Panama Investor Blog

A visit to the Authority of Tourism of Panama

In August 7th, we had the opportunity to meet with the new Minister of Tourism of Panama, Jesus Sierra, to talk about the development of Medical Tourism in our country. Amongst many topics, we talked about our wellness program called LaVida Optimal Wellness Destination in which we are receiving retired NFL and NBA players from the United States, to come and visit Panama.  

Medical Tourism in Panama is a product that has the potential to promote the country around the world as the Hub of Wellness. 

 

--> www.thepanamainvestor.com CLICK HERE and CHECK IT OUT!

Retirement has a Throne

Every year a country of this Planet is proclaimed the #1 place to enjoy the rest of your life after retirement, and its no big surprise that Panama earned this title amongst our civilization. The Annual Global Retirement Index (now on its 23^rd year) ranks the best international retirement destinations, and together with factors provided by InternationalLiving.com ranging from the price of groceries and average temperature, to utility costs and the friendliness of locals, the editors assess the results. After they do all the math, the result concludes that there is simply no other place where retirees can get more for their buck.  PANAMA is the place to be!

Panama is rapidly becoming a Capital for the world to invest into and this brings lots of incentive programs to make it a place worthy of spending the rest of live in. Having the American dollar as a currency and English as a widely understood language, it’s a magnet for retirees moving from the US and the world. This Central American nation has several significant reasons for obtaining this title, such as its pensioner residence program that offers discounts on real estate loans, medical expenses, pensioners entertainment expenses and much more. But most significantly the immigration process has been simplified for foreigners.

Panama has introduced new visas in the past year, that have made it easier to gain residence; and having a population of around 4,000,000 with a growth of 75,000-80,000 a year, has been a factor that encouraged major advances in infrastructure and boosted the economy in many ways. But besides many factors that make this country a “Happening” place, the low cost of living, the heavenly climate found across the country and the incredible scenery all around are key factors of this judgment.  

Some quotes from an Article on Forbes regarding this announcement are:

 

“If you’re planning to retire abroad—because you want to live better for less, diversify your investments or enjoy a greater degree of adventure—you should consider Panama…”

 

“Panama ranked No. 1 this year because it offers a “great combination of variety and value,” “No matter what it is you’re hoping to find, Panama is a good place to look for it.”

 

The Top 10 places on the list were:

1- Panama

2- Ecuador

3- Malaysia

4- Costa Rica

5- Spain

6- Colombia

7- Mexico

8- Malta

9- Uruguay

10- Thailand

Contact us if you are considering Panama for your next social or economic adventure! – we will gladly help you out, and point you to the right direction based on what you desire.

The status of Social Security in Panama

Like social programs in most countries, Panama's S.S. is in trouble. It is under funded and of course over used. This is an interesting article from La Prensa that provides the details of what is collected and what it is to go towards. Panama's S.S. also includes socialized medicine which by all accounts is poorly administered (See artcle following the one below on just this situation).

Unlike the U.S. at least the monies collected are used or are put into bonds, but those bonds are susceptible to the economy which adds additional risk beyond just plain being under funded. This week there is an increase to the employee of 1% and employer .25% but as the article points out, it is not nearly enough to meet the shortfall. The only solution is to make significant changes in the program such as later retirement age and what is covered under health care as well as a private management of the funds in a more secure fashion, but any changes meets stiff resistance from labor unions. Sounds familiar doesn't it?

Machine translated from La Prensa;

From now governs the further increase in labor-management fee, which will help fund programs for disability, old age and death (IVM) and Sickness and Maternity (E & M) of the Social Security Fund (CSS).

This increase, which is one of the four listed in the CSS Act which was amended in 2005 (Act 51), means that employees will pay for both programs one percentage point, while employers will assume an increase of 0.25 points percentage.

Employees pay from now 9% (8.50% for IVM and 0.50% for E & M) and employers 12% (4% for IVM and 8% for MS).

José Raúl Varela, Director of National Income from the entity, explained that the total contributed by the workers-more than a million contributors, 100 000, 95% goes to save their pensions.

Cesar Garcia, Director of Finance of the CSS, said that gives relief to the IVM program, according to the actuarial study for 2009, currently has a deficit of $ 64 million.

Although the staggered increases the employers contribution from 2006-when it was established in 18.25% and will be brought up to 21% in 2011 - intended to reduce the financial crisis facing the IVM program, the hole continues to deepen and the pension system remains at risk.

In 2005 it was projected that the deficit of the IVM for 2010 would be around 100 million U.S. dollars, but estimates of the CSS director, Guillermo Sáez-Llorens, indicate that this figure will reach 150 million U.S. dollars.

The president of the National Association of Economists, Raul Moreira, stressed that the CSS you need to make investments that generate additional resources necessary to fund the IVM.

Moreira believes that the Government's decision to redeem the investment so early that he had made in bonds of the Fund meant significant savings for the central government, but a serious blow to the finances of social security in times when more is required of these resources.

The economist believes that increasing the quota represents an important contribution to financing the program, but not sufficient, considering that many people who are retiring now failed to provide sufficient amount in comparison with the level of inflation that affects country today.

---

 

A contributor who earns $ 500
Example No. 1.

John Doe earns $ 500 a month and with the further increase in labor-management fee will be deducted from your salary to 9% in social insurance. This represents $ 45. This contribution will be sent to programs for disability, old age and death (IVM) and Sickness and Maternity (E & M). A total of 42 dollars and 50 cents will go to IVM (8.50%), while 2 dollars and 50 cents will go to the E & M (0.50%).

 

An insured person who earns $ 1.000
Example 2.

Maria Fabrega earn $ 1.000 monthly and with the further increase in labor-management fee will be deducted from your salary to 9% in social insurance, this will represent $ 90. This contribution will be sent to two programs: the Disability, Old Age and Death (IVM), which gets 8.50% and Sickness and Maternity (E & M) 0.50%. A total of $ 85 will go to the IVM program, while $ 5 will be for E & M (0.50%).

 

An employee who earns $ 2.500
Example 3.

Vilma Guerrero wins $ 2.500 per month and with the further increase in labor-management fee will be deducted from your salary to 9% in social insurance, this will represent $ 225. This contribution will be sent to programs for disability, old age and death (IVM) and Sickness and Maternity (E & M). A total of 212 dollars and 50 cents will go to IVM (8.50%), while 12 dollars and 50 cents will go to the E & M (0.50%).

Why so few entrepreneurs in Panama?

I have often wondered about the lack of young entrepreneurs in Panama. Most businesses are owned and operated by family and friends of the wealthy few in Panama. They got their positions through connections which explains a lot about the lack of business ethics and service orientation you find here. I thought it had more to do with lack of opportunity than desire on the part of the young person, but according to this article from La Prensa, most young people want the security of working for someone else. Schools teach students to be adverse to risk and for the most part are preparing people to become workers in established businesses rather than being the one who establishes the business. I think this is one of the real setbacks for Panama in developing a thriving middle class.

In the U.S. the school systems also churn out hordes of worker bees, but even so, there is a large number of young people with ideas and energy who want to start their own businesses. The first step in making a change is realizing there is a deficiency and this article clearly shows the government is aware of the issues and are making efforts to change it.

As a consummate entrepreneur myself, having started many businesses in my youth, I believe the blame is the school system just as the article points out. Students are not taught to think, but to memorize in an attempt to drill into them the knowledge accumulated in the past. Certainly there is a need for the basics, but this continues all the way through high school and into college. I was a poor student during my school years because I was always dreaming of doing something else other than sit and memorize. Fortunately I had a father figure who encouraged my desire to be creative.

In my many conversations with other successful people I have found most were like me in their lack of interest in formal education and a strong desire to get out and create something. Many who did have a degree, did not end up using what their degree declares they are proficient in.  For the most part we all forget most of the memorization we did in school and technology is changing so fast, what we thought we knew is outdated in just a few months. You can find out about any subject via the internet and when I want to start a new enterprise I spend hours digging through it to learn as much on the latest and greatest as possible.

Certainly if you want to become a professional such as a doctor, lawyer or engineer, there is only one way and that is through higher education and a degree. But for the young person who answers the question "what do you want to do when you grow up" with "to be rich like you" the higher educational route is not the most rapid way to accomplish that desire.

In my talks with my own children I find out a lot about the educational system in Panama. Although my kids are great students having memorized well they have not received any training in being creative or the reality of risk versus reward in school. I have to instill these values or they would not have them.

A dream that few people realize

68% of Panamanians want to build a business, but only 14% said they would dare to take that route in three years. Young people under 25 are the least likely to risk riding the wave.

1473726 Click to enlarge

Mary Triny Zea
[email protected]

At 28, Gabriel Rivas working on a technological invention that could be the solution to avoid wasting electricity.

His profession as an electrical engineer helped him to prepare a device through a software to detect the sites of major power consumption in a company. Thus expected that companies can maximize their resources and close the valves of waste.

Edison Romagna, 21, is micro ice cream from last year. Started with a capital of only $ 10 in your home and want to generate profits for your operation more productive.

Both young men belong to different social strata but have a common dream: long for their businesses thrive. Hundreds of Panamanians like Rivas and Romagna have a favorable view of entrepreneurship, however, few projects materialize.

Young people under 25 are the least involvement with the generation of wealth through entrepreneurship.

431 of 34,000 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in operation and registered until October in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (Ampyme) 3000 155 belong only to youth up to 25 years.

In addition, the 39 000 616 registered business ideas, only 6 000 179 belong to the youngest.

These figures reflect the poor level of entrepreneurship in youth, a reality not only for Panama but for most Latin American countries.

"One of the causes of the deficit of entrepreneurial spirit is that students are taught to be workers and not entrepreneurs." "Society gives a negative connotation to the risk," the report Decent Work and Youth in Latin America 2010, International Labour Organization.

Consequently, when young people complete their studies, the majority looks to belong to the group of employees. At this stage, make contacts and gain experience, positive features in the role of entrepreneurs, but the drama is that many never are seen as generating employment and wealth.

According to experts on the subject, is how many end up all their productive lives in the same condition as when they started the heavy career.

Philip Chapman economist is concerned to see the kind of undertaking that includes the survey "Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2009 (GEM)" with little or no added value to the community ": opening of kiosks, inns or offering services such as taxi drivers while research and product development are lagging.

Shared Reality

The GEM analysis, a study by the City of Knowledge Foundation, with about two thousand people in the country, showed that only 9.6% of Panamanians are embarking on their business.

The Panamanian flag is lower than in Colombia with 22.4%, Peru (20.9%) and Guatemala (26.8%), although higher than U.S. (8%) and Italy (3.7%).

68% of respondents estimated that starting a business is desirable, 63% feel they have the skills to succeed, but only 14% think do it in the next three years, and only 4% do business with more than 42 months in operation .

"Good news for Panama is that the majority of entrepreneurs facing these initiatives by identifying opportunities and not by the absence of other options to generate your income," says Hugo Kantis, consultant to the Inter-American Development Bank Coordinator Entrepreneurial Development Program of the National University of Sarmiento in Argentina.

This contrasts with the reality of the countries of the region dominated by necessity entrepreneurs. The major challenge for Panama is to raise their rate of entrepreneurial activity, said Kantis, for it requires a comprehensive strategy that includes actions in education, innovation and financing.

In the country have opened several fronts to encourage young people in creating new businesses.

Gabriel Rivas is developing its software with support from the Business Accelerator of the City of Knowledge and earned funding through the National Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation.

The Business Accelerator free guidance to those interested in starting a business to achieve its development financially.

The Ampyme, on the other hand, has programs that seek to awaken the spirit entrepenershiip among twelfth grade students in public schools. Edison will receive from this institution Romagna seed capital to start their business.

Enabled him to provide good customer service and basic applied business math. In this way he realized that one of its products was not profitable.

For experts in this area, efforts are insufficient. "They must bring home from grade school on a regular basis and to grow with this mentality," said Linares Laru, project manager of the Business Accelerator. "The young Panamanians see the venture as something very distant." Rivas Romagna and now have the challenge of not giving up and being "very resilient and self-motivated, fundamental qualities of a successful entrepreneur, said Linares.

Status of Private Schools in Panama

I get many emails asking about private schools from folks looking at Panama as a place to bring their families. With the advent of many multinational companies moving nto the country the number and quality of private schools has grown at a fast rate and so has the cost. In Boquete we have about a half dozen small private schools with one of the best being the International Acadamy of Boquete. They currently go from prekinder through the 5th grade and charge between $60 and $110 a month per student. My son attents and we are very impressed with the quality of education. The article below is translated from La Prensa.

Aet Elisa Tejera C.
[email protected]

Digital libraries, storytelling, language laboratory classes, accommodations, clean showers at the gym, extensive grounds for the recess, computers for each student and teaching professionals with various specialties.

There are few schools that meet these characteristics in Panama, but this type of school is growing. Private education is going through a metamorphosis, is more varied, complete with international standards.

The growth of this circle is due to the arrival of a foreign population is increasing and at the right time for the local economy is going through, which makes it possible for more parents to invest up to $ 10 000 in a year of secondary education.

Schools such as the International School of Panama (ISP), Balboa Academy, Colegio Brader, Isaac Rabin, American Academy of Panama, Albert Einstein College. Lycee Francais as well as Paul Gauguin in Panama, Crossroads Christian Academy and the Metropolitan School of Panama (about to begin his first year), are one of the elite centers established in the country.

The strength of these schools is based on the teaching of two or three languages, based on English. In addition to Spanish, French, Mandarin and Hebrew.

The teaching method has nothing to do with repetition and memorization. A change is focused on analysis and creativity.

In addition, some of them are recognized internationally, facilitating the integration of students whose parents look for work on the need to constantly move from one country to another.

The quality of education and access to a variety of extracurricular activities play an important role. Exclusivity is another incentive. The high price guarantees comfort and social relations during the preparation process, are another attraction for parents to enroll their children in these schools.

High standard

A case of these is the International School of Panama, its graduates earn three titles: the one given by the Ministry of Education, an international baccalaureate diploma and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Having the international baccalaureate will not only allow students the opportunity to excel in college, but also acquire skills that will think globally and compete on par with students in the first world, said Linda La Pine, director of ISP .

Besides having a high prestige academic curriculum, its facilities will offer students alternatives to develop recreational activities. Basketball, soccer, tennis, amphitheaters, swimming pools, digital libraries and language centers.

In the educational estate of the City of Knowledge schools are Issac Rabin, Balboa Academy and the Metropolitan School of Panama, all governed by international standards.

U.S. Accredited Advanced ED (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools), the Balboa Academy allows its graduates to enter U.S. and European universities recognized.

"The vision of the school is to prepare students to compete in a globalized world," said Jean Lamb, director of the Balboa Academy.

This center is governed by the international calendar, which runs from August to June, an important factor for international students.

The Metropolitan School of Panama also work with the same schedule. "The goal of this new school in Panama is to develop best practices in education for students to reach their full potential for individual development," said Hugo Ramirez, a founding partner.

On the west side of the Canal in Panama Pacific Special Area in Howard, has installed a new academic offerings for the French community: the Lycée Francais Paul Gauguin in Panama.

Although most students are French, any Panamanian may choose to study at this campus that is born of a bilateral agreement on cultural cooperation, scientific and educational signed between France and Panama, said Piere Astier, director of the Lycee Francais Paul Gauguin.

Its curriculum is approved by the Ministry of Education of Panama and is modeled on the French Ministry of Education, which opens the doors to its graduates for direct entry to universities in France.

Parents also opt for private education because of lack of security that exists for students in public schools and service continuity.

In these private schools there is a diversity of languages, while public sector student fails the verb to be in learning English, said the mother Lisset Bathy.

Only 2.5% of students studying in the particular sector (108 000 144), go to these schools, considered the most expensive in the country.

Education figures

889 - Schools individuals.

108.144 - student enrollment.

20 - average students per class.

The latest polls on Panama Public Education

The results are in and it is not pretty! A countries future will depend on the education of future generations. Unfortunately, like many countries, Panama's public education system is controlled by unions and the result is a very poor performance from educators and students alike. This poll taken in Panama sheds light on how the general public feels about Panama's educational system and specifically what is holding it back.

Machine translated from La Prensa

Public education is in check

The low quality of education due to lack of vocation of educators, says 38.9% of those polled by Unimer.

factors. Poor preparation of teachers and outdated programs, two of the reasons why education is poor, according to respondents. LA PRENSA / Jihan Rodríguez1459271

URANIA CECILIA MOLINA
[email protected]

58.4% of respondents in the latest survey conducted by Unimer for La Prensa believes that public education is deficient.

The perception of respondents to the survey is far from what the system reflect studies done, including who conducted members of the late National Council of Education, published in 2008 - which warned that 40% Panamanian students' primary for that date (2004-2007) did not master basic subjects such as Spanish, math and science.

The document prepared by the Council noted further that within the Ministry of Education (MEDUC) develop initiatives in the field of quality, but those efforts were "disjointed, without regulation and without a clear direction towards the goals of improving the quality of student learning. "

Subsequent studies have yielded the same conclusions.

The results of the consultation with 207 thousand Panamanians for Unimed, including the past 7 and 11 October, realize that 40.5% believe that public education is good or very good, while 25.5% say exactly Otherwise, which added to the 32.9% that qualify as regular shows that the majority of the population does not trust the quality of service you receive. 1.1% of respondents did not know or did not respond.

The consultation also revealed evidence that the group of 18 to 24 years there is a better concept of education provided in public schools, a perception that is also recorded in those groups with family incomes less than $ 541 a month and living in central provinces and rural areas.

As for the possible causes of the poor quality of education, 38.9% of respondents attributed it to question the lack of vocation of educators, followed by a poor educational background (32.2%), outdated programs (21.4% ), lack of students (14.9%), poor condition of infrastructure (9.3%) and lack of parental involvement (8.7%), among others (see table).

AFFECTS DECAY

The respondents placed the lack of parental involvement at number 6 of the 11 options given by the consultants.

In this regard, Alma Montenegro de Fletcher, who was part of the National Council of Education, said the crisis of education in Panama is linked to problems that start in the family structure due to the instability in children and young people created family disintegration.

Montenegro de Fletcher believes that the lack of vocation of teachers increases the problem. Ensures that for some 30 years teaching career has been chosen as a solution to guarantee pensions, resulting in teachers who have no love of teaching and "just want to get away."

These teachers, he stressed, are resisting the changes required to modernize and improve the system.

Toala Nora, dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Panama, said that the problem of educational quality is the teacher, but in society, which has given many responsibilities the educator. He adds that as the boys no longer have the strong parental supervision, because both work, searching for what interests them, which is fun, and recalled that before the responsibility for education rested primarily on the parents.

THERE ARE GOOD AND BAD

Yaselis Canto, director of the Escuela República de Venezuela, within the system ensures that there are good and bad teachers.

The first group are aware that their role in the classroom goes beyond complying with a work schedule, he said. They guide, counsel, discipline, teach and above all are aware that many students do not have a dad or mom to watch them, because they regularly are by grandparents, aunts or older siblings.

While the others are bad, only concerned about meeting the work plan, he said.

Justo Medrano, vice president academic at the University of Panama, attributes the problem of poor school performance to the "appalling number of distractions that young people" because education is not a trainer, but to reform.

According to Medrano, teachers must first change the habits that bring young people, and then begin to teach them. He also criticized the media, because it ensures that there are very few who plan programs to help improve the training of young people.

EDUCATION

The results showed Unimer poll for this newspaper did not surprise the Minister of Education, Lucy Molinar. On the contrary. He said the results are the product of many factors that together act to the detriment of teaching-learning process within the public sector.

For Molina, the public perception is the result of an activity (education), which was cooled and left to be seen as a tool to become a better person, beyond that it acquires a title or profession.

And, according to the official, is not worth having training, better preparation and a series of academic qualifications, if the path is lost values education and one ceases to be a good person.

CHANGES

The Minister of Education explained that the work currently carried out in MEDUC heads to turn things around and so are aiming to improve the system in a coordinated way. For that, he explained, is necessary to involve all stakeholders in this process.

"We are bound by their parents in the education of their children, worked to highlight the figure of the educator, within and outside the classroom, because this had been frozen," he said. He added that further work to improve the infrastructure of schools, among other things, for changes within the system.

Molinar reiterated that although not surprised by the results of the consultation is very optimistic to be harvested in the future product of work done within the institution.

These will undoubtedly be to the benefit of society at large, said the minister.

FAR FROM THE BEST ON THE WEB

Panamanian education continues to stumble, but this time the trips were among the public and private universities, and a matter of positioning on the web. In a world university rankings, published by the Higher Council for Scientific Research of Spain, which measured the online presence of 12 000 universities in the world, only five of the houses of higher studies in Panama reached a position. But all, far from the top, and there were some, as the Catholic University Santa María La Antigua, that are not listed.

In the ranking, which appeared only six local universities, the University of Panama reached the best position (3.458), while the University of Panama (UP) 4.984 ranked. American University was ranked in the place 7.050, Universidad del Istmo, ranked 9.596 on the list, ranking as the tail of the Laureate International Universities appeared Panama, ranked 10.785, and Columbus University in the post 11.906. The position reached Panamanian universities was discussed by representatives of some institutions, such as Michelangelo Candanedo, general secretary of the UP, who called absurd ranking, because it only relies on the publications that houses the highest study on their web sites.

He added that this year the UP is adjusting your site, because "they had neglected."

For its part, Julieta Guillén, director of advertising at the University America, said to appear in the list, and is good, because they compete with global universities, which have more infrastructure and budget. In fact, the top 10 list is occupied by U.S. universities. The number one is Harvard.

Quiel Dimas, USMA academic vice chancellor, said this ranking does not necessarily measure the academic excellence of the university, but despite this they will investigate how it is done to find out why not come. He clarified that if the weights are in the use of web sites, this year the USMA has two domains, because they are making changes to the existing one.

URANIA CECILIA MOLINA

 

 

Panama Health System Forced to Recruit Foreign Medical Staff

Unable to attract qualified Panamanian medical personnel has forced the ministry of health to bend their rules to allow foreigners to administer medical procedures in the country. Of course this only applies to government health care facilities, which is probably why they are not able to attract many Panamanian health care professionals. They obviously are not paying enough! So one has to wonder about the quality of the doctors that this situation will attract.

La Prensa

Starting next Monday, the Ministry of Health (MoH) will open the call for the resume's of foreign specialists. There are 78 specialists that the MoH is requesting to work in interior hospitals, both urban and rural areas.

Among the medical specialties are hiring gynecology, internal medicine, pediatrics, radiology and anesthesiology.

The call will take place in view could not be filled by local doctors. "The institution has taken this decision to the disinterest shown by the Panamanian doctors during the call to them by the MoH in May," said a statement from the institution.

Only two Panamanian doctors, an otolaryngologist and an internist, showed interest and were recruited from the hospital Sunday Obaldía Joseph Hospital and San Felix.

Lucas Carlos Mora, general director of Health MoH, said on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday published in the print media calls in order for staff of consulates and embassies have information and can serve as a bridge to medical professionals of their countries.

The census results for Panama- The Population is Shrinking!

I find it surprising that the population is declining so significantly in Panama . I see so many unwed moms that I thought things were humming along as usual in Latinlandia. Most of our female employees are taking care of one or more fatherless children. But, if the data is correct, the birthrate has dropped almost 25% from 20 per 1000 to 16 per 1000 in just 10 years. That will certainly put less burden on the social system in the future, but it also means that the gene pool is drying up. Maybe this is a good time to change the immigration laws so professionals can come and help invigorate the gene pool and population at the same time. From inside Costa Rica.

I heard a few complaints from readers who live here about the heavy handed government not allowing you to leave your home until you had provided information to the census takers. (You would get a ticket) I have to sympathize with the government as it is really hard to track down people in Panama unless they are  forced to stay at home. Families are large and as several generations will live in one home. All teens head for the door as soon as they wake up and eat.  So this rather archaic approach is the only way the government has to reliably gather the data. This data governs where money will be spent and how much social services are needed in the communities. It is interesting to note that there is one home for every three people in the country. This is probably the the highest ratio in central America. Maybe we two person per family gringos are skewing the data.

The census did not take long as they had tens of thousands out on the beat. They did it in less than a day and most in the morning so folks could go on their business. I had happened to fly into the country from NYC the night before and was able to travel from Panama City to David airport where census takers spent about 15 minutes gathering data on us and let us on our way. Tourist were not required to but show their passports. On my drive home from the airport there were at least 10 road checks where you had to show a card in your widow that you had been "cencustized".

Panama: Population Growth Rate Decreases

PANAMA - The preliminary data of the recent population and housing census in Panama revealed that the rate population growth rate has decreased regarding the study carried out in 2000, according to specialized sources.

Experts of the National Institute of Statistics asserted that this year's researches brought about a rate of 16 births per 1000 inhabitants while 10 years ago this number reached 20.

The census determined that the population is composed by 3, 322, 576 people, a number that is lower than 3.5 million that were registered in previous estimates by the Comptroller General of the Republic.

From that total, 1, 672,568 are men and 1, 650,008 are women. There are 1, 056,208 houses in the country.

Health care to become part of developers plans in Costa Rica

With health care at the center of attention in the U.S. this concept could certainly gain ground if implemented properly. According the an article in Costa Rica's La Prensa, developers are teaming up with local government to put together health care centers within their projects. If Obamacare gets legs one area that you can be sure will be left out in the cold is alternative health care practitioners. I bet they will head south with technology and skills.

The Costa Rican authorities work with developers to construct Healthy Cities to attract wealthy foreign pensioners, especially Americans, who could inject $ 340 million annually to the local economy and create thousands of jobs, announced on Thursday.

  Written by AFP
12:30 Thursday, February 18th, 2010 12:30

 

  The 'Cluster' for Retirees, asthe project is called, aims to develop residential centers in various parts of the country in which they offer comprehensive services and personalized care, domestic services, transport and nursing for foreign retirees to choose their residence in Costa Rica.

  At the same time, it will involve the development of other activities such as advanced research, high value recreation, theme parks and pharmaceuticals, said the promoters.

  The project, involving various commercial and medical institutions, was presented  Thursday as a national public interest by Ministers for Competitiveness and Regulatory Improvement, George Woodbridge, and Foreign Trade Marco Vinicio Ruiz, in a ceremony in which participated many promoters.

  "It's a tremendous opportunity to coordinate efforts to increase the attractiveness country," said Ruiz, who said that Costa Rica is able to offer these services "immediate and with very high quality."

As do countries like China, Costa Rica also expects to benefit from knowledge and preparation of their own retirees, especially in the scientific field, the minister said.

Thus far, the country has offered medical tourism, which last year attracted 30,000 visitors, an average expenditure of $ 6,000 per person on services they use. And as "medical costs continue to grow in America," recalled the minister of Competitiveness so will we.

Moreover, growth and dynamism of the country in the manufacture of medical devices, which account for more than 1,00 million dollars in the export pattern and the existence of human resources in health sciences are some of the main attractions offered by Costa Rica, according to Irvin Stewart, the Costa Rican Coalition for Development Initiatives (CINDE).

This is compounded by the lower cost of living, proximity to many destinations, climate, security, peace and beauty of the country and its commitment to the environment, noted for his part Woodbridge.

  Retirement communities bring more than "two to three times" the revenue generated by tourism or just the real estate sector, which has suffered a major setback in the last year because of the global crisis, claim the developers. "This is an opportunity to change strategy," said Woodbridge, who said he retired to live in Costa Rica have "minimum bonus" to do so, especially when you import your household items and cars.
  It is estimated that the development of Healthy Cities could generate $ 340 million annually in foreign exchange.  In addition, attention to a population of 10,000 retirees would produce 40,000 jobs, direct them 10.000.
  Costa Rica already has some projects of its kind in Liberia, near the Pacific coast, and northwest of the Central Valley, home to San Jose. In Central America, however, Panama is the most advanced country in this type of service, as has five retirement communities and 42 in permitting and construction process.

Medical Tourism expected to explode in Panama

According to this recent article in La Prensa, people coming to Panama for medical and dental treatments of various kinds is growing dramatically and expected to increase due to the state of the U.S. health care system. My contacts in the medical field here in Panama echo these beliefs as they have seen a growing number of North Americans coming for various treatments which are much lower in cost than their home country. A recent trip I made to Costa Rica showed me just how advanced they are in this form of tourism. The small hotel I stayed in had folks sitting around the breakfast table talking about the various treatments they had come to receive. With Panama having a Johns Hopkins affiliated facility along with a number of top quality practitioners, I think that this is one aspect of tourism that can whether just about any economic storm.

Machine translated from La Prensa

XENIA DE LEON
[email protected] [email protected]

  The government anticipates an explosive demand for medical tourism to Panama after the health reform pending in the U.S., according to the five-year plan submitted by the Executive.

  Americans could choose Panama, whereas in other places there is an increase in waiting times for medical procedures and fix denial of claims.

  Ricardo Martinelli administration estimates that the country could reach between 500 thousand and 700 thousand patients each year.

  Current demand is estimated between 65 thousand and 80 thousand patients annually and is expected to increase after the boom in U.S. retirees who seek health services abroad.

 Panama would benefit a rise in the consumption of health services in emerging markets and regional and stress on health systems in North America.

The plan also mentions the recognition of the improved value for money over health in developing markets worldwide.

  A source linked to this economic sector said that the market is growing and is projected to see more foreigners in our country to be treated.  Private health services represent less than 30% of annual expenditure of 1.8 billion on health in Panama, including the expense of regional clinics and nonprofit organizations.