Expanding the Panama Canal and Its History

EXPANDING THE CANAL AND ITS HISTORY

By: Raymond A. Grant.

The Republic of Panama is indeed a blessed country. With a population of only 3 million people, immigrants and investors from around the world are flocking to Panama like in the era of the California gold rush. The reason, affordable living conditions, modern infrastructure, relative peace and security, and an up and coming potential Panama canal expansion project.

Yet, on the Atlantic coast the best part of Panama blessed geographical position, lies the very busy like port city of Colon, a transculturization project whose final outcome is yet to be determined in the midst of Panama's potentially bright future.

While most Panamanian are concerned with not being once again displaced by foreign workers if the expansion projects goes forward; this time, the Panamanian of Caribbean descent are also concerned with Panama placing the history of their Caribbean ancestors accomplishment in building the Panama canal in its proper place within the Panamanian history. Many want it in Panama's history books and taught in the schools.

Unfortunately, there is no known collaboration between them and the Caribbean nations from which their ancestors came to ensure this historical inclusion takes place and neither is there any initiative being launched forward by France, England or the United States, all closely related to the canal construction project.

Several forces impact the Panamanians of Caribbean descent historical inclusion aspirations. On the one hand, the American take greater pride in the engineering accomplishments in building the canal and have very little to say on behalf of the international labor forces "war" like efforts which supported the engineering efforts on the grounds, causing them to suffering the greatest amount of casualties at the hands of the environment and work related dangers during the canal construction.

Panama on the other hand, faced with a historical truism of not having been part of the Panama canal construction work force, as also managed to minimize the accomplishments of the international labor force by way of their valiant long standing battle with the United States to regain control of the sovereign rights they claimed over their territory and with it the Panama canal administration and operations.

True be said, the Panamanians have done an excellent job in managing the canal since 1999 and the United States is credited with bowing out gracefully during the turnover. Prior to Panama's take over. Similar honors goes to the American administration of the canal and