Stop The Harassment Of Legal Land Ownership in Bocas del Toro, Panama

STOP THE HARASSMENT OF LEGAL LAND OWNERSHIP IN BOCAS DEL TORO, PANAMA.

Finca Los Monos Botanical Garden has been created from the jungle with over ten years of hard work by Lin & David Gillingham.
They researched all the original petitions for land titles and the subsequent first land titles given in the locality and the segregations made from them for the past 90 years. They purchased the titled land as the first segregation made from the original farm. Their land was duly inscribed in the Registro Publico (Public Regsitry).
Ten years later, after having lived in Bocas peacefully, a powerful Panamanian family (Grupo Eleta), using the law firm Morgan & Morgan and assisted by the local judge, Sr. Manuel Garcia, have tried at various times to enter their property against their will & without legally correct entry warrants. In this case of 'Proceso de Deslinde Y Amojonamiento', a boundary dispute, (of where the Eletas do not have one square millimeter of land and where the Gillinghams were never notified of the case), the three expert surveyors who represent the Eletas, the respondent and the judge, had to make a report to the judge. They all agreed that the land they have been asked to define is wholly outside of it's original farm. Furthermore, the place where it's supposed to be is inside the Gillingham's land which originated from another land title. The judge ignored this evidence and continues to harass the Gillinghams. Appeals to the judge & to the Tribunal Superior in David to stop this case due to it's legal irregularities have not been granted.
This is not an isolated case in Bocas del Toro. Since the increase in land value & desirability over the past 5 years too many of these cases are not being well managed by the local authorities. People, especially if they are foreign citizens, often feel helpless to fight against the authorities. It's time we all stood together to stop the harassment and demand more accountability from those in local authority. If this can happen to the Gillinghams with the first segregation from an original land title, it can happen to anyone.
Everyone needs to know their investment in Panama is secure. One voice alone can be lost. Many voices must be heard.

What can you do?
Sign this petition to the Supreme Court asking for action in Bocas del Toro. We ask that lawful processes are followed not abused.
Panama's forceful advertising for a 'safe place to retire & invest' will not be true until the judicial system gets an overhaul.

Any questions please direct to us.
Lin & David Gillingham
Finca Los Monos Botanical Garden.
[email protected]
Tel: 757 9461