Today in #PlacaCuatroNEWS
Panama, Colombia and El Salvador reinforce food safety standards
Panama, Colombia and El Salvador reinforce food safety standards The National Codex Alimentarius Office of the Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MICI) of Panama participated in an event aligning Panamanian practices with international Codex Alimentarius standards.
Joseph Gallardo, food engineer at MICI, highlighted the importance of the Codex Alimentarius in Panama to guarantee the safety and quality of food at a global level. He noted that strengthening countries in this area and adopting the concept of “One Health”—which integrates human, animal and environmental health—is key to building a robust and safe food system.
Thanks to the support of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), this twinning project between El Salvador, Colombia and Panama was successfully completed, establishing a solid foundation to protect citizens and harmonize international practices. It is essential to recognize the commitment and collaboration of all those involved in this effort.
CAF issues bonds for USD 1,000 million, marking a new record in your order bookther financial crimes
CAF – development bank of Latin America and the Caribbean – issued a benchmark bond for USD 1,000 million with a term of 3 years. This issuance in US dollars has reached a historic milestone for the institution, exceeding USD 10.7 billion in orders.
The high demand was mainly driven by central banks, fund managers, insurance companies and banks. Investors highlighted CAF’s financial strength, its relevance in the region and its growth prospects.
The transaction was jointly structured by Bank of America Securities Inc, BMO Capital Markets, Goldman Sachs International and Morgan Stanley & Co. International PLC. The bond, listed on the London Stock Exchange, will pay a semi-annual coupon of 4.125% and offers a spread of 0.519% over the benchmark US Treasury bond.
Food handlers are trained in Chiriquí
The Food Handlers Training Center (CCMA), of the Ministry of Health in the province of Chiriquí, instructed 763 people on food handling last month; and another 283 in the management of hospital waste.
The regional director of the CCMA, Roberto Guerra, highlighted that the possession of good health cards (white) and food handling cards (green) in industrial and commercial activities is mandatory.
“In addition to ensuring that handlers and sellers carry valid licenses, consumers should prefer establishments that comply with sanitation and biosafety standards,” said Guerra.
Customs Director participates in technical visit to the Integrated Control Center in Paso Canoas
The general director of the National Customs Authority, Soraya Valdivieso and her work team made a technical visit to the Integrated Control Center of Costa Rica, to learn about the operation of this important border control point whose objective is coordinated border work, between Panama and Costa Rica.
At the meeting, Tomás Figueroa, manager of the Border Integration Program (PIF) of Costa Rica, gave a complete and explicit presentation of the project and then proceeded to take a tour of the facilities where Panama has been assigned an area of 341 m2 for its operations.
At this meeting, the head of customs had the opportunity to verify the procedures that are being applied with the use of technology that allows agile processes to be offered to both tourists and international cargo transport.
Six environmental organizations will file a lawsuit against the project in Chiriquí
In a decisive action for environmental protection, six organizations will present a lawsuit today to declare illegal the approval of the Environmental Impact Study of the Puerto Barú Project.
The request, addressed to the Supreme Court of Justice, questions the validity of the authorization granted by the previous Minister of the Environment. The port and multimodal project, which includes a navigation channel, crosses the David Mangroves protected area, which is home to 25% of the country’s mangroves.
In addition, the routes of the vessels that will arrive at the port cross critical areas for dolphins and whales, the importance of which has been scientifically documented. The plaintiff organizations—CIAM, Panacetacea, ADOPTA BOSQUE, CEASPA, Proyecto Primates and FUNDICCEP—argue that the approval of the Environmental Impact Study puts these vital ecosystems at risk and demand the nullity of the project.
The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games come to an end
The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games come to an end Since its origin in 1960 as the Special Olympics or Paraplegic Games, the Paralympic Games have evolved over the last 20 years to become sporting events with global coverage. This 2024 marks a historic milestone with the first live television broadcast.
This weekend, Paris prepares to bid farewell to more than 3,500 athletes from around the world, many of whom have also competed in the traditional Olympic Games. The Chinese delegation has led the competitions, standing out in individual and team sports with a total of 135 medals, of which 62 are gold. Great Britain continues with 74 medals, 33 of them gold, while the United States accumulates 63 medals, 25 gold.
In Latin America, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Colombia have had a notable participation, although Brazil has stood out with greater relevance. Panama, with three athletes in competition, has obtained an Olympic Diploma thanks to the cyclist Esteban Goddard, who finished in tenth position in the road event. The Paralympic Games, which began on August 26, will conclude on September 8, 2024 in Paris, leaving a powerful social message of inclusion and improvement.
By: Olmedo Morales M.
