The residents, visitors and Panamanian citizens get the 25% discount on food beverage, medecines and many other items I am speaking of visitors and non Panamanian citizens enjoy tax free purchases displaying their passport. Panamanian tax does not apply to these people, it is a fact that many non Panamanian citizens do not know of therefore do not take advantage of it on top of not paying taxes on their purchases they if retired also enjoy the 25% DISCOUNT AS WELL
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Jim
Seem like women are better purchaser. My wife...wow.... I bet that she is like Nena. So I have learned from her but being also in the construction business made me to ask for quotes and chose and negotiate for better pricing.
I went to Novey in Costa del Este - Panama City some months ago. I needed to replace our washing machine. I wanted the new Panasonic Inverter type of washing machine. I saw a model that I like but the side of the machine showed that it was hit and the metal was dented. Not a big deal. The price of the washing machine was about $575.00 I called the manager and asked for a discounted price for that machine and she only offered me $50 and a digital camera. I didn't accept at that time. I return 2 months later and found that the machine was still there. I call again the manager and told her that it was highly probable that she will never sell the machine in that store. So I asked her for a good offer. She returned back and told me that she will sell me the appliance at $275.00. I get her confirmation and ran quickly to the cashier to pay for it. I am now a happy owner of the Inverter type of a washing machine at a very good price with a decent dent on the metal side that don't affect the performance of the machine and it is not affecting the overall aesthetic of the same.
I have written here before that in Panama is not bad to bargain. I do it almost all time and I have had good offers.
We have an old saying in Spanish that is: "el que no llora... no mama". It will translate something like: " baby that doesn't cry.. doesn't get milk."
This is one of my pet peeves. The discount was designed to benefit truly needy and deserving elderly people, Panamanian and Gringo. I would not want to see the law changed, but I do think it is being abused. I remember a discussion I had with someone concerning his neighbor who lives in a high end house in Boquete and owns a Porsche and a Range Rover. But, apparently the guy is totally obsessed with getting his pensionado discounts wherever he goes. Go figure.
Please use common sense about this discount people, and try to remember that there are people who really need it and I would hate to see it abolished because it is being abused by well-off gringos.
David's viewpoint is very refreshing.
The neighbour certainly won't be getting any discounts servicing those vehicles. In Costa Rica they discontinued Pensionado benefits in the early 90's. As there was only income qualification required, with no age restriction, locals got upset seeing 35 year-olds driving around in duty-free BMWs with Pensionado license plates.
Several years back, renowned Panamanian attorney, Reynelda Mata-Kelly explained at one of the Tues. morning meetings that the pensionado discount was designed and instituted to try to retain foreigners who were leaving because of the Canal's return to Panama. My personal feelings? Asking private businesses to follow this mandate with no compensation is not right. But, of course the choice is up to those who qualify to ask for the discount.
BTW, having the sales tax knocked off (when it is possible) is another thing altogether, and would be at the discretion of the retailer.
I do have respect for Mrs. Mata Kelly but I disagree if that was her opinion about the motive the legislator look for when creating this law. For sure you will have a different opinion of other lawyers and attorneys in Panama different from the one of Mrs Mata Kelly.
The military were returning to their home and neither of them were retired or a jubilado. Most of the zonians were given the chance and first option to purchase the houses in the Canal Zone. Also all the zonians were given the chance to apply for Panamanian citizenship. They could have dual citizenship.
So the law was originated in a time where the Seguro Social was having financial problems for the retirement. So in order to protect our elders and avoid some problems with older people the legislators worked on create a law that will give benefits to the jubilados in Panama with the main goal of giving them more purchasing power without the need to increase the amount of the retirement check they were receiving.
I am not a lawyer but I am always interested in read the justification the legislators give to the citizens the main objective of the laws they are creating.
I understand the jubilado program helps Panamanian citizens of qualifying ages, but the pensionado program provides for the same discounts as early as age 18 and deferred import taxes on autos for non-citizens. So the benefits are more comprehensive for pensionados vs jubilados.
I haven't checked, but I suspect these are two different laws.
This is ironic! Last year I asked for this discount at Panafoto in David and they said it was only available to US Embassy employees!
Dont ask for the discount, just show your passport when at the checkout counter and they may or may not give you the tax exempt most stores and restaurants do if you show your passport its not mandatory it is something they do for foreigners to get them to come back
I was wrong to state that it is a law it is not it is actually what stores, restaurants and some grocery stores are doing for the foreighners and visitors that come to Panama as a way of getting them to return and spend money in Panama.
I am sorry for the confution.
Michael Travieso
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