Taiwan Donates Jet to Panama

Panama’s state fleet will soon have a modern Embraer Legacy 600 thanks to Taiwan’s generosity.

Rafael Barcenas, Director of the Civil Aeronautic Authority, says that it has technical features appropriate and consistent with the modernization of the state’s air fleet.  The price of an Embraer Legacy 600 was listed as 25.41 million in 2008.

The government says that the 14-passenger jet will be used for government transport and humanitarian assistance.  It has not yet been confirmed whether it will replace the old presidential Gulfstream 11, described by President Martinelli as a dangerous clunker.  Nor has it been confirmed how the $17.9 million budgeted for the purchase of a new presidential plane will be reallocated, should the Legacy 600 be used.

Taiwan also gave Panama a 15-passenger Bell 412 helicopter this year, with a price tag of over $12 million, proving that bilateral relations are still strong between the two countries.

Taiwan has donated approximately $40 million to Panama this year.