* Panama’s association of customs workers (ANFA) has begun a strike calling for various bonuses and labour incentives to be paid. General director of Panama’s national customs authority (ANA) Tayra Barsallo said that the economy & finance ministry (MEF) had approved the necessary funds to pay the bonuses and urged ANFA to call off the strike. The private sector lobby Cámara de Comercio, Industria y Agricultura de Panamá (CCIAP) urged ANFA to lift the strike, warning that it was causing daily losses of over US$27m. It estimated that 1,200 containers containing an average of US$20,000 worth of goods will be prevented from entering the country each day and that around 300 export containers, each with an approximate value of US$10,000, will be prevented from leaving the country.