A new law (No. 58 of December 28, 2006) has been recently signed offering incentives for investors wishing to build, furnish or remodel lodging facilities outside the Panama’s Special Tourism Zones.

The new law establishes attractive tax exemptions for a minimum investment of US$3 million in the Metropolitan area, including exemptions on the import of material and equipment, the import of vehicles for tourism development, and a 20-year exemption of property taxes.

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Shorty and Slim is a band from the former Canal Zone of Panama who continues to write and produce songs about their beloved coutnry of Panama. Despite having the lead singer and lead guitarist seperated by the Atlantic Ocean, they have just released their 4th CD "Going Down to Panama".

Their music is a pleasing blend of Calypso, Reggae, and Caribbean sounds with a touch of Rock-n-Roll, and has best been described as “Canal Zone Folk Music”. Conceived in a Gamboa living room in 1992 and later captured on 4 CD productions, (Life on Mango Street ‘95, Gone Platano ‘97, ‘Tird One ‘99, and Down to Panama ‘06).

In their lyrics, Shorty and Slim, touch up on fun memories, customs and traditions associated with Panama and the Canal Zone, and poke fun of much of the red tape and bearocracy assoicated with the country.

By Matt Landau - The Panama Report

My college years were spent dreading the day I would be released into the American workforce, an act in itself a forerunner to despair. Although my experience and GPA may have looked good on paper, I knew in my heart that my employer, the keen eye that he’d have, would invariably figure out that I had learned nothing over my four years and kick me to the curb, asking me politely—as if a restaurant—never to come back to blue-collar America again. My colleagues would stand there, in their pressed suits and shiny shoes, looking out over the walls of their cubicles and whisper amongst themselves. “He wasn’t cut out for this,” they’d say. “The guy never even wore a suit”.

I’m 24 which, although it may seem young is over one hundred in dog years. I originally came to work in Panama after graduation because, as most innovative decisions are made, there was nothing better to do. I wouldn’t have fit in working nine to five and I certainly could not tolerate another Jersey winter of frost on the windshield or ice on the driveway. Panama was just a country with a Canal to me back then—every one of its people, in my vision, with the pock-marked face of Noriega and the bat-swinging ability of Rod Carew. The moment I stepped off the airplane though, realizing that none of my preconceived notions were true, I knew this country was the place for me. I knew this because in the airport terminal I found a folded up twenty dollar bill which, on its most basic levels, assured me that I didn’t need to find a job.

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