PANAMA BEST
.....Panama, which will likely expand its GDP by 6.8 percent next year, which is higher than any other economy in Latin America. That follows four years of solid growth, averaging 7.3 percent per year, according to our analysis.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Panama's New Urban Plan
ADVANTAGES OF THE URBAN DESIGN - Integra the Avenue existing Balboa to the road project - It has 12 tracks -5 of 1 via of going -5 of 1 via of return -2 exclusive tracks for bus in inferior level - Designed for average speed (60 Km./h) without traffic lights - the transit Increases to vehicular of 70.000 to 140.000 newspapers - mts Extends the sidewalk of the buildings in 5. - In the going tracks it includes a marginal street of 2 routes for use of taxis and access to existing streets Coastal tape Panama, Vista 1 - it does not have high ambles - it produces all the interchanges at level of the Avenue Balboa - It raises in 1 TM. the wall of the levee, to preveer increase of the tides by defrosting anticipated with global heating - the space for the parallel collector passage of lines for the cleaning of the Bay Leaves predicted - m2 Creates integrated and continuous a recreational park of 280.000, with recreational areas, paths, thematic forests and sport fields - space for 8.000 parking under ceiling Creates 3.500 public and 4.500 by concession - Intercomunica the sidewalk of the Avenue Balboa with the Park and the parking through galleries underneath the Avenue Balboa, with accesses without barriers (inclines and/or elevators) - It creates 4 commercial areas with the small premises for the complementary use of the park in the plant inferior - ciclovia of 3,5 kilometers Creates one from the Market of the Seafood to the Italy Route - a continuous sidewalk Creates from the Matasnillo to San Felipe - the exit of the Italy Route in Paitilla End Solves as opposed to with a bridge Multicentro - a enter the inner plant Eliminates the passage of the buses by the Avenue Balboa when producing for exclusive track of the public transport - It connects the North and South Runners through a circuit in streets 43 and 45, interconnecting them with the bridge of the Insipid Martín - Balboa to the Bridge of the Américas through Avenue 3 of November Connects the Avenue, and Avenue of the Martyrs - it gives to the district of San Felipe a worthy entrance Him through the Embankment - the Central Avenue with the Park through a great peatonal in Ecuador Avenue Connects - Balboa without visual obstructions Maintains all along the Panoramic Vista of the Avenue - the use of existing navy Solves allowing to maintain them and to extend them - a space of 2 hectares for a great Civic Center Creates - its own electricity (photovoltaic) for all the electrical consumption of the project Generates - Balboa Eliminates the existing layings of high tension in Avenue, when installing them under earth
ADVANTAGES IN THE CONSTRUCTIVE PART - it is possible to be constructed in 2 stages - the first stage is constructed from the sea, that consists of a parallel marine bridge to the Avenue Balboa of 3,2 kilometers to solve the road problem, without dependency with the filling and creating immediate constructive obstacles with the parallel sanitary line of the cleaning of the Bay - the second stage is constructed after finished marine bridge, that consists of the construction of the parking, parks, the commercial premises, ciclovias and Coastal tape Panama, Vista 2 exclusive tracks for bus - the second stage allows to construct the parallel sanitary line, if simultaneously outside necessary - it does not affect the operation nor the transit of the Avenue Balboa during the two constructive stages - the wall of the levee is designed like a wall wall supported in the structure of the building of parking, which makes but economic ADVANTAGES IN THE FINANCIAL PART - the project is autofinanciable through the concessions of the parking, the commercial premises and private infrastructure passages - It generates necessary bottoms for the maintenance of project - the first stage finances with the contribution of the investment of state and the valuation of the area benefitted by the project
Friday, April 13, 2007
New Towers Announced in Panama City - No Slowdown Seen
Check out these new projects...just when you might have thought things were taking a little breather.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Panama vs. Miami, part II
Continued from Part I of Know your Competition: Panama City; where Miami and Panama City are compared as candidates for the FTAA secretariat.
Parallels:
Panama City is a force to be reckoned with. Currently, there are plans to build approximately 107 residential properties (20 floors and up) valued at $3.5 billion. It is definitely Latin America’s boomtown. Two of the proposed projects are vying to be the tallest in the southern half of the hemisphere. Many of the projects are extremely impressive but I have to admit not altogether original. The Trump Ocean Club International Hotel and Tower looks like a replica of Dubai’s Burj al Arab.
The Faros del Panama development has a similar architectural concept to Riyadh’s Al Faisal Tower: the difference is that instead of a sphere at the pinnacle there is cube. In a parallel to Miami’s boom, some of the project names are the same: Platinum, Ice, Acualina, and Ocean One. Surely this was not intended but it is ironic nevertheless. Panama City, after all, has its sights set on countering Miami’s trade influence in the hemisphere.
Pros:
Today, many Caribbean nations rely heavily on Miami for material support and trade facilitation. Latin American nations consider the city the logical entry point into the U.S. market. However, Panama City is actively reaching out to mitigate Miami’s importance. To bolster Panama City’s hemispheric economic stance, the Panama Canal is undergoing a 5.2 billion dollar expansion that will further expand the critical waterway’s trade role during the new millennium. Tocumen International Airport, Central America’s busiest, just recently underwent major renovations and has flights to almost every major city in the hemisphere.
More Pros:
Panama City has a long history of U.S. intervention. Panama declared independence from Colombia in 1903 with American support; the main condition was that the U.S. would be the controlling interest in a new trans-oceanic canal that was to be built. Although the U.S. government has long since relinquished control of the canal, Panama remains a dollar based economy. Many Panamanians speak English. U.S. citizens compose two-thirds of all foreign visas issued. To some, the quality of life and health care system rivals that of the United States without the high cost. American expatriates feel at home there and make up a big chunk of the buyers market for PC real estate, and it sits right smack in the middle of the Western Hemisphere.
Cons:
The city has its pit falls. It is over 400 years old and still lacks a decent and modern transit system. The public buses look like they were vandalized by Rastafarian loons. Untreated sewage is still pumped out into Panama Bay. Certain poor neighborhoods on the fringes of the capital lack easy access to drinking water. The government has pledged to do more regarding the environment and public transit but the promises remain, well, promises. Familiar? Miami suffers from its own infrastructure improvement lag, but for the most part, the funding is in place and the plans for improvement, in many cases, have already begun. Miami’s public bus and monorail system eclipses what Panama City has for transit at this time—this is no compliment for Miami.
More Cons:
Panama City is also a hot bed of drug trafficking. As infamous as Miami’s drug past and present is, Panama City is at a different level. Recently, Panamanian and U.S. authorities seized a ship with a record breaking 11.5 metric tons of cocaine only to get that record broken by a 19.4 metric ton cocaine bust off of the same Panamanian coast. Much of the drugs that go through Mexico across the U.S. border, at one point or another, went through Panama first. This has resulted in heavy gang violence and involvement in the lucrative drug trade coming from nearby Peru and Colombia. The Panamanian police engage in routine anti-gang sweeps where hundreds get arrested. Drug traffickers have been known to possess machine guns and RPG’s. Panama City in many respects is susceptible to the instability that spills over from neighboring South and Central American countries. The result has been an increase in violent youth gang activity.
Last Glance
When broadly considering the facts, it still remains true that Panama is surging towards a more positive future than just about any other Central American metropolis and arguably South American too. The boom in Panama City is, by far, more speculative than the one in Miami. As much as Panama City impresses one with its English speaking population, it pales in comparison to Miami, which is considered to be the hemisphere’s foremost bilingual metropolis (with the largest presence of foreign born residents in the world). Panama City’s main airport, although recently renovated, does not compare to the massive expansion of Miami International Airport. Also, the city’s lack of a modern transit system, lack of environmental friendliness, heavy drug trafficking, substantial gang violence, and proximity to unstable neighbors, leaves it a questionable FTAA secretariat candidate compared to Miami. This is not to say that Panama City cannot get their act together in time.
Note: Panama City’s construction boom is valued at approximately $3.5 billion. This is chump change when considering Miami’s construction boom, which according to the latest City of Miami large scale development report, is valued at approximately $29 billion.
Entry Filed under:
Parallels:
Panama City is a force to be reckoned with. Currently, there are plans to build approximately 107 residential properties (20 floors and up) valued at $3.5 billion. It is definitely Latin America’s boomtown. Two of the proposed projects are vying to be the tallest in the southern half of the hemisphere. Many of the projects are extremely impressive but I have to admit not altogether original. The Trump Ocean Club International Hotel and Tower looks like a replica of Dubai’s Burj al Arab.
The Faros del Panama development has a similar architectural concept to Riyadh’s Al Faisal Tower: the difference is that instead of a sphere at the pinnacle there is cube. In a parallel to Miami’s boom, some of the project names are the same: Platinum, Ice, Acualina, and Ocean One. Surely this was not intended but it is ironic nevertheless. Panama City, after all, has its sights set on countering Miami’s trade influence in the hemisphere.
Anatomy of a Boom
PC is booming, but it is not clear whether there has been a catalyst to this surge or if momentum has been gradually building over time. In Miami, the city was racked with hurricanes, immigration crises, riots, and political corruption during the decades preceding the current boom. Despite the many obstacles Miami faced, the city resiliently moved forward into the future. The immigration crisis subsided and led to the establishment of a Spanish-speaking foundation, which serves as the basis for Miami’s status as the Gateway to the Americas. The riots and political corruption resulted in changes in the political establishment that created more adequate representation among the minorities. This led to stability, security, and economic success. Panama City, much older than Miami, has seen destructive pirates, revolution, foreign invasion, a dictator deposed, drug cartels, and yadiyadiya! So,why then is PC booming? The answer might be simple: the Panama Canal. Duh. Certainly, long term security and aid provided by the U.S. helped. And, last, its central geographic location: where two continents meet.
Pros:
Today, many Caribbean nations rely heavily on Miami for material support and trade facilitation. Latin American nations consider the city the logical entry point into the U.S. market. However, Panama City is actively reaching out to mitigate Miami’s importance. To bolster Panama City’s hemispheric economic stance, the Panama Canal is undergoing a 5.2 billion dollar expansion that will further expand the critical waterway’s trade role during the new millennium. Tocumen International Airport, Central America’s busiest, just recently underwent major renovations and has flights to almost every major city in the hemisphere.
More Pros:
Panama City has a long history of U.S. intervention. Panama declared independence from Colombia in 1903 with American support; the main condition was that the U.S. would be the controlling interest in a new trans-oceanic canal that was to be built. Although the U.S. government has long since relinquished control of the canal, Panama remains a dollar based economy. Many Panamanians speak English. U.S. citizens compose two-thirds of all foreign visas issued. To some, the quality of life and health care system rivals that of the United States without the high cost. American expatriates feel at home there and make up a big chunk of the buyers market for PC real estate, and it sits right smack in the middle of the Western Hemisphere.
Cons:
The city has its pit falls. It is over 400 years old and still lacks a decent and modern transit system. The public buses look like they were vandalized by Rastafarian loons. Untreated sewage is still pumped out into Panama Bay. Certain poor neighborhoods on the fringes of the capital lack easy access to drinking water. The government has pledged to do more regarding the environment and public transit but the promises remain, well, promises. Familiar? Miami suffers from its own infrastructure improvement lag, but for the most part, the funding is in place and the plans for improvement, in many cases, have already begun. Miami’s public bus and monorail system eclipses what Panama City has for transit at this time—this is no compliment for Miami.
More Cons:
Panama City is also a hot bed of drug trafficking. As infamous as Miami’s drug past and present is, Panama City is at a different level. Recently, Panamanian and U.S. authorities seized a ship with a record breaking 11.5 metric tons of cocaine only to get that record broken by a 19.4 metric ton cocaine bust off of the same Panamanian coast. Much of the drugs that go through Mexico across the U.S. border, at one point or another, went through Panama first. This has resulted in heavy gang violence and involvement in the lucrative drug trade coming from nearby Peru and Colombia. The Panamanian police engage in routine anti-gang sweeps where hundreds get arrested. Drug traffickers have been known to possess machine guns and RPG’s. Panama City in many respects is susceptible to the instability that spills over from neighboring South and Central American countries. The result has been an increase in violent youth gang activity.
Last Glance
When broadly considering the facts, it still remains true that Panama is surging towards a more positive future than just about any other Central American metropolis and arguably South American too. The boom in Panama City is, by far, more speculative than the one in Miami. As much as Panama City impresses one with its English speaking population, it pales in comparison to Miami, which is considered to be the hemisphere’s foremost bilingual metropolis (with the largest presence of foreign born residents in the world). Panama City’s main airport, although recently renovated, does not compare to the massive expansion of Miami International Airport. Also, the city’s lack of a modern transit system, lack of environmental friendliness, heavy drug trafficking, substantial gang violence, and proximity to unstable neighbors, leaves it a questionable FTAA secretariat candidate compared to Miami. This is not to say that Panama City cannot get their act together in time.
Note: Panama City’s construction boom is valued at approximately $3.5 billion. This is chump change when considering Miami’s construction boom, which according to the latest City of Miami large scale development report, is valued at approximately $29 billion.
Entry Filed under:
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Panama vs. Miami, part I
It is argued that Miami is the Gateway to the Americas. Many claim that there is no better place to do business with Latin America. The numerous major corporations that have set up Latin American headquarters in the city testify to this. Miami is in the international limelight. Of that, there can be little doubt. Yet, the lime light does not shine on the Magic City alone. Right now, the high level of new construction in Panama City is beginning to pull attention away from Miami; particularly with South and Central Americans. This is crucial to consider when realizing that Panama City is also vying to be home to the FTAA’s prestigious secretariat.
The FTAA, with all of its drama, confusion, bickering, and madness, seems to have drifted out of the media’s radar screen. The idea is an idealistic vision for the future of our global community: a 34 nation trade-bloc that comprises a unified democratic hemispheric federation. The Americas, however, is fractured by Socialism, Communism, poverty, civil war, drug wars, and corruption. How can the FTAA form under such erratic political and economic conditions? Entertaining this question is a matter best suited for a later post. Still, for the sake of giving our side of the globe the benefit of the doubt, let us assume that all 34 nations will eventually come to an agreement. Should this monumentally important event come to be, then where shall its official home reside? Lots of folks have different ideas. Although the idea of the FTAA was first officially announced in the 1994 Summit of the Americas in the local Biltmore hotel, Miami is not the undisputed secretariat candidate. No, some categorically oppose Miami’s candidacy; i.e.: Venezuela. 
There are over a dozen cities vying for the secretariat position (in the U.S.: Atlanta and Houston to name two ), but it is no longer a pressing matter as to who gets nominations right now; considering that FTAA negotiations have stalled since 2003. Florida FTAA, a group of local business and political leaders, are aggressively promoting Miami’s bid to leaders throughout the Caribbean and Americas as well as increasing awareness about Miami’s unique economic advantages. However, since the FTAA talks have stalled, their activity has decreased and popular interest has waned. This is not to say that lobbying efforts have halted, but they are no longer as consistent and aggressive as before. Meanwhile, Panama City continues to boom—lending credibility to its economic powerhouse claim. The FTAA talks, although stalled, will undoubtedly continue. The Western Hemisphere’s best chance of mitigating the economic influence of the EU, India, and China is through the formation of the FTAA. Its formation will take time, but according to international trade experts, it’s almost inevitable. By the time matters begin to come to fruition, Panama City’s secretariat-seeking position vis-à-vis Miami, might be stronger than ever.
Panama City is a strong FTAA secretariat candidate. The Central American city is near the vital Panama Canal. In terms of geography, it is more centrally located than Miami. It has a large English-speaking population, well-established international banking institutions, and a heavy American influence. Importantly, at a time when many Latin Americans feel skeptical of U.S. interests due to weak and/or inconsistent foreign policy initiatives, they are liable to start looking to Panama City as a viable alternative to Miami. After all, if the popular perception is that the United States doesn’t care about Latin America, then why should Latin American officials nominate an American city to be home to the secretariat? Panama City poses a considerable threat to Miami in this respect. More so than any other city in the hemisphere. 
Panama’s capital is seeing major construction activity. This activity is a reflection of high levels of foreign investment, a stabilization of the economy, and organization of the government. There are plans for two 1000+ ft. towers along with several other impressive skyscrapers. Many of the buildings are proposed and not yet under construction and the level of construction does not yet approach that of Miami, but many of the projects have ambitious plans and there is enough activity to earn wide respect.With the FTAA secretariat in mind, it is BoB: Miami’s objective to focus on the strengths and weaknesses of Miami’s claim to be the most desirable secretariat candidate compared to Panama City. Panama City will be scrutinized as will Miami. BoB will present both cases and you will see how the Central American city stacks up to the United States’ southernmost metropolis.
To be continued…
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Panama: The Prospect of More Business for American Manufacturers
The President has notified Congress that he intends to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) with Panama. This is good news for America's manufacturers, as the more trade agreements we have, the more markets we open for US-made goods. Exports are growing much faster than imports in part because we are opening new markets through trade deals.
Recall that in only one year after CAFTA, we went from a $1 billion trade deficit with CAFTA countries to a $1 billion trade surplus. Doesn't take a trade expert to figure out that CAFTA opened markets, helped drive exports to those countries.
Here's a link to our press release, hailing this most recent good news. You'll see our new trade policy director Doug Goudie quoted as saying that our trade with FTA countries accounts for half of our overall trade but only six percent of our trade deficit. Let's hope we have more FTA's.
UPDATE (By Carter Wood, 9:40 a.m.): Want to help the economic revival of post-Katrina New Orleans? Support the U.S.-Panama FTA, allowing U.S. manufacturers and businesses to take full advantage of the $5.5 billion Panama Canal expansion.
From Time Magazine:
The plan calls for adding a third set of locks, wide enough to serve the supersize, post-Panamax vessels--those carrying more than 5,000 20-ft.-long containers--that many consider the future of commercial-cargo shipping. The canal's Old World competitor, Egypt's Suez Canal, can already accommodate the bigger vessels. A resized Panama Canal could be a boon to U.S. ports on the Gulf and East coasts, which currently handle post-Panamax cargo directly to and from Asia only via the lengthier Suez route. Says Gary LaGrange, CEO of the Port of New Orleans: "This will be monumental for maritime trade on the Gulf Coast."
Recall that in only one year after CAFTA, we went from a $1 billion trade deficit with CAFTA countries to a $1 billion trade surplus. Doesn't take a trade expert to figure out that CAFTA opened markets, helped drive exports to those countries.
Here's a link to our press release, hailing this most recent good news. You'll see our new trade policy director Doug Goudie quoted as saying that our trade with FTA countries accounts for half of our overall trade but only six percent of our trade deficit. Let's hope we have more FTA's.
UPDATE (By Carter Wood, 9:40 a.m.): Want to help the economic revival of post-Katrina New Orleans? Support the U.S.-Panama FTA, allowing U.S. manufacturers and businesses to take full advantage of the $5.5 billion Panama Canal expansion.
From Time Magazine:
The plan calls for adding a third set of locks, wide enough to serve the supersize, post-Panamax vessels--those carrying more than 5,000 20-ft.-long containers--that many consider the future of commercial-cargo shipping. The canal's Old World competitor, Egypt's Suez Canal, can already accommodate the bigger vessels. A resized Panama Canal could be a boon to U.S. ports on the Gulf and East coasts, which currently handle post-Panamax cargo directly to and from Asia only via the lengthier Suez route. Says Gary LaGrange, CEO of the Port of New Orleans: "This will be monumental for maritime trade on the Gulf Coast."
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