They are not just targeting the big businesses. Boquete Safari is small peanuts and they came by to look at our books also. We have a store in Los Establos Plaza, so they thought we must be raking in the big bucks, (although rents are equal to or less than the average comparative to other main street locations--which surprises everyone). We file our returns and we pay our taxes. But what about the 100 (believe it) scalpers on the street pocketing cash for services (tours,...)? I guarantee their net is probably more than ours. Since construction has slowed down everyone has decided to become a tour guide.

Sadly that opinion is probably in the majority.

The Darien is one of Panama's last true Jungles. Am I the only one who sees a problem with destroying one of Panama's natural wonders to enrich the pockets of the oil and gas companies in this country and others? Panama's indigenous peoples are already being displaced by the construction of the hydro-plants. Is the energy from those plants for this country or for others? And the profits will be going to whom? New species of plants and wildlife are constantly being discovered in rainforests around the world. This is from National Geographic: "The National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimates that 70 percent of the anti-cancer plants identified so far are rain forest plants. A new drug under development by a private pharmaceutical company, possibly for treating HIV, is Calanolide A, which is derived from a tree discovered on Borneo, according to NCI. "Many trees and plants, like orchids, have been removed from the rain forest and cultivated. Brazil nut trees are one valuable tree that refuses to grow anywhere but in undisturbed sections of the Amazon rain forest. There, it is pollinated by bees that also visit orchids, and its seeds are spread by the agouti, a small tree mammal." http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/rainforest-profile.html The Darien is host to more than 900 different mammals and birds, including endangered species such as the spectacled bear and puma, along with over 2,000 plant species. Due to the density of this jungle--those figures might me totally underestimated. A couple of years ago when the 'floods' hit Boquete in November, some of the water pipes and bridges running thru the National Park had to be repaired. However, necessary, and small in scale, our rare and incredible Quetzal, on those trails, virtually disappeared for that season. Ask any tourist who comes to Boquete to hike, what they are here to see. It certainly isn't the hotel they are staying at. I hope I am not a party of one with the opinion that we need to preserve in Panama what makes us unique and mystical.