How the GAME is played!

[Cap'n Jib]

For those who plan on retiring to Latin America and maybe…just maybe think of building a home….think again. In fact, read my prior posts FIRST!

While many of my little stories are primarily concerning getting or not getting, things in done in Panama, I also have acquaintances, with similar circumstances, from almost every country in Central America and down to Uruguay. Dang fools one and all. I try not to use their examples as I can not verify the situations. But their experiences have the 'ring of truth' to them. So I use them only to determine if things are different else where. So far…no.

Of course, I consider myself the ultimate fool. A three time loser if ever there was one. Some people NEVER learn. (To be fair, the remodeling has been a walk in the park.)

Changes since I first arrived in L.A.

The economy has had its’ affect on the building process. There are many experienced individuals currently unemployed. Those with jobs, for a day or two, often travel 90 kilometers, one way, just to work. So one would think FINALLY a person could get something done…..not exactly.

Through the ex-wife of a former contractor, we found out he hadn’t worked for three weeks. We had a small project to do for a neighbor and we gave him a call, he said he couldn’t get to it for 10 days to two weeks because he was busy. However, just the day before, he had told his ex-wife he couldn’t make the child support payments because he had not worked. Don’t think he lied to her, but certainly to us. The reason we believe it to be a lie is because one of ‘his’ employees called the Mrs., to see if we had any small jobs to do. The employee had not worked for 3 weeks also.

The Waiting Game

One of the patented techniques for builders, contractors and developers, is to wait out gringos. They know we are always in a hurry to get things done, so they slow things down and therefore have us at a disadvantage. However, sometimes things change....er sort of.

With the economy the way it is, everyone is facing cash flow difficulties so the ‘waiting game’ is not longer in play. This morning I received an e-mail from a fellow gringo with an interesting story about his neighbor.

Seems the neighbor thought he could play the waiting game as well or maybe even better. The owner withheld about $5,000 or so, from the final payment on the house for two years because the work inside the house was shoddy….like not finished. NOTE: A job two or three weeks from completion in the US, is a job well done in Latin America.

Last week the parties negotiated a settlement, through attorneys, however, the Developer/Builder apparently backed out of the agreement. The neighbor found out the builder wanted no part of the negotiated settlement. The idea came to them when one of the Builders’ employees started knocking down the security wall of the house with a sledge. And who says gringos are dumb?

Of course they called the police, who came out and told the Builder he could NOT do that any more. The gringo couple then left later that afternoon for the airport. Spend a litle quality time in the US with their family before Christmas.

As soon as they left, the Builder and two men showed up with a backhoe and started tearing down walls. Our mutual friend was able to call the owners before they got half way to the airport.

The builder was overheard to say ‘hurry’ and to other workers “If you say anything bad about me, you will not work here.”

Photos were taken by fellow gringos but not good enough for facial recognition.

This required another trip to the Police.

A side note: the home owners in the development had asked many times to have a security guard on site to prevent theft. The Developer/Builder always rejected the idea. Now there is one and it would appear his sole function is to harass the home owners of the project as they enter and exit.

Ah life in Panama…..ya just gotta love it!

[John Wayne]

Did you say Panama, or Nicaragua?

[Sailover]

The home office is here in Colombia.

[Benjio]

I spoke with a gringo that was building a house in Santa Marta with a Colombian construction company. He didn't tell me how much he was paying to have the house built, but he did tell me that he told the construction manager if his team finished before a specified deadline he would pay him 10% of the cost of the house under the table.

The house was finished a month before schedule.

[Cap'n Jib]

Ok JW & SO,

Which one of you is Abbott and which is Costello? And who the hell is on first? However, your points are well taken.

Benjio,

I know there is a difference between paying an incentive and paying a bribe. I have difficulty in figuring out which is which. The only reason I need to know is so I can make the proper bookkeeping entry.

[Cap'n Jib]

Here is a link for "Who's On First"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQT2G91t9Kk

Here is one with subtitulos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z00NJ3Q3ncw