"THE CANAL IS OURS".The Panama Canal Panama Canal, waterway across the Isthmus of Panama, connecting the Atlantic (by way of the Caribbean Sea) and Pacific oceans, built by the United States (1904–14) on territory leased from the republic of Panama. is now in Panamanian hands after 85 years of operation. The question of whether the country can "handle" responsibility has offended Panamanians for years, while some U.S. doomsayers have painted pretty grim scenarios. Panama insists that it is ready, citing 20 years of experience running the canal with the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . Almost all the Canal workers are Panamanian and the government has secured Canal Zone Canal Zone: see Panama Canal Zone. Canal Zone or Panama Canal Zone Strip of territory, a historic administrative entity in Panama over which the U.S. formerly exercised jurisdictional rights (1903–79). projects worth about US$1.5 billion. "At last, Panama has reached sovereignty," said President Mireya Moscoso Mireya Elisa Moscoso RodrÃguez de Arias (born July 1, 1946) was the President of Panama from 1999 to 2004, representing the Arnulfista Party. She was Panama's first female president. . |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion