Press Releases 2005

June 8, 2005

U.S. Ambassador Watt Visits Cocle, Veraguas & Herrera

Ambassador Linda Watt visited Cocle, Veraguas, and Herrera provinces June 8-9 to visit community-based projects and get an update on the Azuero peninsula from local officials and residents. On June 8, in Bajo Grande, the Ambassador inaugurated a new community library. In El Cope de Ola, she visited a Proyecto Destino school run by Casa Esperanza. Ambassador Watt then visited the Camaco shrimp packing plant in Aguadulce. On June 9, Ambassador Watt visited the agricultural school in Divisa before heading to Chitre where she met with the Gremial De Agroexportadores No Tradicionales de Panama (GANTRAP) and spoke on the air at Radio Provincias.

Bajo Grande’s new library was constructed by volunteers under the auspices of the Peace Corps and funded by the Narcotics Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy. Ambassador Watt received an extraordinary greeting by singing, dancing children who will be among the prime beneficiaries of the library.

Ambassador Watt was met in El Cope de Ola by Proyecto Destino School Director Melinda Anguizola who explained how the school is educating local children and serving as an alternative to child labor. Ambassador Watt read to the schoolchildren and donated crayons and coloring books to be used as teaching aids by the teachers.

At the Camaco packing plant in Aguadulce, Plant Manager Hans Hammersclag and his team briefed Ambassador Watt on their operations and detailed the groundbreaking genetic work Camaco is doing to breed shrimp resistant to the white spot virus. This was followed by a tour of Camaco’s highly automated feed mill plant.

On June 9, Ambassador Watt visited Instituto Nacional de Agricultura (INA) in Divisa where she met with school administration and students. INA is a partner of the University of Arkansas and is also working with the Peace Corps to develop models for self-subsistent model farms. Ambassador Watt was given a tour of the grounds and farm plots; she expressed her enthusiasm and admiration for the important work being done at the campus to improve and further develop agriculture in Panama.

In Chitre, Ambassador Watt met with leaders of GANTRAP and received a briefing on the successful growth of the exporters of non-traditional crops. Leaders of various sectors of the industry had an open dialogue at length with Ambassador Watt regarding their operations and how they might take advantage of a free trade agreement with the U.S. GANTRAP also presented the Ambassador with a plaque in recognition of the outstanding work she has done during her tenure in Panama.

Finally, Ambassador Watt dropped by the offices of Radio Provincias for her third interview at the station during her time in Panama.