A Spoonful Of Sugar
Jun 2nd, 2007 by Don Ray
Even a spoonful of sugar won’t help with the other new law that is being debated in Panama being more tasteful. Where is Mary Poppins when you need her? If the abrupt announcement of the new Tourist Visa wasn’t bad enough, it appears that a vaccine card showing that you have been recently inoculated for various diseases is being considered.
I am wondering if this isn’t a latent effect of some past bad medicine from the Ministry of Health being ingested by the current lawmakers. Could this just be hallucinations from some bad cough syrup. If so, I hope it wears off soon.
If there is one thing I would not want to do, it would be have medicine from who knows where injected into me by Representatives of the Panama Ministry of health.
I have not heard of any current health threats from diseases in Panama going around. If I need to get vaccinated, I want my doctor to do it and I want to ask him the source of the vaccine.
UPDATE - Don Winner’s Panama Guide has an extended post on the new proposed law.
Herr Ray,
Schutzimpfungpapiere gefallen(vaccination papers please)! This will give the Polizei something to do at the next highway check point. Get ready for your state-mandated round of vaccinations (all the mercury you can stomach). Don, to find out who is pimping this, just check who’s got loads of Merck stock. They lobby both sides of the isle in the states. I think I will tell you now…. I told you so.
We will have to wait and see if this passes.
If what i have read & heard is true, this is poorly thought out. I remember many years ago I had one of those yellow vaccination cards (actually more like a booklet) that I took around with my passport. But is wasn’t official in the sense that it could be checked with anyone or any agency. If I were missing a vaccination, would I get one from the same group folks that manufactured the glycol cough syrup? Ha!
The doctors that I got my vaccines when I was a kid are long gone, as are the records. How about the polio vaccinations that one got in mass in the US? Anyone know where those records are? Or how to get them?
Since there is no way to verify what vaccines that you have or haven’t had decades ago, what is to stop someone from filling out their own vaccination card or pay someone to create one for them. If is has to be certified like the driver’s license, then this rule will only cost a little more money and hassle. Just saying…
Not well thought out is putting it lightly.
Don,
Welcome to the bizarro world of the man behind the curtain. You know, I could go on & on about the coercive nature of government. Do you smell a rat in Panama yet? I responded to your article on the new ‘Tourist Visa’ requirements earlier this week.
Well……..
Yesterday (Saturday) the wife & I decided to take a drive down to David to take care of some business. We left Volcan at approximately 4pm. Just south of town..low & behold!! A CHECKpoint! Couple of local boys standing in the street demanding passports or cedulas or what have you.
Already, they’re in our faces.
Don, I would like to leave my email here and if anyone would like to discuss the coming police state in Panama, I’d be glad to provide solid, legislated looming threats to everyone living in Panama, native or not but especially gringos of US origin.
This is going to become serious business here. The people have a right to know. Readers, contact me if you wish @ kevin_keefer@yahoo.com and we’ll discuss the potential (and scary) finer points of your future in Panama. Not rumors, not barroom chat but real facts that I’ll point you to and make up your own minds.
KK
KK,
Are you over reacting? When I go to the frontier there is a check point. It is just normal business. I’ve walked the streets in David for over three years now and have never had any police or military ask to see my I.D. I’ve never felt threaten. One Christmas season the police handed me a sheet of paper which told me to be careful because of pick pockets and robbers. Instruction of no flashing money or walking down dark alleys. They provided a telephone number to call in case I had a problem.
Don,
We don’t believe we’re overreacting. As I’ve said, I tend to look at the bigger picture. This view requires diligent study of history & mass psychology, that’s all. I just don’t like the ‘law’ getting in my face, assuming I’m guilty. I especially abhor checkpoints and took every opportunity to berate those in the States who manned them, as I passed through several over the years. I’d rant about the unconstitutionality of it all and the cops/troopers/whomever, would generally just laugh. Haha. I was never amused..
I’m a revolutionary of sorts at heart (too old to fight), so I’m keeping my cool and planning a quiet escape. We came here in an attempt to escape police state tactics and maybe this is nothing but we’ve never been stopped here (Volcan) at a passport checkpoint. I know these boys are just looking to extort a little extra drinking money!
Still, we’re happy with our decision to leave Panama with the realization that there is no Utopia.
We really like the people here and the cost of living is low, good weather etc.. Just to make that point clear.
KK
In the last four years I have been here there have been random traffic checks many times. This has included drivers license checks as well as passport checks. There is always a stop when you go to the Frontera. I have always been treated with respect, but I always smile and talk to the people at the checkpoint as well. There is nothing I see to indicate Panama becoming a police state.
I wouldn’t try to force my views about Panama on anyone. I would advise anyone to see first hand and make their own decision. It will be great for some and intolerable for others. Of course that can be said for the US, England, Costa Rica, Mexico, Spain and on and on.
Panama has a serious immigration problem and Panama is doing something to take care of it. I can understand wanting to change the Tourist Visa (granted it is rough around the edges at present). The law related to vaccinations will have to be passed before I believe it. I do think that Panama wanting its entire population to have vaccinations is a good thing. Its current written structure is a little much.
Don;
Thanks for your always calm and considered thoughts. You mentioned that “Panama has a serious emigration problem….” What is the nature of that problem? Just to be clear:
emigrate - to leave a country
immigrate - to enter a country
So Panama is experiencing a large exodus? (outflow)
— gp
Hi Greg - Well this is second hand, but it is my understanding, from others that have talked to people in the immigration offices, that there are hundreds of Colombian, Dominicans, and others entering Panama on a daily basis and they want to get control of that situation.
Costa Rica has had the same problem and that is one of the reasons for the dramatic increase in crime in Costa Rica.
Thanks for the correction of my word. Being from the country i always get confused with emigration and immigration.