BIG changes, BIG improvements as PANAMA NOW ONLINE is stepping UP OUR GAME.

An Open Editorial from James “JB” Bryson-

Hola y Bienvenidos to all PANAMA NOW ONLINE visitors and readers since 2016.

When my wife and I came from Illinois to settle in Panama, there were many back home that thought the transition was going to be too much. That Arizona, or Florida (where my daughter resides ) were the more logical destinations to head towards.

Those opinions could not have been more WRONG.

We have thoroughly enjoyed our decade here, and as far as the cost of living in those other two options,,,,,,I will let you as the reader do the math.

Having the benefit of hindsight now, I can clearly say that we were IGNORANTLY FORTUNATE that we lucked upon attorneys and Real Estate brokers that assured our transactions went smoothly and we landed on high ground. I can tell you there are THOUSANDS that have ran into problems that many unsuspecting or uninformed potential Ex-Pats have seen turn into neverending Nightmares.

I love the environment and the beauty of PANAMA. I wanted to have some form of an outlet to speak on the things my wife and I experience here. I thought a “BLOG” at the time was a more entertaining route to do that as opposed to just incessantly posting pictures to our limited FACEBOOK followers. The start of PANAMA NOW ONLINE was that simple in it’s inception.

Sometime in 2018, I started to receive some incoming e-mails about information pertaining to ROP (Rights of Possession) issues from Americans stateside. That led me to meet people like “Big” Anthony in Pedasi. Then I was GASLIT * term did not even exist at that time, into a lifelong blood feud with the blatant and under handed liars of RED “FRAUD” FROG BEACH in Bocas del Toro. Which led to meet Edward dePasquale from back in Florida. This led to communication with Dwight at the IRS Offices in the West Region, and Jaime’ at Mi AMBIENTE, and even Birthe Pelayo at GREEN GLOBE. All incredible people that educated me on just how LUCKY we were with having a seamless landing here in PANAMA.

So, contrary to what I expalined to my wife that PANAMA NOW ONLINE would be, it metamorphisized into much more. This was NOT a good thing in my home. We DID receive “THREATENING E-Mails” and she was not happy. Then came my second (TIA) or mini stroke as they are often refeered to as. My son in law Michael had to run the blog for a short while.

This led to a heart to heart discussion with my family as to “what exactly am I trying to accomplish with PANAMA NOW?”, as little blurbs about scuba and places to eat are not on the agenda. The years have opened my eyes to issues far greater than just those tertiary topics.

FRAUD

EMBEZZLEMENT

EX-PAT SCAMS

ODEBRECHT

THE PANAMA “ELITE” POWER STRUCTURE

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

INFRASTRUCTURE CRIMES

CROOKED JUDGES

These issues are PARAMOUNT to the growing number of people seeking Ex-Patriation as a means of RETIREMENT.

Which brings me to the meat and potatoes of this post. I do not have the RESOURCES or the BANDWIDTH to take PNO to the next steps. I can’t hire the right designers and I can’t run a tangible Social Media presence with getting a divorce. And I don’t want a divorce. I’m a tough person to match.

So in late MAY I decided to pass the reins over to the firm of SAFE HARBOR RISK MITIGATION LLC, the re-formed collective of many of the people mentioned above that deal PRECISELY with what I am trying to have a meaningful effect on here in PANAMA.

SAFE REAL ESTATE PURCHASES

CITIZENSHIP ASSSITANCE

BACKGROUND CHECKS and INVESTIGATIONS

EMERGENCY TRAVEL

INTERNATIONAL LEGAL

Three weeks ago, once incorporated, press releases were sent out in MIAMI, NEW YORK, BALI, LONDON, MUMBAI, MARBELLA, and BAJA MEXICO to the contacts of the principals involved.

This is why you have seen the website go over a MUCH NEEDED decade awaiting facelift. When started I used WORDPRESS myself and INSTAGRAM was non-existent to me. I am NOT a WEB DESIGNER, I do NOT understand SEO, I am NOT an “influencer” on SOCIAL MEDIA.

This outcome represents the ABSOLUTE BEST scenario for PNO going forward. A massively increased bandwith, but one with an actual PURPOSE.

To be the AUTOMATIC EX-PAT RESOURCE for those interested in BUYING and RETIRING in PANAMA.

SAFE HARBOR RISK MITIGATION, or (SHRM) seeks to assure that the pitfalls and schemes and “grifts” and landmines, are avoided at the ONSET, and NOT litigated, argued, and caught in dispute for what can truly be DECADES. The Legal system in PANAMA, like other international retirement locales, differs GREATLY from the WESTERN WORLD.

SHRM is NEEDED IN PANAMA, and I am HAPPY to be the one to BRING THEM HERE! I hope all of the NEW people that have come over from the SHRM affiliate groups can READ MY ARCHIVES and see anecdotal and documented stories on the “SHIT” that can go down here for those that are unaware.

Read REAL STORIES and RECOUNTS from REAL PEOPLE in detail. Allow the learning lessons and scars they have embattled to propel you to PREVENT them from happening to you.

And now for the BEST part, I am still going to be able to SOUND OFF and post my EDITORIAL OPINIONS with 100% complete free license. I am now truly able to just do exactly what it was I wanted to 10 YEARS ago, without the heavy lifting of trying to run a website in 2026. I simply CAN’T DO IT properly and effectively.

This is NOTHING but GOOD NEWS, as hopefully people can see the fruits of having actual professionals work on the website and the INSTAGRAM page. I am extremely HAPPY that there is an INFUSION of NEW CONTENT and updated options that are going to be available on PANAMA NOW ONLINE.

LOCAL COUPONS and OFFERS, ONLINE ASSISTANCE PORTALS, ADVERTISING BANNERS, essentially everything I don’t know how to do.

So THANK YOU to visiors BOTH old and NEW and please, now more than EVER, CONTRIBUTE your stories and thoughts to the site as your opinions are JUST as IMPORTANT as MINE.

Hasta la Proxima Vez y Saludos

“JB”