There has been a lot going on lately and it has been difficult to get a few quiet moments to keep up with the blog so I thought that it would be better not to let another day go without an entry.
One of the things that surprises here is that there is a serious issue with immigration. As we all know, immigration has brought significant challenges with it in the context of Europe, but here, too, it is a hot topic. Most migrants here are from Central and South America. While it is true that a lot of them have the wherewithal to set themselves up in a house, etc, increasingly, especially due to the deteriorating situations in El Salvador, in Cuba, and in Venezuela, people are fleeing for their lives, leaving practically all that they have behind them.
Church groups are to the fore in catering for the basic needs of these people but servies are sketchy and there are many gaps needing to be filled. Panama had already received an influx from Haiti after the earthquake there so the added burden of immigrants from the trouble spots of the region puts an added stress on an already straining system.
When Europe, with vast resources, and very organised civil and social services finds immigration impossible to cope with, it is not surprising to see that this is an immense challenge for Panama.
Perhaps one of the things that might help in relation to this is that Panama has, traditionally, a very positive attitude towards foreigners. In fact, something like 25% of the resident normal population at any given time is not originally from Panama - many of these have been here long enough to attain citizenship together with all the rights and obligations that go with it. The Canal, source of much of Panama's wealth, has meant that it has been a meeting point for all nationalities and cultures, probably to a much greater degree than most other countries, even those who think of themselves as melting pots.
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