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A recent issue of the Manchester Guardian has an excellent article detailing the pollution caused by low-grade diesel fuel used by large ships. This is a concern for any country with ports and a coastline as that is where these boats spend a large amount of their time. A study conducted in Denmark estimated that pollution from ships accounts for a cost to their national health service of more than $7 billion a year! The figure for the USA is $330 Billion. With five percent of world shipping passing through the Panama Canal and the numbers soon to go up this could be a problem for Panama.

Residents of Panama City point to its Diablos Rojos or old US school buses used for public transportation when they talk of air pollution. The Diablos Rojos are loud, prone to serious accidents and no one feels badly that they are soon to be phases out with new buses and a subway system.

However, the Panama Canal is the crown jewel of Panama. What if the study out of Denmark is redone in Panama? What cost is there to the health service, days of work lost, early death, lingering illness in Panama from having such a concentration of world shipping pass through the Panama Canal.

The people with the assets and organizational talent would seem to be the Panama Canal Authority (ACP). It is their employees who work on the front line so to speak. A follow-up on respiratory disease in this group of people would be informative.

In general Panama is a healthy place to be. It has a laidback culture conducive to lessening stress. The year round warm climate is a boon to the elderly retiree fleeing the Northern cold.

Panama’s health care system offers low cost, available care to everyone. Panama’s health care system has doctors with world-class training, although at a higher price.

If your home is in Panama this issue should be of concern to you. However, as we all know only those born in Panama can vote or hold office. For those interested in Panama investment the concern is there but is a side issue. It relates to cost. It is the Danish study that counts the cost to a health care system paid for by taxes paid for by Danish workers. That is what happens in Panama. Costs can be shifted around but they do, in the end, come back in some form to be paid.

In general better governance pays. In general better health care and better environmental protection pay. One can hope that Panama’s new president is made aware of the potential danger of Panama Canal pollution and will work to understand and deal with the problem.

As Panama is a great place to live and we live here come to talk to us at ABPanama if you have concerns about air pollution and where you might buy real estate in Panama. We have over 23 years experience managing real estate portfolios and do business throughout Panama.