Welcome to the Panama Weekly News Roundup! Here’s the latest.
Lego Made a Miniature Working Version of the Panama Canal
Have you ever wondered how the largest ships in the world are able to cross Panama as they make their way from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic? The locks system in the Panama Canal are a modern engineering marvel, and how they work is now cleverly explained through this new Lego Education set.
The 1,184-piece set features four levels of the canal, separated by sliding gates that seal off each section so that the water levels can be raised and lowered. Although it’s all simulated on this model using hand cranks, adjustable platforms, and tiny versions of the massive freighters that usually pass through.
Don’t expect to find this set at your local toy store, or even Lego store. It’s only being made available in Panama, and only 40,000 sets are being manufactured. They’ll be available come December. If you’re a die-hard Lego fan and must have this model for your collection, you will undoubtedly be able to find the set online, just be prepared to pay a lot more than the $250 Lego is asking for it.
Source: Gizmodo
Panama: 100 years Connecting Ships, Seas and People
On November 4th this year, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Jorge Barakat Pitty, received, on behalf of Panama, the flag to be the host of the World Maritime Day Parallel Event 2017, from the Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications. This was a huge honor, and great remembrance of over 100 years of the Panama Canal.
Such denomination by the International Maritime Organization appoints countries with a high level of maritime potential and strongly committed to the implementation of maritime international regulations, relating to safety of navigation and prevention of maritime environment pollution.
The slogan for the World Maritime Day for the year 2017 will be ”Connecting ships, ports and people”, which refers to the maritime sector where ports and people working there, play a significant role in the economic development of the countries.
Source: Hellenic Shipping News
In Panama, NCO trains security forces on medical response
As part of a joint cooperative effort to help Panama with their security forces, the US Army’s NCOs are helping train the Panamanians in strategic, critical medical response, and have been having great success so far.
“Fuego! Fuego! Fuego!” Sgt. 1st Class Russell Planer shouts through a bullhorn, and four-person teams of Panamanian security forces dash off with their stretchers to locate their “injured” compadre. The teams are participating in an exercise. It’s part of the medical training that Planer runs to improve the agents’ response times and steel them for shootouts with narcotics traffickers.
The country has no military, but the combined security forces of Panama’s Ministry of Public Safety that protect the nation from illegal activity at its borders, seaports and famous canal can face armed conflicts with cartel members that are reminiscent of a war zone. And one of the missions of the U.S. Army’s Technical Assistance Field Team in Panama is to help keep them safe.
Source: US Army
New Deal Signed To Promote Panama In Europe
Opening a larger travel market between Panama and Europe is critical for Panama to move forward as a global tourism destination, and flights will play a big role in this. This is why the recent partnership with Germany’s Lufthansa Airlines is huge.
The deal is the latest connection between Panama and Lufthansa, which launched five-flights-a-week, year-round service to Panama in March. More than 27,000 passengers have flown between Germany and Panama since March, the company reports.
The increased connections to Europe will have a direct impact on Panama City’s property market. More tourists means more future buyers and renters. Access to easy flights is always cited as one of the key factors influencing the property buying decisions of international investors, studies show.
Source: PTY Life
