As a matter of fact, the dissipation of ethnic consciousness highlights a secret worry for the community. The older generations were so preoccupied with securing a livelihood that there was no time to teach the children Chinese. As a result, very few Chinese in Panama--whose families have often been there for several generations--can speak more than a few words of Hakka or Cantonese, or read Chinese characters.
事實上，「種族意識」的日漸淡薄，也的確點出僑社目前的隱憂：由於老一輩華僑汲汲營營於生計，無暇顧及子女的中文教育，這些華裔子弟幾乎都不懂中文，頂多只會幾句簡單的客家話或廣東話。