Well, I don't think globalization per se is to fault. In that, we can both agree.
What I meant is that a gradual introduction is what I think should be done. The problems Panama is having are common in all countries after passing from Autocratic to Democratic governments. I think the answer is that both the Panamanian government and some of the better developed countries are to blame.
Let me explain: The Panamanian economy began to SHIT ITSELF back in the 70s when the military governments asked the Interamerican Bank of Development for a LOT of money (does the fact that a third world country SMALLER than Florida has a national debt of $7 Billion, make any sense?) and the bank gave it to them, thinking probably that the military were humanitarians and social-inclined (as opposed to socialists in which case, they would have probably told them off since the IBD isn't very fond of the Left). What happened is that sure, part of the money was expended in social work (they made the Transisthmic (sp?) Highway that crosses from the border with Costa Rica to almost the border of Colombia (NO ONE goes through the proverbial Darien's Plug (a patch of jungle that is equivalent to the Amazon in a small scale and which is also responsible for a good deal of the clean air of the Caribbean together with Costa Rica's and Colombia's jungles) since Colombian paramilitaries and guerrillas are known to operate in the area (we need to get a National Guard (which was disassembled after the invasion since they got corrupted and became the dictators in the first place) to deal with that kind of problems because the police aren't trained on these matters). Also they made some hospitals and schools in the countryside but that only amounts to about $2 Bill. Where is the rest of the money? The friends of the militiamen got nice houses and whores and all the luxuries of a rich life from thin air. To make that long story short: roughly $5 Bill dissapeared and no one can account for them.
After the invasion, the government had to deal with a truckload of problems (most of which were underfunding of services). After Guillermo Endara's (Pichulo to the vox populi) government, the country had a nice superavit with which the following government could use.
Ernesto Perez betrayed most of the country's trust when he sold the IRHEE and INTEL (National Electric and Telephone companies respectively) to foreign companies (privatization *sigh*) which SKYROCKETED the prices of these service but didn't improve the services themselves by a great deal. Why? Because the President (who had a pending scandal about a bridge that never got built over a river that didn't need it called the "Vandam Scandal") and the Legislative Assembly (which are a bunch of dishonest crooks (some members have been re-elected for more than five periods (most poor families sell their votes to the legislator that gives them the most food or money or promises them a job) and also are exempted from getting the days that they skip work (at the ASSEMBLY) discounted (all of them have side businesses that have to be run), make +$7500 and are also immune to legal action during their term)) in which his party had a majority of votes exchanged contracts that gave the foreign companies, advantages (the Consumer Protection Agency couldn't act against them due to faults in service (serious ones, mind you) until at least 10 years pass and the companies can't be tried for unreasonable rises in the prices of the service until 10 years later (so that legal actions will be frozen and forgotten)) in exchange for an undercover, undisclosed sum of cash (a large sum since the bastard bought a $2 mill yacht with money whose procedence was dubious) and why would he privatice the National companies? Because the IBD holds our debt and one of the conditions that the bank put on the future goodwill of the bank was just that (couldn't those developed countries know that the Panamanian populace was unready for such gravures on their budget?) but the privaticings did have a small good effect (we got about $1 bill in the 49% of the stocks of both companies which was stored in a fund called the Social Emergency Fund).
Then comes the worst President ever. Mireya Moscoso is a farmer-oriented President (being from a farming and herding region herself) which isn't a bad thing per se since a country's food is the basis of the economy. The problem is that SHE IS INTERIOR DECORATOR! She is an uncultured, STUPID, power monger aristocrat gold digger (her money came from her now defunct husbands personal fortunes). Why did she get elected? Because her first husband Arnulfo Arias Madrid (a two sided man: he made great things for the country such as creating the Social Security Vault (which also provides with public medical assistance sorry for not posting this earlier), giving women vote and reformed most institutions to reduce bureaucracy; on the other hand, he was an Axis lover (yes, THAT Axis) and a racist power monger to boot (he tried to pass a law to remove all businesses from foreign born hands, he gave orders at the SSV to perform secret sterilizing surgery on blacks, jews, chinese, turk, etc; he tried to re-elect 5 times at different decades and he was always either deposed or robbed the elections)) had charm, ideals and intelligence to match. She posseses none of these traits. Her party is so corrupted that a lot of money has dissapeared (the secretary of the Presidency was found with over $30,000 inside of an unused fridge (where did she get that money when she doesn't earn nearly $2000 monthly)) and she went as far as draining the Social Emergency Fund (she bought some legislator's votes (one even declared it publicly) because she didn't have majority on the Assembly for the passing of this project) for some bullshit projects. The biggest offenders? A new highway which could be built around a National Environmental Reserve (The Friendship National Park in Chiriqui) is going through it. Why? Because if it went around, it wouldn't pass near the chalets some of the close friends of the government party (when you are a close friend of an official party (any party which has the power in that presidential term) you belong to a group called the potato (don't ask)). A new mall is being constructed near the most scenic boulevard in the capital. The Balboa Boulevard. No problem there. Now the businessman that is getting this built (Pedro Gomez of Colombian origin and according to some non very reliable rumors has Narcomoney) asked the municipality for permission to build a high pass so that the cars can get into his mall. The high pass will ruin the view of the boulevard so most people have voiced a nasty opposition to that project. Some money must have exchanged hands since the pass is now getting landfilled (it comes from the water) and it is now public fact that the municipality instead of charging the $1000/m^2 that they should have charged (the boulevard is in the most expensive area of the capital)...they charged him $20/m^2. Also she is responsible for destituting the director of the SSV, something I think I mentioned in an earlier post.
I think Chucky Cuervos and her are related in some way. j/k
The point of my argument is: due to the confusion after the invasion, the few rich and powerful have transformed what was a democracy into an oligarchy. We need an international commission direct the country until an efficient, alternative form of government is offered. Failure to do that, will lead to general discontent and social unrest that will then lead into the formation of guerrillas and paramilitary forces and shall dye this country red.
Again, sorry for the lengthy post but I feel that Panama's problems are better understood in a context.
