our intention was to have all the important news and articles translated into Spanish and Clara Gordillo came through in a huge way. With our deadline so near, however, we couldn’t get everything to her in time. We’ll do better.
- Allene Blaker

Nota de la editora

En cuanto supe que estaban vendiendo el Bocas Breeze yo lo quise. Eso hace un par de meses.

De momento no tenía los recursos para comprarlo pero la idea quedaba fija en mi mente y no podía quitarmela ni con pinzas. El dinero era el menor problema. No encontraría tiempo para hacer la parte de la publicidad, y esa toma un 90% del negocio. Publicar noticias, fotos y artículos, escribirlos yo misma, es lo que quería hacer, pero necesitaba alguien que cubriera la parte que aporta el dinero.

Hace años que conozco Nathalie Panayoty pero no era consciente que ella trabajó mas de una década en la publicidad. Sin embargo sospechaba que le podía sugerir que entrara en ese campo aunque no lo hubiera hecho anteriormente.

Ella tiene una disposición muy dulce, prácticamente conoce a todo el mundo en la isla, habla tres idiomas fluidos y entiende muchos más y le podría convencer a un Esquimal de comprar una maquina de hielo. Nos tomó una conversación de 10 segundos para llegar a un acuerdo de sociedad - y aquí estamos con nuestra primera edición.

Se supone que tenemos una meta pero hemos estado tan ocupadas adquiriendo el Bocas Breeze que no hemos encontrado otra mas que continuar mejorando el periódico tal como lo hicieron Phyl McMillan y Melody Burt.

Queremos que el Bocas Breeze sea informativo al igual que entretenido y esperamos representar el archipiélago tal como es y como desearíamos que fuera.

Es un lugar hermoso con flora y fauna terrestre y marítima de la más interesante del mundo. La mezcla cultural es increíble y funciona bien. Muchos de nosotros no quisiéramos estar en ningún otro lugar.

No alcanza el espacio para agradecerle a todos los que nos ayudaron a juntar esta primera edición pero sin algunos amigos maravillosos probablemente ni estaríamos aquí. Así que sinceros agradecimientos por muchas razones a: Clay Blaker, Chris Jones, Melody Burt, Juan Pablo y Kelly De Caro, Clara Gordillo, Jim & Sumayyah McCarren, Jerry & Marilyn Johnson, Max Gea, John Adsett, Dave & Sue Flentge, y Tony & Georgina Sanders. Y un inmenso agradecimiento a todos los publicistas presentes y futuros. Al ser esto una revista gratis sólo se puede agrandar y mejorar si tenemos más publicidad.

Nathalie y yo teníamos menos de dos semanas para juntar esta revista. Nuestra intención era de tener todas las noticias y artículos importantes traducidos al español y Clara nos ayudó enormemente. Sin embargo con nuestro plazo tan cercano no pudimos darle todo a tiempo. Lo haremos mejor.
- Allene Blaker

by Allene Blaker

It recently came to my attention that Washington has a 640-acre state park called Potholes. According to their website, thousands visit the park annually to camp and enjoy fishing, bird-watching, water sports and sunshine. But mostly they come for the potholes, which are “huge depressions (30- to 70-yards wide and 10- to 60-feet deep), made in the earth during the Pleistocene flooding.”

Visitors pay good money to go see those potholes, which makes me think Bocas is missing a golden opportunity to attract more tourists - and their money - to this area. We also have fishing, bird-watching, water sports and sunshine. And potholes. Theirs are seventy yards wide? Sixty feet deep? That's nothing to brag about or camp around. Our potholes are twice that and we have ten times as many as they do. They would have to change their name to Puddles if it was a competition. Our potholes make meteor craters look like skin pores. We could sink an aircraft carrier in the pothole at the y-griega and make a reef out of it.

I say we publish a “Guide to the Potholes in Bocas del Toro” and put it on the Web. Washington would be drained of tourists in no time. They'd be down here with their cameras, binoculars and fishing gear, spending money and making Bocas businesses prosper. Part of that money could be channeled to the road crews here who could use it to fix the danged roads.

On the other hand, that would mean eliminating the area's main attractions.

Well, it was just a thought. Maybe a committee could figure it out. I say Washington's Potholes State Park should be put in its place and our own potholes should be given the honor they're due.

Últimamente me llamó la atención que Washington tiene un parque estatal de 640 acres que se llama “Potholes” o sea “baches”. Según su página Web, anualmente miles de visitantes van a acampar, a disfrutar de la pesca, de la ornitología, de los deportes acuáticos y del sol. Pero van sobre todo para ver los “potholes” que son unas depresiones inmensas de 30- a 70-yardas de anchas y 10- a 60-pies de profundidad creadas en la época de las inundaciones del pleistoceno.

Los visitantes pagan un dineral para ir a ver esos cráteres, lo que me hace pensar que Bocas está perdiendo una gloriosa oportunidad de atraer más turistas – y su dinero. Nosotros también tenemos pesca, pájaros, deportes acuáticos y sol. Y baches. Los de allá son de 70 yardas de ancho? De 60 pies de profundidad? Eso no es nada para presumir. Nuestros cráteres tienen el doble de tamaño y tenemos 10 veces más. Si fuera una competición, ellos tendrían que cambiar el nombre a charquito. Nuestros baches hacen que los cráteres producidos por meteoritos se vean como poros en la piel. En el cráter de la Y-Griega podríamos hundir un avión entero y hacer que pareciera un arrecife.

Yo digo que podríamos publicar una “guía de los baches de Bocas del Toro” y ponerlo en la página Web.

Washington se vaciaría de turistas en nada de tiempo. Estarían todos aquí con sus cámaras, binoculares y equipo de pesca, gastando dinero y ayudando a que Bocas prosperara.

Parte del dinero se podría canalizar para que los “trabajadores de la carretera” arreglaran las calles en mal estado.

Por otro lado eso eliminaría la atracción principal de esta área.

Bueno, solo es un pensamiento. Tal vez un comité podría evaluarlo. Yo digo que habría que bajar al parque estatal de Washington “Potholes” de su podium y que nuestros baches deberían de recibir su debido merecido.

"Mister Lonely"

by Allene Blaker

Avant-garde director Harmony Korine, best known for writing the startling-but-honest film "Kids," was in Bocas in March and April working on his latest project "Mister Lonely." The $9.5-million-budget film has a bizarre plot, or several of them; strange characters such as impersonators of Michael Jackson, Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe and possibly, if I understood right, Snow White; and outlandish scenes such as nuns flying. There is even some magic in the movie provided by the master of magic himself, David Blaine. German film director Werner Herzog plays the part of a priest, as does Blaine. Other actors tapped for parts in the movie are Anita Pallenburg, Diego Luna and Samantha Morton, all doing their filming in Scotland and Paris.

While in Bocas, though, Korine used some local residents and town characters to play parts in the film, or just be themselves.

Everyone knows Abel, the plane guy who pulls his meter-long aircraft through town every night and sometimes makes it fly. Korine found a way to put him in the movie. And there's the interesting man who carries flowers around town and talks to everybody, sometimes giving them the flowers but taking them back when their conversation is over. He's in the movie, giving Herzog flowers. And of course everyone knows Lili. She's a nun. A singing nun and a flying nun but I'm not giving away any plots, mostly because I'm not sure of what they are. And I'm a nun, a Mother Superior in fact. I have a few speaking lines and at one point I have Lynnie English's parrot on my shoulder, but I'm not sure why. Several other local residents are nuns: Louisa of Starfleet Scuba, Elena the jewelry maker, Gundula the fabulous masseuse, Sue the artist and Loreto the doctor.

Korine plans to have a premiere of the movie in Bocas this fall. Read the Bocas Breeze for further notices. Still pictures from the movie can be seen at www.harmony-korine.com.

"Mister Lonely" ("Sr. Solitario")
por Allene Blaker

El director vanguardista Harmony Korine, mejor conocida por su impactante pero honesta película “Kids” (hijos) estuvo aquí en Marzo y Abril trabajando en su último proyecto “Mister Lonely”. La película de $9.5 millones de presupuesto tiene una o varias tramas raras; caracteres extraños como personificaciones de Michael Jackson, Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe y posiblemente, si bien entendí, Blanca Nieves; escenas extravagantes como monjas que vuelan, incluso contiene algo de magia proporcionada por el mismo maestro de la magia David Blaine. Él y el director de cine alemán, Werner Herzog, actuan en la película como padres. Otros actores usados en partes de la película filmadas en Escocia y Paris son Anita Pallenburg, Diego Lunay Samantha Morton.

En Bocas, Korine uso residentes locales y varios personajes del pueblo para representar papeles en la película o simplemente para ser ellos mismos.

Todo el mundo conoce a Abel, el joven que frecuentemente en las noches jala su avión de un metro de largo por el pueblo, y incluso a veces lo hace volar. Korine encontró una manera de incluirlo en la película.

También está ese interesante señor que carga flores por el pueblo y que le habla a todo el mundo, a veces dándoles una flor mientras que charlan y retirándosela cuando la conversación acaba.

Y claro que todo el mundo conoce Lili. Ella actúa como monja que canta y que vuela pero no les voy a dar más detalles de las tramas, sobre todo porque no sé bien cuales son.

Yo actúo como monja, de hecho como Madre Superior. Hablo un par de frases y en un momento dado tengo el loro de Lynnie English en mi hombro, pero tampoco entiendo bien porqué.

Otras diversas residentes locales que actúan como monjas son: Louisa del Starfleet Scuba, Elena la artesana, Gundula la masajista fabulosa, Sue la artista y Loreto la doctora.

En Octubre Korine planea tener un “premier” de la película en Bocas . Lea el Bocas Breeze para más información. Aun se pueden ver fotos de la película en www.harmony-korine.com

Trash Dump

by Allene Blaker

Si el ahorcamiento público volviera a estar de moda, el primer candidato seria el “cochino” que tiró el montón de basura en la jungla de camino a Drago.

El crimen probablemente se cometió el día (o noche) que el camión ancho quedó varado en el bache # 1. El bache del infierno que le impidió llevar su carga al basurero.

El lugar de descanso final de ese criminal debería de ser debajo de ese pocotón de basura.

BESO

Residents and visitors to the area continue to ask what they can do to help the local community. The answer is to donate money, materials, or time to the BESO group. There are still a few BESO t-shirts and tank tops for sale at $10.00 each and when those have all been sold, the organization will have exactly doubled what they raised at last year's event. Please drop by the Buena Vista Realty office (in the front part of Buena Vista Bar & Grill) to pick up your t-shirt(s) or make a donation. Or call Dorreene Reynolds (6642-1911), Sumayyah McCarren ( 757-9689 ) or Karen Schreiber (6674-9602).

BESO

Como ya reportado recientemente en el Bocas Breeze, la cena/subasta/baile del Bocas Education Service Organization (BESO) de este Marzo fué muy exitoso. El dinero recaudado se está repartiendo a las escuelas y estudiantes del área de Bocas.......zapatos, uniformes, material escolar, materiales para el techo, becas........y las necesidades aún no están cubiertas.

Residentes y visitantes del área siguen preguntando qué pueden hacer para ayudar a la comunidad local. La respuesta es de donar dinero, materiales o tiempo libre al grupo BESO.

Todavía quedan unos cuantos sweaters y tops a $ 10.- cada uno. Cuando se hayan vendido todos, la organización habrá doblado exactamente el dinero recaudado en el evento del año pasado.

Por favor pase por la oficina del Buena Vista Realty (al frente del Buena Vista Bar & Grill) para recoger sus camisetas o hacer donaciones. O llame Dorreene Reynolds (6642-1911), Sumayyah McCarren ( 757-9689 ) o Karen Schreiber (6674-9602).

Bocas Bits

Congratulations to Carla Rankin whose Hotel Bocas del Toro was chosen by Boutique Hotels and Resorts International for inclusion in its list of best hotels and resorts. BHRI is the distinguished traveler's premier source for selected gems around the world. The hotel was chosen for its unique woodwork, Caribbean architectural style and attentive service.

Kudos to Melody Burt and Michael Mitchell for reuniting a lost dog with its owner. Michael was boating between islas Solarte and Christobal when he saw a black Labrador swimming far from any shore. He rescued the dog and called Melody with a description which she immediately sent to everyone on the Bocas Breeze e-mail list. Word got around and the dog`s owner, who was away from Bocas at the time, was contacted by friends who wondered if the dog might be his. A phone call confirmed it was and the dog is now safely back home, on a leash.

Doug Moreland and his band, who performed last fall at The Big Bamboo and La Rumba to large and enthusiastic audiences, will be returning to Bocas at the end of September. Several shows are planned at various venues, tentatively including Playa Mango and Hacienda del Toro. Their full schedule will appear in next month`s Bocas Breeze. For more information about Doug, visit his website: www.dougmoreland.com

Area mothers have been complaining about the stagnant water in the cement pool at the playground on Avenue G. It`s full of mosquito larvae and is no longer a safe environment for children. There are few public playgrounds and parks in Bocas town as it is. This one needs immediate attention.

It was good seeing Bocas resident Martin Rivera profiled in a recent issue of the Nature Air magazine Nature Landings. Martin is the only Ngobe surfer in the area, All the local surfers know Martin and respect his style, friendliness and love of the sport. He`s a real credit to the Bocas surfing community and already a legend in his tribe.

Sumayyah McCarren should have a birthday every week. In July she and husband Jim treated many of their friends to an all-day excursion with Catamaran Sailing Adventures. Besides refreshments and the smooth and picturesque boatride, their guests were treated to an excellent lunch at Neil and Lori Thomas's Hacienda del Toro resort on Isla Christobal, complete with horseback riding, kayaking, and entertainment by the resort's wild-but-tame toucan. A stop was made on the sail home so everyone could swim and try to work off the hamburgers and pasta salad.

Duffy and Jennifer are hoping their house will be ready in time for the upcoming visit of Jennifer's daughter Alexa and her boyfriend Andrew. The finished house has been a long time coming, but it's being done right.

Buena Vista Bar & Grill managers Juan Pablo and Kelly De Caro are looking forward to another visit by Kelly's mom, who's starting to consider Bocas a second home. Kelly's dad couldn't make it this trip; he's too busy working (or playing golf).

Bravo a Melody Burt y Michael Mitchell por haber acogido un perro perdido por su dueño. Michael navegaba entre Solarte y Cristóbal cuando vió un labrador negro nadando lejos de cualquier costa. Rescato al perro y llamo a Melody, la cual inmediatamente mando la descripción a todos los que están en la lista de E-mail de Bocas Breeze. Se pasó la voz y el dueño, que en esos momentos no se encontraba en Bocas, fué contactado por sus amigos que se preguntaban si pudiera ser su perro. Una llamada telefónica confirmó que lo era y el perro ahora esta de vuelta en su casa con una correa puesta.

Madres del área se quejaron sobre el agua estancado en la piscina del parque infantil de la Avenida G. Está llena de larva de mosquitos y ya no es un ambiente sano para los niños! De por si hay muy pocos parques infantiles. Este necesita atención inmediata.

Es bueno ver un articulo del residente Martín Rivera, el único surfo Ngobe del área, en la recientemente sacada revista por Nature Air - Nature Landings. Todos los surfos locales conocen a Martín y respetan su amabilidad, su estilo y su amor hacia este deporte. Él es un verdadero bono para la comunidad de surfista de Bocas.

Los encargados del Buena Vista Bar & Grill Juan Pablo y Kelly De Caro están esperando con ansiedad otra visita de la madre de Kelly. La mamá empieza a considerar Bocas como su segundo hogar. El papá no puede venir en este viaje; está demasiado ocupado trabajando (o jugando golf).

In My Opinion ...
by Allene Blaker

The Panamanian newspaper La Prensa ran an article on July 1 about Bocas del Toro mayor Eligio Binns' "nightmares." It seems that Binns is quite unhappy with the area's lack of development planning and even predicts a "serious social crisis ahead which could include violence."

Binns is of the opinion that gringos (his own term, and while some find the word gringo derogatory, I'm assuming he didn't mean it to be so ... although for a public official, it was probably a poor choice of words), who are simply coming to the islands to build a house and only have jobs for a gardener and a watchman, are not benefiting the local population. His dream is of ecotourist-oriented hotels, not houses.

Many foreigners who have moved to Bocas del Toro have taken offense at the mayor's comments. Dorreene Reynolds has lived in the area for several years and has received many humanitarian awards for work she's done with the local population. In an open letter to the mayor, which hopefully will be printed in La Prensa, she writes:

"A majority of the foreign residents become involved in the community ... they shop in Panamanian supermarkets, buy fruit and vegetables from local vendors, eat meals in restaurants that provide jobs for Panamanians, use the taxis ... services of hotels, boat drivers, doctors, dentists, lawyers, mechanics, computer technicians ..."

She also notes that "residents start businesses, buy boats and motors and other vehicles, furniture and appliances ... Tourists buy souvenirs.

Foreign residents contributed upward of $10,000 to area schools this year alone through the BESO organization. Christmas dinners have been provided since 1998 to the home for the elderly on Isla Colon. Residents contributed greatly to the families affected by the fire in town over Easter weekend. Home- and landowners along the Bluff Road have contributed more to its repair and maintenance than MOP has.

Development in the Bocas del Toro archipelago is not "out of control" but could reach that status if a plan is not forthcoming. And that is one thing mayors are for. Instead of going to Panama City and "talking to anyone who will listen," Binns needs to form a Council right here in Bocas and formulate a General Building Plan such as the one Boquete Mayor Manolo Ruiz is putting together.

Areas of the islands that have important cultural, physical or regional characteristics which are of value to the public need to be designated.

Development in those areas should recognize, preserve, maintain and contribute to the enhancement of those characteristics.

Binns also needs - like it or not - "gringos" on the Council. Many of us came down here for the unspoiled beauty of the area and constructed our homes to fit in with the environment, not destroy it. Most of us are opposed to big developments going up in the fragile rainforests of the islands. And while I'm at it, if ANAM approves the big project in the jungle at Drago which would include more than 400 homes and condominiums, and a golf course- of all things - then they're as delusional as whoever proposed it in the first place.

It is already evident that tourism as we know it today is changing. Condos and timeshares in Hawaii remain empty because soaring fuel prices make vacations in faraway destinations less and less an option for practically everyone. We should be planning not for tourism but for sustainability of island life and all it entails as it is right now. That means repairing the roads, fixing the trash problems, doing something about the dog overpopulation, getting the government more involved with the indigenous people who need free public transportation to schools and town, creating building height restrictions and enforcing them, and so on.

In the April 2005 issue of the Bocas Breeze, Mayor Binns said, "The road ahead is clear to me and it looks bright for Bocas." Apparently that road was as full of potholes as the roads on Isla Colon.

In the same paragraph, he added, "Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success."

More than a year later, it's about time for that beginning.

En Mi Opinion
Por Allene Blaker

El primero de Julio el periódico Panameño ¨La Prensa¨ contenía un artículo sobre ¨las pesadillas¨ del alcalde de Bocas del Toro, Eligio Binns. Parece ser que Binns está infeliz por la falta de organización para el desarrollo del área y que incluso predice ¨crisis sociales que podrían incluir violencia¨. En la opinión de Binns los gringos ( término que él emplea - mientras que algunos ven la palabra gringo peyorativa, asumo que no era su intención......aunque para un oficial público probablemente fue una elección de vocabulario pobre) que simplemente vienen a las islas a construir casas y que sólo le dan trabajo a un jardinero y a un guarda no benefician a la población local. Su sueño es de hoteles que estén orientados al ecoturismo y no de casas particulares.

Muchos extranjeros que se han mudado a Bocas del Toro se han ofendido con los comentarios del alcalde.

Dorreene Reynolds lleva viviendo varios años en el área y ha recibido muchos premios humanitarios por trabajos que ha realizado para la población local. En una carta abierta para el alcalde, que ojalá sea publicada en la Prensa, escribe: ¨La mayoría de los residentes extranjeros se envuelven en la comunidad....hacen sus compras en supermercados panameños, compran fruta y verdura a los vendedores locales, comen en los restaurantes que le dan trabajo a los panameños, usan taxis ...servicios de hoteles, capitanes, médicos, dentistas, abogados, mecánicos, técnicos en computación, etc, etc¨ También anota que ¨los residentes empiezan negocios, compran botes y motores y otros vehículos, muebles y accesorios ... Los turistas compran souvenirs¨.

Ya solo este año los residentes extranjeros contribuyeron con más de $ 10,000.- para las escuelas del área a través de la organización BESO. Desde 1998 les han hecho cenas de Navidad a los ancianos de Isla Colon. Contribuyeron mucho con las familias afectadas por el fuego de Semana Santa. Los dueños de los terrenos y de las casas a lo largo del camino a Bluff han contribuido más que el mismo MOP con la reparación y mantenimiento del mismo.

El desarrollo en el archipiélago de Bocas del Toro no esta ¨ fuera de control ¨ pero podría alcanzar ese estatus si no sale un buen plan. Y eso es una de las cosas para las cuales existe un alcalde. En vez de ir a la ciudad de Panamá y ¨hablarle a cualquiera que le escuche¨ , Binns necesita formar aquí en Bocas un consejo y formular un plano general de construcción, tal como lo está haciendo el alcalde de Boquete, Manolo Ruiz.

Hay que designar áreas de las islas que tienen características con importancia cultural, física o regional para la necesidad pública. El desarrollo de esas áreas debería de reconocer, preservar, mantener y contribuir al realce de esas características.

Binns también necesita - le guste o no - ¨gringos¨ en ese consejo. Muchos de nosotros vinieron aquí por la belleza de esta área y construyeron casas que se ajustan al entorno, no para destruirlo.

La mayoría de nosotros nos oponemos a los grandes proyectos en las frágiles selvas tropicales de la isla. Y ya que estoy, si ANAM aprueba el gran proyecto que incluye más de 400 casas y condominios y un campo de golf entre otros, en la jungla de Drago, entonces son igual de desilusionantes que los que lo propusieron por empezar.

Ya es evidente que el turismo tal como lo conocemos hoy en día está cambiando. Los condominios y los ¨timeshares¨ en Hawaii siguen vacíos porque los precios de combustible altísimos hacen vacaciones en destinaciones lejanas, meramente imposible para casi todo el mundo.

Deberíamos de planear mas que para el turismo para el sostenimiento de la vida isleña y de todo su entorno tal como está hoy en día. Eso quiere decir reparar las carreteras, arreglar el problema de la basura, hacer algo al respecto de la sobre populación canina, empujar a que el gobierno ayude más a la población indígena que necesita transporte público gratis para ir a las escuelas, crear limites de altura de edificación y reforzarlos, etc, etc.

En la publicación del Bocas Breeze de Abril del 2005 el alcalde Binns dijo: ¨El camino por delante está claro para mi y se ve muy brillante para Bocas¨ Aparentemente ese camino estaba igualmente lleno de baches como las carreteras en Isla Colón. En el mismo parágrafo añadió: ¨Juntarnos es un principio, quedar juntos es un progreso y trabajar juntos es un éxito¨. Más de un año después ya es hora de empezar.

Random Shots
photos by / fotos por Allene Blaker

Childrens' Parade
Photos by Allene Blaker

In July, the youngest scholars in the Bocas area paraded through town in cowboy outfits and riding stickhorses with the theme, "Preschoolers need an education, too."

En Julio los alumnos más jóvenes de Bocas desfilaron por el pueblo disfrazados de vaqueros y montados en caballos de madera bajo el tema “los preescolares también necesitan educación”.

Recycle for a Cause
by Allene Blaker

All Bocas residents -- and most tourists -- know the seriousness of the trash problem here on Isla Colon. Garbage trucks are overloaded and spilling refuse along the roads to the dump. The streets in town don't have enough trash cans, and anti-littering education is just beginning. The dump itself is situated on private land and the property owners want it moved, but a new location has yet to be determined. The problems are far from being solved and meanwhile, they're getting worse.

Everyone can help though, and in a big way. By recycling plastic, glass bottles and aluminum cans, the loads to the landfill can be cut in half. And while we are cutting down on trash and making a little headway in the garbage crisis, we'll be helping another good cause.

Fundacion Universal Panama is working directly with Edgar Wong, of Inversiones Wongsa, to give all the proceeds from the purchase of these recyclables to organizations supporting the youth of Panama. Included among these are the Youth Employment Summit, the Foundation of Social Action, and Global Compact. The objective of the FUP program "Recycle for Life" is to fight malnutrition and improve conditions for the children in impoverished areas of the country.

Those wanting to help in this venture do not need to sort their plastic, glass bottles and cans. Just keep everything in a large garbage bag and deliver it to the Wongsa Corporation at its new waterfront location across from Mondo Taitu. Water bottles, plastic bags, broken plastic flowerpots and everything glass -- all can be dropped off and converted into something worthwhile. Anyone wanting more information about FUP can contact Rolando Alvarez, 221-0848 or call Edgar Wong 757-9950 .

Recicle por una causa
por Allene Blaker

Todos los residentes de Bocas - y la mayoría de los turistas - conocen la gravedad del problema de la basura en Isla Colón.

Los camiones de basura van sobrecargados y botan bastantes deshechos a lo largo del camino hacia el basurero.

A las calles del pueblo le faltan tambos de basura y la educación al respeto en las escuelas está a penas empezando.

El basurero está situado en un terreno privado y los dueños quieren sacarlo de allí, pero aún hay que elegir otro lugar. Falta mucho por arreglar este problema y mientras tanto la situación sigue empeorando.

Todo el mundo podría hacer una diferencia. Reciclando plástico, botellas de vidrio y latas de aluminio las cargas que van para el basurero podrían disminuir a la mitad. Mientras que reducimos nuestros residuos y mejoramos un poquito nuestra crisis de deshechos contribuimos a otra buena causa.

La Fundación Universal de Panamá está trabajando directamente con Edgar Wong de Inversiones Wongsa, dando todo los ingresos de esos reciclados a las organizaciones que apoyan a la juventud Panameña. Entre estos está Youth Employment Summit, Foundation of Social Action, y Global Compact. El objetivo del programa “recicla por la vida” de la FUP es de luchar contra la malnutrición y mejorar las condiciones de los niños en áreas pobres del país.

Los que quieran ayudar en esta empresa no necesitan separar plásticos, botellas de vidrio y latas. Pueden echarlo todo en bolsas de basura grandes y entregárselas a la corporación Wongsa, la cual se mudó del lado del mar frente al Mondo Taitu.

Botellas de agua, bolsas de plástico, potes para flores de plástico rotos y todo lo de vidrio puede ser convertido en algo de mérito. Cualquiera que quiera más información sobre FUP puede contactar Rolando Alvarez 221-0848 o Edgar Wong 757-9950 .

End of an era?
by Allene Blaker
photos by / fotos por Allene Blaker

ROP News
by David Cadwell

In a meeting at IPAT on July 19 there was a discussion of current actions regarding Law 2 on concessions. The meeting was set up by PRONAT (Programa Nacional de Administracion de Tierras) which is charged with setting up a cadastral (mapping) system for the administration of federal lands and will not have any administrative duties beyond producing a land status map. As I understand what was said at the meeting, Catastro will have the ultimate authority of administering land and issuing title.

Beginning August 8th, three PRONAT teams will be arriving in Bocas to initiate the survey process during which time they will have limited authority to resolve minor boundary issues. The survey will begin on the islands of Colon and Cayo Agua as they are the most conflictive, followed by the remaining islands in the Bocas archipelago. Phase I of this project consists of surveying ROP properties on all of the islands and assigning each property a cedula number in order to be recorded in a new central registry for right of possession lands. Each municipality will have access to their information. The process will involve establishing GPS survey points, enabling accurate land surveys.

The PRONAT group has rented office space above the Isla Colon super market. This project is being financed by the BID, which has financed other cadastral surveys in Latin America.

The Maritime Authority has recently been cracking down on marine vehicle violations, mostly for lack of boating licenses and the non-wearing of life jackets. The law states that everyone riding in a boat must wear a life jacket. This is not only a law, it`s common sense … although at most times a big inconvenience. Life jackets are much more encumbersome than car seatbelts.

Non-Spanish-speaking residents who have boats have faced hard times trying to obtain marine licenses. A course must be taken to receive a boating license here, which is much like a road vehicle license. In the Bocas area, these courses, when given in English, have been hard to come by and there has been little or no advance warning of their availability. But things just got easier.

Those who have boats but don`t have licenses can go to the Maritimo office in Bocas and get a receipt - at no charge - that says they are exempt for the moment. They will receive a provisional license until the next course is offered here, which, at this time, is scheduled for sometime between August 15-21. This receipt must be carried with the boat operators until the time of the scheduled course; and they must take that course.

Pierre Tapias, with the Authoridad Maritim, will be in Bocas in August to answer any questions foreign residents and local citizens might have regarding these laws and the authorities which will be enforcing them.

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