Video: The Canal expansion begins

Text and video by RPC Panama in Spanish at http://www.rpctv.com/noticias/index.php?sec=noti&id=4086

http://fs.nspmotion.com/tv_core.swf?asset_id=893z8s7zqz1

Authentication of Canada documents for use in Panama

Canada has not signed the 1961 treaty on Apostille, which means that documents issued by Canada authorities (such as birth certificates and police records required for residence visa applications) and contracts signed in front of and notarized by Canada notary, must be authenticated by a Panama consul in Canada. The procedure involves to:

a) have the document notarized in Canada by a Notary Public;

b) have the Notary's signature authenticated by the Lieutenant-Governor of the province in which the Notary is commissioned. Requests for authentication are usually chanelled through the Deputy Provincial Secretary of the province (other province auhtorities are listed here). In Quebec, the Secretary of the Board of Notaries / Chambre de Notaires http://www.cdnq.org/ authenticates these documents. In Ontario, the Official Documents Services (ODS) of the Ministry of Government Services http://www.gov.on.ca/MGS/en/OffDoc/STEL02_046905.html Federal documents must be submitted to the Authentication and Service of Documents Section (JLAC), Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada in Ottawa http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/common/authentication_documents-en.asp / http://www.international.gc.ca/common/authentication_documents-fr.asp;



c) have this signature authenticated by the Panama consular services in Canada (call first to determine the fees and if it is possible to mail them the document with prepaid return postage);

d) arrange for your Panama attorney to have the Panama consul's signature authenticated in Panama by the Panama Ministry of External Affairs.

Please note that only original documents (or certified copies of these), bearing the signature of the competent signing authority may be authenticated.

These are the addresses of Panama Consuls (always subject to changes) listed in the e-government site Panamatramita are:
Embajadora y Enc. Asuntos c.
Nombre: Romy Vásquez
Teléfonos: +(1) 613-236-7177
Tels. Fax: 613-236-5775
Dirección: 130 Albert Street, Suite 300, KIP 5G4 Otawa, Ontario, Canadá
e-mail: pancanem[at]travel.net.com
romyvasquez[at]gmail.com

Vice Cónsul Honoraria
Nombre: Melva Méndez Aizpurua
Teléfonos: +(1) 514-874-1929
Tels. fax: 541-874-1947
Dirección: 1425 Rene Levesque O, Bureau 504, H 3GIT 7 Montreal, (Que) Quebec, Canadá
e-mail: cgpm[at]generation.net

Cónsul General
Nombre: Gilberto Boyd
Teléfonos: +(1) 416-651-2350
Tels. fax: 416-651-3141
Dirección: 881 St. Clair Ave. West 2 Floor Ontario, M6C-IC4 Toronto, Canadá
e-mail: conpantor[at]look.ca

Cónsul General
Nombre: Eduardo Arango
Teléfonos: +(1) 604-682-6128; 604-682-7128
Tels. fax: 604-682-0528
Dirección: 1112 West Pender St. Suite 407, V6E 2S1 Vancouver, B.C. Canadá
e-mail: invo[at]panaconvan.com

IPAT reply on residential tourism

We thank IPAT for their reply to our July 29, 2007 post on residential tourism. Unlike newspapers in Panama, we encourage free discussion of ideas which is why http://lawyerfuture.blogspot.com/ has Comment icons for direct posting by IPAT and anybody else. We have eliminated the email addresses to avoid spambots:


------ Forwarded Message
From: Ruben Blades
Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2007 16:05:08 -0500
To: Carl-Fredrik Nordstrom
Subject: Residential tourism


Send this to the person responsible for the
publication:

a) From what I read you do not dispute there is a
difference between tourist and resident; no part of
your blog argues against my basic assertion
b) your defense of the term seems to be based on the
fact that ,
"since other countries use it it must be right".
c) I suggest you read the "Louvre Museum-turned into
condos" example I placed on our Internet. It
graphically explains the differences, both economical
and existencial, between residence and tourism;
d) As a lawyer you obviously make money representing
clients interested in residential purchases and an
intermediary for all the legal consequences of
residential requests involving navegating the
burocratic oceans in any country of the world. You are
not a hotel owner, nor do you represent cab drivers,
restaurants, hotel personnel, guides,etc. My feeling
is you'd rather have residents than tourists since the
former represent your "bread and butter". That is not
my position.
I have no problem with people coming to live in
Panama. I welcome the possibility. What I do not
welcome is the notion that tourism and residence are
the same thing, nor that they should be considered as
a whole. They are different activities and should be
regulated differently. IPAT does not regulate
immigration, nor does it regulate taxes for instance.
You should know that and probably do. But your
arguments seems to be directed toward justifying the
notion of "residential tourism". It is absurd to mix
the two. I guess that's the lawyer in me.

Ruben Blades

Carl-Fredrik Nordström
Sub-Gerente General / Deputy General Manager
Instituto Panameño de Turismo -IPAT
Avenida Samuel Lewis y Calle Gerardo Ortega
Edificio Central, Nivel 100
( Teléfono: (507) 526-7110, (507) 526-7000
) Fax: (507) 526-7121
8 www.ipat.gob.pa



------ End of Forwarded Message

Panama tourism and investment meetings

Like every small country, who you know can make a difference in how easy is your entry into the Panamanian market. These 3 events provide opportunities to network with Panamanians and foreigners active in the foreign and private sectors.

---

August 23, 2007
AmCham Events, Sponsorships and Notes
Telephone +507-301-3881; Fax +507-301-3882
Ocean Business Plaza, 17th Floor, Avenida Aquilino de la Guardia

AmCham’s Seventh Annual Tourism Forum will be held on September 19 at the InterContinental Playa Bonita Resort & Spa. This year we are inviting the renowned expert on global business for Europe, Asia and the Middle East, Dr. Rohit Talwar, to discuss trends in world tourism business. In addition, there will be five speakers from Panama and the United States, including Panama’s Minister of tourism Rubén Blades, who will participate in the round table discussion with Dr. Talwar at the end of their presentations. We will have two levels of sponsorship this year: The Gold Sponsorship will entitle the company to three tickets to the forum, its logo on all advertising, its banner in the event room and a table at the entrance to market its products; The Platinum Sponsorship will include 15 tickets to a private dinner with Dr. Talwar on the evening of the 19th and ten tickets to the event plus the logo, advertising and banner. The cost of tickets for the event is $50.00 per person. Payment must be made at the Chamber by September 17. Space is limited. For reservations, call Aileen at 301-3881 or e‑mail amcham @ panamcham.com.

Panama Week 2007 Conference. USPA will hold its annual Panama Week Conference in Washington DC on October 18-19 at the Westin Embassy Row Hotel. The conference will include Forums on Trade & Investment and Transportation & the Expansion of the Panama Canal, the traditional Gala “Friendship Dinner” at the Organization of American States, a Power Breakfast on the Trade Promotion Agreement, meetings at the U.S. Department of Commerce and lunch at the Embassy of Panama hosted by Panama’s Ambassador to Washington, H.E. Federico Humbert.
A rooming block has been reserved at the Westin Embassy Row hotel for participants at a special rate of $309 plus tax. Make reservations through USPA.

---

FIABCI’s 2007 Congress of the Americas will take place in Panama City 31 October – 2nd November. FIABCI is an international real estate federation of 100 real estate associations and represented by chapters in 48 countries according to the FIABCI website, including FIABCI-Panama.
The Congress will be held at the Sheraton Panama Hotel and Convention Centre. Early registration fees for members will be US$ 300. Early registration fees for Young Members will be US$ 150.
Additional information is available from USPA.

Town hall meetings on new skyscrapers are open to property owners

Following the succesful lobbying by neighbors of El Cangrejo against skyscrapers, the Ministry of Housing (MIVI) is having a number of town hall meetings (cabildos) in order to have the opinions of residents for and against additional construction.
Neighbors rejected 3 out 4 zoning changes proposed in Bella Vista, where older homes in 2-lane streets are being demolished every week to make way for skyscrapers and restaurants with insufficient parking.
The calendar of meetings scheduled by MIVI are:
.27 AUGUST: San Francisco (includes Paitilla and Boca la Caja).
.28 AUGUST: Juan Díaz (includes everything at each side of the Southern Corridor starting from Costa del Este).
.31 AUGUST: Parque Lefevre (includes Panama Viejo).
.3 SEPTEMBER: Pedregal.
.4 SEPTEMBER: Las Cumbres (includes Cerro Azul).
.5 SEPTEMBER: 2nd Bella Vista meeting.
.6 SEPTEMBER: 24 de Diciembre (includes parts of Tocumen).
Foreigners cannot vote in Panama elections, but as property owners they can participate in these town hall meetings.

Lawsuits against developers increase

Our friends at the Consumer Authority inform that 183 complaints have been filed against several developers for defects in apartments. The champs in complaints are:
35 complaints from Urband (sic) Land Corp. (Grupo Los Pueblos)
16 Procasa
8 Sucasa
6 Centenario Don Juan
6 Inmobiliaria Royal Hill, S.A.
3 Construtec, Inc.
5 Green Bay Plaza, S.A.

BM Real Estate, Inc., Inmobiliaria Green Bay Plaza and Inversiones Ventaviv were wise enough to settle with their complainants.

More in the Spanish press release
http://www.autoridaddelconsumidor.gob.pa/pdf/NP_QuejascontrainmobiliariassedisparanenlaAutoridad_10agosto07MA.pdf

In the meantime, the National Council of Housing Promoters (CONVIVIENDA) claim that they will submit to the Authority a model promise agreement meant to be free of abusive clauses. We went to their webpage and asked for a copy of the agreement. Maybe the agreement will take the CON out of CONVIVIENDA...

Bar Association continues prosecution of malpractice cases

Several attorneys were served notice of several complaints filed by disgruntled clients before the Honor Tribunal of the Bar Association. These attorneys had avoided service so they were served through a public notice posted at the association offices.

Although the Honor Tribunal finds several attorneys guilty of ethics violations and recommends their disbarment or suspension by the Supreme Court, the Court is reluctant to render a prompt decision.