I´ve been noticing an interesting sentiment with my family and other chombos. Many of the chombos, especially those that still speak English, want the United States to come back to Panama. The reason largely surrounds the fact that the Panamanian government is corrupt and incompetent. Since 2000 the only public projects that have taken place are those that usually involve the overall financial benefit for private investors, such as better roads in commercial areas. Although, Panama is in a state of growth and development (moreso than pre-2000), there are still a lack of jobs.

ALL of the American bases (an Airforce, Army and naval base), were given to the Panamanian government free of charge. I´ve been to the Airforce and army bases in the past and recently. They were huge were mini cities within themselves. The Clayton Army base could easily be a university as it has athletic equipment/buildings and office buildings. It would be a perfect addition to el Universidad de Panama. In fact the whole school would be better off there as the buildings at its current location are shit. They look like they are about to be condemned.

But in the real world, the Panamanian government is money hungry. All of the bases are being underused with parts not used at all. Many decent homes (nice compared to some of the areas I´ve been too) have been abandoned as are office buildings. They are there just collecting dust. The government is basically waiting for buyers for the bases. I´m not sure but I think they are not selling for ownership but simply leasing the space. A friend of the family is in charge of everyting that goes on at the Clayton location and he has told me that he works for La Cuidad Del Saber, a governmental organization created to deal with the use of the bases.

Then Panama has never been a tourist country but now moves are being made to make it so. Most of these moves are being made by a few of the Panamanian rich and many foreign investors. Add it up together, very little of the movers and shakers are black. Thus many of the chombos feel trapped. It is hard to find work and pay for a good education in Panama and is even moreso for the blacks. When the US was here, many of the chombos found there escape through the US. Many joined the military or worked on the Canal Zone and gained American citizenship. With easy access to American citizenship, they could come here to school, and/or live. In America it is alot easier to climb the socieconomic ladder than it is in Panama. In fact it very advantageous to move to America, climb the ladder and MOVE BACK to Panama.

Everyone in my family that is still in Panama lived and worked in the US for at least a year. My retired uncle is planning on living with his son in the US (free of charge of course) for a year, while working, so he can buy a new (used) van. Once he gets his van, he´ll have it shipped back to Panama and return. It doesn´t cost that much to do so and back pre-2000, canal workers could have it done for free.

If you think about it in a historical context, the West Indian blacks were brought (came) here because of the US and were loyal workers for years and now the US is gone. Even though years of assimilation and acceptance to panamanian society has occurred, the fact remains that they are still at the bottom of the totempole in somewhat of a "foreign" place. I´ve been finding out recently that many of my relatives and other West Indians are RETURNING to the islands, if not to the US itself.

Oh well, Jamaica here we come.